The approach of the study is historical and institutional. The thesis compares the performance of the pre-war Nigerian economy to its post-war performance. The study analyzes the role of petroleum production, agriculture, and the banking system as the major generators of growth in the economy. It portrays the political framework of the country, and endeavors to give a clear and concise understanding of the economic and political implications of the war. Development planning policy issues are examined and evaluated to ascertain the degree to which Nigerian planners are fully aware of the nation's development obstacles.

This investigation is concerned primarily with describing some characteristics of the institutionalist school of economic theory and then relating these characteristics to the writings of Thomas Robert Malthus. Thus in the course of this thesis two distinct sections are developed: one describing what are felt to be the outstanding characteristics of institutionalism and the second relating these characteristics directly to Malthus.

Given the problems of economic development, the purpose of this thesis is to examine, analyze, and reevaluate the impact of human, social, economic, and political problems on the economic development of Uganda. The strategy adopted in the study of the problems involved in the economic development of Uganda is historical. In short, the study examines past, recent, and present literature on economic development of Uganda.