Non-governmental organisations as alternatives for service delivery in contemporary states

Abstract

In the last two decades, a worldwide consensus has emerged about the limits of what can be achieved by public sectors and the need to relieve the public sector of a number of functions that it could share with other role players or for which it has proved to be particularly not capable to achieve or unsuitable. This development has called for the need to consider alternatives for public service delivery thus looking at the private sector and non-profit organisations (NPOs) for solutions in the pursuit of a number of development objectives. Since the '90s, NPOs have played a significant role in supporting citizens at various levels. For the sake of this article, an emphasis is placed on NPOs' role in the countries of the Sub-Saharan African region especially those that are considered to be fragile, weak or failed states.