Failure to abide by the rule of law makes the return on capital more dependent on the whims of individuals than on laws. Property rights become less secure, which discourages businesses from investing and using property for more productive purposes. The effects of a breakdown of the rule of law show up in the form of lower levels of per capita real GDP. For example, in the United States, the UN’s Rule of Law index is high as is per capita real GDP. Nigeria, on the other hand, has a low Rule of Law index and a low per capita real GDP. 

Even if Nigeria were to find a way to bring its Rule of Law index up to the level of the United States, how long would it take to bring its per capita real GDP up to the level of the United States?