SOCIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF ICT ENTERPRISES AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITION OF RURAL PEOPLE IN NIGERIA.

This paper examined ICT and socio-economic condition of rural people in Nigeria. Rural communities in Nigeria are characterized by poverty due to poor income level and lack of job opportunities. This situation is worrisome and often pushes these disadvantaged groups into unlawful activities such as theft and arm robbery in order to make a living. A survey design was adopted to capture the wide spread variables involved in the study. The sampled population size was 500 which was determined by Taro Yamane’s formula. Questionnaire was used to gather the data and was validated by two researchers and the reliability test of the instrument was 0.76. Two hypotheses were formulated and tested with chi-square statistics and the result revealed that there is a significant relationship between ICT and income level of rural people. Also, there is a significant relationship between ICT and jobs creation in rural area. It has been recommended that Government should strengthen ICT facilities in rural communities. Government need to identify the ICT needs gap and fill them and putting measures in place to maintain existing ICT infrastructures and also use ICT skills acquisition as a means of reducing poverty in rural communities. It has been concluded that Information and communication technology remains a potent tool for enhancement of income level and creation of job opportunities for rural dwellers. The study has confirmed that there is a significant relationship between ICT and income level and jobs creation in rural communities in Nigeria.