I noticed that there was only one advert on the front page. I refreshed my page severally thinking my browser is the problem. That one advert clanged to one aside of the pages like it has been there since the inception of Nairaland. I have commented once on adverts and Nigerian syndrome. Local companies in Nigeria advert on yahoomail, youtube, facebook and google adverts to name a few. Seun wearing the professional garb, said that Nigerian business including Nairaland have to be competitive and produce quality before it can survive or something like that if I can remember exactly what he said but it is close to my assertion.

However, my point is this, I see no reason why Nigerian businesses should not advertise on Nairaland, except Seun can tell us better. Could it be the cost of advertising or advertising the website to other businesses? What comes to mind is that Nairaland should advertise itself, we all know that Nairaland has above one million members and a glance of the top ten trafficked websites in Nigeria has Nairaland in it. So one is left to wonder, why has the adverts not excelled. Why am I concerned when I have no percentage of ownership nor am I even a friend of Seun, I am neither but Nairaland reserves a place in my heart. Firstly, I was a trouble maker in Nairaland politics section before I started learning programming in the year 2000 and I lost love for every other section except the programming section. Seun gave me a lot of useful advices. I remember once he pointed me to an API he was developing and I was so awed at that I wished that one day I could do same. Three years down the line, I know Java more than I know myself. I can tell you about it in dreams and even when am drunk. I can explain it to a bricklayer and market woman.

Secondly, I am a proponent of supporting our own. I always tell many people that most American business despite the innovations that come with them are surviving and dominating because the government supports them. Take for instance, American election, those who support off shoring jobs are frowned at. The US in the last two years decided not to support blackberry so that Apple could survive. It was until iphone 4 that apple made sensational phones better than others. Consequently, blackberry almost closed shop from over $200m to $9m annual profit. Not until last year when major carriers in the US decided to carry z10 after they quit previously. My point is that we need to support our own. So long as the business is owned by Nigerians, the wealth spreads. I still don't know what MTN is doing in Nigeria. Ask me about the PIB bill, I will tell you the reason why the oil firms are against it is because it is in the interest of Nigerians. They tell us that we don't know how much oil we produce in a day and we swallow it. if they are not making profit since 1970, they should pack up and go, that oil will be drilled with or without them.

Let me not digress, the point am making is that firstly Seun should be innovative enough to attract Nigerian business to advertise on Nairaland. There are brilliant business development/advert executives out there who could come up with strategies and powerful campaigns. I know when this is done, adverting Nairaland adverts would be easy to Nigerians who will prefer foreign sites.

If you do a headcount, NL members are not more than 600. I have never met a Nigerian who knows NL. I actually know a member who has about 200 IDs. Check mr corrk or 190, they each have close to 100 each.

denzel2009: If you do a headcount, NL members are not more than 600. I have never met a Nigerian who knows NL. I actually know a member who has about 200 IDs. Check mr corrk or 190, they each have close to 100 each.

600

denzel2009: If you do a headcount, NL members are not more than 600. I have never met a Nigerian who knows NL. I actually know a member who has about 200 IDs. Check mr corrk or 190, they each have close to 100 each.

This is not true!

naija_swag:

The US in the last two years decided not to support blackberry so that Apple could survive. It was until iphone 4 that apple made sensational phones better than others. Consequently, blackberry almost closed shop from over $200m to $9m annual profit. Not until last year when major carriers in the US decided to carry z10 after they quit previously. My point is that we need to support our own.

While I agree with your view, I just have to point out that these statements are false. The first generation iPhone aka 'Jesus Phone' had hundreds of people queuing outside stores on its launch day. IPhone has been a record breaker right from its first launch. Meanwhile, blackberry 's downward spiral isn't because of any 'government support' but because they not only stopped innovating but also refused to adopt change until iOS and android became better than blackberry at their best offering. There has been no time that there was no US carrier selling blackberries. Infact, iphones were sold exclusively by AT&T.

tundebabzy:

While I agree with your view, I just have to point out that these statements are false. The first generation iPhone aka 'Jesus Phone' had hundreds of people queuing outside stores on its launch day. IPhone has been a record breaker right from its first launch. Meanwhile, blackberry 's downward spiral isn't because of any 'government support' but because they not only stopped innovating but also refused to adopt change until iOS and android became better than blackberry at their best offering. There has been no time that there was no US carrier selling blackberries. Infact, iphones were sold exclusively by AT&T.

If only you know the meaning of protectionism. Anything can be used as a cover. Ask they Chinese they know better, that's why the sealed their economy to devise their own strategy and have succeeded and subsequently overtaken everyone. I am talking deep economics here not the use of phones.

naija_swag:

If only you know the meaning of protectionism. Anything can be used as a cover. Ask they Chinese they know better, that's why the sealed their economy to devise their own strategy and have succeeded and subsequently overtaken everyone. I am talking deep economics here not the use of phones.

Dude, protectionism has to do with restriction of trade through things like export subsidies, tariffs, import quotas, etc. USA doesn't practice protectionism (at least for its telecommunication equipment industry) or else how can you explain that apart from the Moto X that is launching today, no phone is manufactured on US soil.

The thing about business is that if your product is superior, you will get paid. Businesses will always consider what their ROI will be before spending their money.

Truth is web advertising has gone beyond displaying ad banners on a web page and I want to believe nairaland knows that. If they do, then it's only a matter of time before publishers start flocking to their site.

tundebabzy:

Dude, protectionism has to do with restriction of trade through things like export subsidies, tariffs, import quotas, etc. USA doesn't practice protectionism (at least for its telecommunication equipment industry) or else how can you explain that apart from the Moto X that is launching today, no phone is manufactured on US soil.

The thing about business is that if your product is superior, you will get paid. Businesses will always consider what their ROI will be before spending their money.

Truth is web advertising has gone beyond displaying ad banners on a web page and I want to believe nairaland knows that. If they do, then it's only a matter of time before publishers start flocking to their site.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/08/03/obama-administration-overturns-ban-on-some-apple-products/?sr=fb080413appleproducts12p


Read what's on that link. It might not be very clear to you though. You need the big picture to grab how the world works.

....only shows how far the US will go to protect its income. Apple pays about 35% of its US income to the US government. No sane government will fold its arms and watch.

Look, Apple worked (innovated if you like) to become America's sweet heart and a case study for the business world.......it didn't reach where it is now on a platter of US government gold. Thats all I'm saying. Support your own is right and that will help our nation become great but the producers should also make sure they can at least produce up to the standard of the substitutes.

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naijaswag1:


If only you know the meaning of protectionism. Anything can be used as a cover. Ask they Chinese they know better, that's why the sealed their economy to devise their own strategy and have succeeded and subsequently overtaken everyone. I am talking deep economics here not the use of phones.

China sealed its economy and forced its citizens to be self sufficient.
To work and produce their own goods instead of lazily depend on foreign imports. It has paid off.
But that has nothing to do with economics. Its simply commonsense and the muscle to monitor and enforce
those objectives.
It has been tried in nigeria, with SAP - introduced by babangida.
SAP, didnt work, because, the enforcers were themselves corrupt.

Soviet union, tried these too - through socialism/communism-
it failed because the enforcers were themselvs corrupt.
North korea is using a non democratic system too - to tamper with the economy.
It is no an impoverished nation compared to south korea.

Tampering with the economy will not work because, in nigeria, the enforcers are corrupt.
imagine asking us to make our own cars- the enforcers will be parading latest foreign models
before our eyes while we'll have to settle with the stuff out of our own backyard.