₦airaland Forum

obycindy:
Good day all,
Kindly assist, I was asked by a spainish university to do homologation before applying for a bachelor studies in Spain.. Is it the same thing with authentication of documents? Please I need assistance because am confuse.
Your Urgent response Will be highly appreciated.
Thank you.

I am afraid I can offer little or no help here. Maybe you should ask the embassy for more details.

Hey folks,

It's been quiet here. I don't want to make further updates.

I need someone/people to counter my views logically. Suggest better ways we can improve on things or on the above suggestions. Let us dream!

I don't want bland suggestions like pass this and that bill for example because that is clearly not working.

Example you can tell me why the present rail infrastructure or stakeholders will prevent us from building a robust railway system in 100 days. So we can tweak what we need to do to tackle it. Someone told me people like Dangote and the intercity transporters will oppose it and my suggestion was that the government will give them a 10 year lease to handle these coaches once completed.

I am a bit perturbed by something. Is it that we just love complaining and fighting ethnic wars than contributing to something even if for intellectual gratification?

Let's reason together. Let's make our country work. I am not proud to be a Nigeria with chronic issues and I don't have the patience to wait. They say patience without hope makes the mind sick. I don't know what I should hope on that is. My school of thought does not believe fighting corruption is enough in this country least of all without setting up independent institutions.

UPDATE:

The first 100 days into office, the primary targets amongst other things include

1) mapping out a proper rail network in Nigeria (upgrade on the existing rail network) with the help of the Chinese who are now masters in rail and train technology. You know one thing I find funny? When Caucasians conquered any land, one of the first things they did was network that area properly by rail. Unfortunately, the present rail network in Nigeria was constructed by them and has had no update. For me 80% of the current challenges we have on our roads is because of over usage. The rail network will knock off 60% of the pressure on the roads and will be efficient such that most people will prefer to travel by rail and also transport their goods by rail.

2) Focus on Ajaokuta steel company. We will start mining that deposit in Ajaokuta for real.

3) We will look at coal as an alternative source of energy. This is an unclean source I know but who cares for now?

4) Education. We roll out our graduate employment scheme in education and invest heavily in Research and Development institutes.

Remember this is a FORCED GROWTH MODEL.

Hi all,

I have some articles and papers for anyone interested in the above discourse to read.

We must industrialize Nigeria. In doing so we will copy from what happened in South East Asia.

Try to read these documents so you can understand my points. My motivation was built from the below policies.

http://www.icapitaleducation.biz/index.php?section=5&sub=15k

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ian-fletcher/japan-the-forgotten-prote_b_850269.html

http://www.mmtimes.com/index.php/business/11458-tackling-the-infant-industry-debate.html

If Japan did it, South Korea did it and China has done it, then we can do it.

Remember this is a FORCED GROWTH MODEL.

PS I have been trying without success to upload this file https://www.academia.edu/3727668/Roles_of_export-led_policies_in_developing_automobile_industry_in_South_Korea.

You might want to register and download it yourself. It is an interesting read.

Do you hear the people sing?
Singing the song of angry men?
It is the music of the people
Who will not be slaves again!
When the beating of your heart
Echoes the beating of the drums
There is a life about to start
When tomorrow comes.

Will you join in our crusade?
Who will be strong and stand with me?
Beyond the barricade
Is there a world you long to see?

Then join in the fight
That will give you the right to be free!

Will you give all you can give
So that our banner may advance
Some will fall and some will live
Will you stand up and take your chance?
The blood of the martyrs
Will water the meadows of Nigeria!


Do you hear the people sing
Lost in the valley of the night?
It is the music of a people
Who are climbing to the light.

For the wretched of the earth
There is a flame that never dies.
Even the darkest night will end
And the sun will rise.

They will live again in freedom
In the garden of the Lord.
They will walk behind the plough-share,
They will put away the sword.
The chain will be broken
And all men will have their reward.

Will you join in our crusade?
Who will be strong and stand with me?
Somewhere beyond the barricade
Is there a world you long to see?
Do you hear the people sing?
Say, do you hear the distant drums?
It is the future that they bring
When tomorrow comes!

Will you join in our crusade?
Who will be strong and stand with me?
Somewhere beyond the barricade
Is there a world you long to see?
Do you hear the people sing?
Say, do you hear the distant drums?
It is the future that they bring
When tomorrow comes...
Tomorrow comes!

Les miserables...

From the early feelers I get, the budget remains largely unchanged.

Let me give a little background. I first studied fiscal policy in the year 2009. I took a look at the budget which to be honest does not need one to study fiscal policy to interpret but alas it was filled with dross. I was literally crying.

Fast forward 7 years and I am a better analyst, having undergone some arcane if not unnecessary training in Fiscal policy. I take another look since its a new government though I had my reservations but that budget was eerily similar to what I saw as an undergraduate.

There was an uproar, the president said it was padded and they made some adjustments but even though I have not seen the appropriation bill, I hear it is largely unchanged. I do not need to go through the details of the budget as some better analysts than myself have done that but what pains me is that there is no vision or hope in that budget. How can you not only borrow to fund recurrent expenditure but your capital projects are full of crap.

We need our own country. I'd give you a free advise Nigeria cannot industrialize the way we are going. The budget that this model advocates has 80% allocated to serious capital project which you can logically borrow for.

For my friend who does not like models, in Economics, there are many growth models. Like mentioned before these are arcane and only for Western class room experience and academic papers. There is the Swan and Solow Model (Neo Classical Growth model very popular presently), there is the Harrod Domar model and there is the Keynesian Growth Model but all these are unnecessary and cannot be applied to a real economy-may the US comes close but for Nigeria it is a big no.

We have to get out of this mess. Me and you. We need a clear and defined path to growth. To be frank as an agrarian economy, there is little room for expansive growth. You need capital. My model is basically a time path for vigorous capital accumulation to take Nigeria away from subsistence agriculture to real industrialization. This in my opinion as a pragmatic Macroeconomist should be theme of debate by our politicians.

This was why I was interested in neither Buhari nor Jonathan.

Look at this way, corruption is endemic in the Nigerian society. A person votes for Buhari on Saturday and on Monday goes to pick up his international passport that he paid upwards of 27,000 as against the 12,000 real price. The anti-corruption fight was dead on arrival! I interview a few citizens and I daresay this view will most likely be shared by most reading this and they think a government that does some work can steal. Oh my word! What a loopsided view. A governor tares the road and we sing to high heaven. Dasuki is charged and we clap and nothing comes off it afterwards.

The budget fiasco has come and gone and no one is protesting any more yet it was hardly changed. You think this is a winning team? I think not. You think this will take us to glory days? I think not. We need to become a producing nation.

Even though my professors might think my model is a poor man's imitation of what Keynes will do they will readily admit we need to aggressively accumulate capital.

As I am constrained for time I will sign off with this:

"The sense of obligation to continue is present in all of us. A duty to strive is the duty of us all. I felt a call to that duty”- A. Lincoln

Remember this is a FORCED GROWTH MODEL.

tobimillar:
I have said it before on this forum and I will say it again... we don't need any model, what we need is enabling laws to encourage and force a 'buy made in Nigeria'.

Like I said then, let's take the textile industry for example. It's been moribund in years and remember it was the highest employer of labour in the North at a time. Now what if there is a law mandating ALL government civil/public servants aside lawyer, doctors, engineers (those professions that require specific uniforms) to buy and wear made in Nigeria fabrics? What happens is that the textile industry bounces back, jobs for tailor, cotton fields are back and they can even export our fabrics.

The large forex being wasted on importation of foreign wears will be reduced.


Now talking about entertainment, imagine if there is a revival of our local league? Imagine over 50, 000 people watching a match between kano pillars and ifeanyi uba fc? Well it's feasible an possible. Imagine the money that will be accrued to federal and state government? Imagine the millions from TV rights? I have a well articulated road map for that to happen

I find it difficult comprehending why you have an issue with the word 'model'. A dictionary would be quite handy you know or just maybe you are the scatter gun type in which case I can understand.

Why does a country like Nigeria not need a well articulated guideline for growth, do tell sir?!

I have written this before but I will reiterate: your suggestion is passive if you are not willing to push for its implementation. Laws, laws and laws. How convenient for you to sit and wait for someone to pass the law for you. No they will pass the social media bill! For the records, folks don't even abide by the existing ones. Let's even assume the senate does not stonewall your bill how do you intend to sell such a law in a democratic country- btw all these questions brings up a process, a train of thought this is what a model is my dear friend.

Though I don't think what you suggest is feasible and it is equally not right to tell people what to wear.

In my model, coughs, we can implement this kind of policy with tariffs. So you are not passing any law or telling people what to wear but you leave them with no choice.

Savvy?

Education is very key in this model.

Snippets of policies to revamp the educational system:

Create a pool of graduates who will teach English, Math, Physics and Further Math in all Federal Secondary Schools. This will be an elite crop with high standard and a very competitive salary on a renewable 2 year contract. The minister of Education will be the best performing Secondary School Principal in a Federal Government school and not a career politician who doesn't know jack about the system.

A concerted effort will be made to reverse the meteoric decline in at least 6 Federal Universities in the 6 geo political zones.

We have to plans to create a silicon valley in Nigeria by massively teaching street urchins aged 12 -16 how to program Java, Javascript, C++ etc

Remember this is a FORCED GROWTH MODEL

Bits and pieces of the model

We intend to take over power at least by 2023 and we will be needing the youths massively. We are still preparing the grand model which will include running for government very soon just to create more awareness, getting into power and keeping it democratically for at least 50 years till Nigeria can stand up to the US This is why you never hear me say the government should do this and that. WE WANT TO DO IT OURSELVES. You guys will be hearing from us very soon.

Our model will not be perfect. It will have many downsides but we will at least gratify our conscience that we did not sit idly by.

Our average age is 30. So we have hot blood coupled with over exuberance.

PS: you will not add much value to this thread if you only come to suggest what the government should do and shouldn't do. Suggesting potential hiccups will be nice so we can incorporate it into this model.

Cheers.

Co proponent of the FORCED GROWTH MODEL.

trillville:
So your plan is to persuade the Chinese to open multiple factories and to stop importation of goods manufactured by such companies. It is well known that monopolies lead to poor quality products and services as producers lack incentives to improve quality. Monopolies also lead to higher priced goods which will further pauperise Nigerians.

Where do you suppose the factories be setup? Are they all going to be In the port cities or would they be located in the hinterland? If there are setup in the port cities such as Lagos, labour cost, a core issue destabilizing China today, will be about the same in Nigeria as it is in China. This will nessecitate higher prices and would promote smuggling. Do you plan on building a Great Wall of Naija to stop smugglers? If the factories are setup in the hinterland, what roads will the factories use in transporting their raw materials and finished goods? Government has a role to play in building infrastructure, and it must play its role for progress to be made.

You made some nice points about China's current policy on changing its economy. Nigeria needs to take advantage of this.

You are also right in stating Nigerians have no time to waste. Hence the youths of this nation need to stand up and demand that resources currently used in paying ineffectual civil and public servants be channeled to infrastructural projects.

Your argument is stimulating me.

I like your first line. I couldn't have scripted it better! This shows we need heads. Intelligent heads. Yes our plan is to flood Nigeria with industries.

1) Higher prices I know but you should factor in growth in employment. We will copiously import the equipments initially and have a well worked plan of being independent in 20 years and btw is it not better than the present status quo?

2) Location of the industries you will have to read our model. I can't give everything away. We factor in politics we're not obtuse. Do you want to come onboard?

3) We will criminalize smuggling. Look at it this way we will use propaganda to show Nigerians that not just smuggling in goods made in other countries but also patronizing non made in Nigeria goods is downright evil. China did it. Hitler did it with his Aryan ideology. So we can do it. We'd get our propaganda machine out. Don't mention it then because I will deny you.

Look at my next post.

trillville:
Lol
Have you ever heard of WTO? there is a limit to which the Nigerian government can implement protectionists policies.

What makes you believe that the Chinese company that makes generator sets will set up a factory in Nigeria simply because we impose tariffs on imported sets? What if the company is Chinese government owned and its main purpose is to create jobs for Chinese people?

Even if the company were not government run and chooses to set up a factory here, the company will have to import almost all the parts it would need to assemble the sets, making the final price of the sets much higher than it is today. Although I am not am economist, I do know that a higher price leads to a decrease in the quantity demanded of a given good. So you are asking a Chinese company to set up shop here to make less profits than it is currently making.

Nigeria has a great economic model, Capitalism. Capitalism has proven over the years to be the surest path to prosperity and sustenance of that prosperity. Nigeria is also a federal democratic state, which is also a good political model. What prevents Nigeria from super growth is simply lack of political will to do what must be done, reduce excessive waste in our system.

Most countries have no income from natural resources such as crude oil. These countries rely solely on taxes finance infrastructure that support industrialization such as power plants and roads. Nigeria collects taxes from its citizens and at the same time gets revenue from oil sales, yet we lack basic infrastructure like pipe borne water because over 80 percent of governments revenue is spent on paying salaries and allowances.

The oil revenue is meant to benefit all Nigerians- alive, dead, yet to be born-, all Nigerians equally, and not a fraction called public and civil servants. This goal can only be achieved through mass infrastructure development. This is the fight, the youths must fight. This is the course you should be battling for.

Nigeria doesn't need any country's money or technical skills. The first power plant built in Nigeria was in the 1920's. The U.S. started mass development of power plants in the 20's. Today, we struggle to produce 4000 megawatts and America is moving head on into the digital age.

If, if and buts were candy and nuts we'd have a great Nigeria!

Pray tell what advantage has being in the WTO conferred on us. A dump ground for used cars from the US, old clothes from the UK and an occasional clanger from Italy. Exporting employment to the West and they return Kobo to us in the name of aid. In the model we only care about what favours Nigeria and possibly China.

I know it like the back of my palms that China will support Nigeria if only in defiance of the West. Why do you think it will not be profitable for them. Surely its a joke! A near monopoly. Lets assume you own a company- in this case you can be a government or an ordinary business man and a government invites you to be the sole producer or nearly, in its country do you really think this will not be profitable? The only issue here will be that of trust. Will Nigeria keep the dogs away from you?

China's demographics are changing as well as her economy. The focus in China is no longer dependent on Exports but they are shifting to a more consumer driven economy. I don't see why this won't work and we can't know without trying which we would somehow and very soon.

I find it a bit outrageous you think we don't need technological transfer. Can you name a non Western country that achieved large scale industrialization without this?

Again, though I respect your arguments, they are mere platitudes. The government should invest in infrastructure which they never will. The government should divide the country which will lead to a war, the government should pass this bill or that bill. The government should build this metro or dredge this river and they won't. The government should get me a wife too . I say these are passive suggestions. We have come to the stage where we have to force things. If we go the way you suggest, trust me there will be never be a speed rail in Lagos in your life time or mine even.

I must tell myself the truth, these things will come eventually but we could be talking about 100 years from now. Again every moment we delay industrialization, we risk losing out in the global scheme of things. In the US and Japan, robots are coming to life and these will mean doing away with the cheap labour. Which will be to our detriment.

Once more we are forcing things here. It's more related to the political will you talked about but it is a middle class revolution!

UPDATE ON THE MODEL:

We can produce phones in Nigeria and here's how

Identify a Chinese company that will be ready to partner with us (the assumption here is that all the logistics has been thought through). Negotiate how long it will take to install a capacity to produce at least 10,000 phone every day/week. I know there are more than 50 Chinese companies that will willingly accept this 'generous' offer.

Place a 500% tariff on all phones imported into Nigeria. The tariff will be calculated such that the imported phone will be at least 5 times the price of the home made phone. Like I mentioned earlier this is what South Korea did with Kia.

Truly this has to be supported by citizens who are educated properly so we can steal this Chinese technology in at least 5 years and start exporting to other African countries.

I still maintain that we can't wait for the perfect scenario even if they (Chinese phone company) has to produce the phones running on Nigerian made generators and fuel refined in Nigeria it is a win-win for us.

Remember it is a FORCED GROWTH MODEL.

chiddye:
industrializing Nigeria would start with reorientating the psych of the average Nigerian on the street, the job of the (national orientation centre) we need to drive the patriotic spirit that as been neglected and abandoned.

you can't create an industrialized nation without government policy. is the government willing to partner with the private sector properly? government should be playing a regulatory role... we need the legislators to do something regarding that, legislations like the petroleum industry bill that could address issues with crude oil commodities both upstream and downstream
should be passed into law to stimulate productivity in that area.


you can't industrialized a nation that can't feed itself we need to be self sufficient in Nigeria, regarding this although it seems the present government is trying to encourage agricultural research and development which would enable us perform better nonetheless the agricultural sector should be given a pivotal role. every region has to produce a cash crop for export state by state to enable each state add to the nations foreign exchange, we use to be an agricultural nation before oil and we need to go back to our basis.


encourage foreign direct investment by creating enabling environment for foreign investors we can't grow our nation without foreign hands we need to create an environment that would be conducive for foreigners and their investments


technological hubs should be encourage in every state of the federation thereby enabling inventors and new generation scientist to drive the industrialization process

Once more, these are mere platitudes. I will hazard a guess and say you did not read my last post.

Firstly, we need to force the matter. You can't keep waiting till everything falls into place or till you achieve a middle income of $15,000. No! You might want to look more at China. It is a model that can work. See most of the S.E Asian countries are benefiting from China although the technological advancement started from Japan.

We can keep saying power this power that, this bill and that bill but we have to force this thing on ourselves. Again we can't depend on agriculture rather we will depend on agro allied industries in this forced growth model. Produce it and process it yourself. I say saturate Nigeria with industries FORCEFULLY. That passion you're using to chase Dasuki use it to think and implement ways to force industries into Nigeria.

Truth is I can come up with a million and one reasons why it won't work or the other things we have to put in place for it to work; all that stops the wheel from rolling IMHO. You can't have a perfect scenario but until you start there's no telling whether it will work or not. I am not the wait till the cows come home type. I like having a plan then try to execute or die trying!

Example why wait till 2018 to build a company that manufactures pencils? That year will come and nothing will happen trust me because this is not their plan and folks like me and you will keep pontificating from our ivory towers. But my proposed forced model is invite that Chinese company that sells these pencils to us. Ask them how long it will take to install the facility, negotiate for a faster date and plan on banning importation of any pencil whatsoever into Nigeria the first day that company starts producing pencils.

Why do I think this will work OBJ tried it and it did. Truth again is that most Nigerian governments have had this plan like I think GEJ had this Special Economic Zone thingy-that is very popular in SE Asia and I think Kenya is starting it too but they did not force it.

Once more remember this is a FORCED GROWTH model.

Hey guys nice comments but my problem is that we do a lot of pontification myself included.

That was why I needed a model. When we have a plan then we can try to force the matter. My plan generically speaking is to forcefully industrialize and re-educate Nigeria. I have many plans I need other ideologues but not just utopian ideas.

Who says we can't cause the revolution that would set Nigeria on the right path. The youths will support us for sure and most importantly we will have a plan that we will be willing to put our heads on the block for. Does APC have a plan? I daresay no! PDP? a resounding no.

Enough of being arm chair analysts and complaining till the cows come home. I say we do something about it! In Nigeria it doesn't take much to become a legend. There is way too many wrongs in the country. Right one or two and there you go.

We can moan all we want but the status quo will perpetuate if we don't do anything. Nigeria should be flying high. We should be competing with China and the rest of the world. We have the talent, the resources the resilence.

I just can't sit back and watch anymore. I have grown tired. I can't wait for them to go. They never will! The will ruin our collective future. They have no plan. Those that do will never get in.

There must be someone reading this and saying to himself this is exactly my feeling. Yes we need to rally ourselves. Have a plan and take it from there.

Says Lincoln: "The dogmas of the quiet past, are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew and act anew. We must disenthrall ourselves, and then we shall save our country."

Cheers!!!

Ofodirinwa:
You can hate tribalism all you want but there are genocides happening in this thing you call Nigeria and the way you feel about tribalism isn't changing that. Acting like you can ignore that fact that Nigeria is a powerless, waterless killing field of broken dreams and cheated people and skip straight to industrialization is a joke. The people running factories in Nigeria today are doing it out of the kindness of their hearts, not because it make sense in this zoo of a contraption. If they ran the same factory in SA or Ghana their wealth would be triple what it is today. The current president can't read well. Senators have told me that they have to personally read bills to them because he doesn't understand it when submitting and the legislature if having a hard time passing bills. He has waged war and destroyed the judiciary. Will you be mad enough to set up a factory in a country where law, life and property aren't a sure thing?

...

oduastates:
You do not need any model.
The answers are right there in your face.

1 pour money into technical education. Those degree /diploma mills aka tertiary education in Nigeria are not going to get the country anywhere. You do not need degrees to become a legal practitioner, accountant, journalists, aircraft maintenance engineer, machine tool operator, advanced farmer etc.

2 follow up with technical /engineering hubs and industrial estates. As we speak, an IT hub is growing by the day in yaba without any government help. Where did Nigeria waste money on IT hub ? Abuja, a place with little or no Information technology know-how. The lagos state government is also not doing anything.


3 use government policy to curb conspicuous consumption and reckless importation.

4 Direct funding to those who are already innovating and stop trying to make an entrepreneurs out of those who are not entrepreneurs( SURE-P). There are numerous fashion,engineering and information technology brands in Nigeria already. Support those.

5 Enforce laws


6 Give government contracts to those who are leaders in their field. e.g give shoe contracts to a shoemaker and not some politicians.

7 reduce the size of the government. A government that cannot pay his employees cannot afford those employees in the first instance. Downsize.

8 Something has to be done with the national assembly.


9 Most importantly, the federal government has to be downsized and the country restructured


10 Core infrastructure : Primary roads leading to the centres of production and commerce have to be top quality. Power supply improved. But all this depends on the restructuring of the country

This is a model, no? Though scatter gun at best. You think you can implement this without breaking it into detailed parts. In China it was called the Great Leap. You need to be methodological about it and aggressive and it comes with propaganda my brother. You need to make a Nigerian willing to kill anyone that uses a generator not made in Nigeria. Mao was ready to kill for Chinese industrialization, and kill he did- I do not countenance that though. That on its own my brother is a model. Maybe I just called it what any Economist would.

Savvy?

My thinking is always the following

First off, we have a seemingly intractable challenge with power yet we import generators. This is fool hardy. We can't have it both ways if we want to grow. It's either we internalize our own problems or we're just wasting our time.

One of the surest ways to industrialize right now is to "sell our soul to China". I am pretty certain China will be more than willing to do this. Our hope lies in the East and not the West (I know, it's on God! ). You can always opt out later. After all the broke up with the USSR subsequently. Let us invite that company that sells generators to us in China. Say two or three of them and promise them this: We will either ban the importation of generators or set a tariff as high as 2 times what it costs to produce the generator in Nigeria without energy.

Look at it this way, MTN has been recording huge profits regardless of the dire power situation. So that company will surely brake even and more. The price of generator will be high yes but we are buying and selling to ourselves. We are not import unemployment. This is what Korea did with Kia if I am not mistaken. It is called protectionist policy. Let the Chinese firm invest here and sell within since most Chinese firms are government owned this agreement can be reached "after selling our soul " I am kidding anyway.

Nigeria's deficit to GDP is just 2.18% which is a good thing. We can borrow against our expectation and the budget should be 80:20. 80% capital and 20% recurrent. I believe that if we focus on policies along this line, Nigeria will be growing at a rate of about 22% every year for at least 5 years which means we can borrow more money to saturate Nigeria with industries. Industries! Chinese industries all around Nigeria.

China did something along these lines and though I am no communist, I think it should pretty much work if the middle class take over this country. This is a snippet of my thought...

Since only one person has indicated interest, I think I will sign off here.

Cheers!!!

Maybe you think fighting educational decay is not as important as fighting corruption but consider this first

The Nigerian stock exchange a true reflection of the abilities of our Economic and Financial professionals just has over 5,000 deals per day. In South Africa is north of 60,000. Since the 1930s a special instrument and very important called short selling has been traded in the NYSE but most traders on the Nigerian bourse dunno what it is.

I don't want to digress.

I have advanced my industrialization argument in some circles and the constant question I get is: but Nigeria just has the capacity to generate 5,000+ megawatts and this is my thinking about this...

Maybe I can initiate some topics for discourse here.

First and foremost we need to rethink our educational system. It encapsulates everything wrong with Nigeria.

I know a couple of people who went to government primary and secondary schools and can't read in English even if their lives depended on it.
How many if any of nairalanders completed their math text book in secondary school? I didn't! I thought it didn't really matter but in retrospection it does.
The problem starts from primary schools and then spills over to every sector of the economy.
Our university education is a joke. We need at least one working universities without all the dross we have if you know what I mean.
Without quality education, forget we can't industrialize because first off we need to copiously import industrial materials and then learn how to manufacture them ourselves.
In Europe, they teach them linear algebra (at least the basics in high school).

...

Paulpaulpaul:
How do you want people to reach you without name, phone number and email address?



A good idea though, may God help you. Since you can conceive it, your mind will attract the people and resources.





I'm not an economist but wanna be part of the progressive idea.

I took it for granted that every nairalander knows how to contact any poster. I have posted my email address before and got banned (I was told not to drag posters off for personal chats) and btw I wouldn't want the charlattans to shoot me an email

Cool you are interested what is your background-academics...

Hi Nairalanders!

I have grown tired of the mess that is Nigeria and I have been thinking seriously for sometime. I am hoping to find a partner(s) preferably an Economist to work together with on a model to industrialize Nigeria.

I am presently working on a mini article but the model should be the bigger picture. The crux of the model is to involve China in Nigeria the way China involved the USSR in its industrialization.

My motivations and turn offs:

I have gotten tired of Nigerian politics and our bereft politicians. I am no fan of Jonathan or Buhari.
I hate tribalism with passion.
I don't think corruption was/is Nigeria's biggest problem. I quote someone-"you can always take the moral high ground with more money in your pocket...". I think poverty is accountable for upwards of 80% of the social challenges we face. I rather think setting up strong and independent institutions is way better than "fighting corruption".
Africa needs a road map to industrialization. I think Nigeria can provide that.
I try to be one of the most unbiased persons you will find around (when I am biased, I state it though). I can actually take my brother to court if he deserves it.

Ultimately I like this guy...

http://www.economist.com/news/christmas/21568587-shot-killed-song-jiaoren-was-not-heard-around-world-it-might-have-changed

PS: I hope for the life of me that this doesn't come off as being narcissistic.

tuale4u:
It is more complex than you make it look. You ignore the impact of increase in local manufacturing. You are only focussing on foreign investment. Even with that, china fixed and manipulated their currency during their pursuit of growth, it did not stop foreign investment from going to china.

For me, the current policy is okay as long as the government aggressively promote local manufacturing.
For now, the govt is not showing enough aggression. that is my only worry. Without that aggression, this sacrifice will be a waste.

I reckon you're not an Economist else it beggars believe you think the current regime is okay.

Maybe till the reserves runs out you will understand there is nothing okay about it and please China is different for a million and one reasons.

989900:
But you've just technically roughly repeated 75-80% of what the humble Dr. just ordered (going forward).
I've personally written numerous posts and topics about same.
Basically the same thing this administration is trying to do as evidenced by the president's trips, the projected/envisaged budget (we should know what's up about this in few weeks), the fight against corruption (the TSA, the IPPIS, BVN, recovery of stolen funds, championing a new and more transparent way of doing things), encouraging states to contribute in-lieu of the opposite, and more . . .

And, I feel this is the best way to go. Obviously, we all wish things can be done at a higher tempo, faster pace, and for this I grudge this present administration for it's slow pace -- they could up the tempo considering we're in a 'state of emergency' economically.
However, I can't fault the president and his team's commitment and dedication to turning things in the right direction.
And of course they need help.

As regards the exchange rates and discrepancies, devaluation and all, this is where knowing the local terrain counts. It is largely driven by racketeers, profiteers, speculators and hoarders. While officially, it is largely driven by importation of refined petroleum products (accounts for roughly 40% of our forex demands) and secondly by excess liquidity which is presently being partially curtailed by the TSA.

If we can get around those 2; reduce it to the barest minimum or totally eliminate them, the Naira will firm up at less than N160 in few months! While patronizing our own local products and supporting local manufacturing, coupled with agric/food self-sufficiency and export, throw in mining of other natural resources.

OTOH, devaluation won't guarantee:
Hoarders or racketeers won't play their hand,
Nigerians would suddenly lose their appetite for foreign goods(some of which are actually necessities),
A revamped economy where every one goes back to the drawing board,
It won't make our economic woes go away -- it has never -- and it will never!

Devaluation will guarantee:
Pump prices go up,
Our foreign debt burden increases (the last thing the FG will do) making it harder to meet up with,
Hyper-inflation.
Demand for salary raise (the last thing the FG would want at this times of lower income)
More job losses.
Our stock exchange depreciates by a big chunk of it's worth.
Brain Drain.

P.S. No country would do well . . . "per capita productivity" and all that, when the lending rates are over 20%!

I was passing by however, I wish to debunk some assertions you made on here:

Pump prices will go up? Remind me if this is not the case already?!
Our Foreign debt increases? How so? Do we service the foreign debt in Naira or something?
Hyperinflation: Really you think if we devalue it would be worse than an almost 2 percentage point increment?
Demand for salary raise: oh spare me this. Prices are on the rise already.
Stock market loss ***staring curiously*** boss this will have the opposite effect.
Brain Drain?
Btw I am clutching at straws to figure what you mean by per capita productivity. I know productivity in Macroeconomics is output/total labour supply never heard per capita productivity but maybe I am just being a pedant .

I hate this devaluation debate because to me it appears cinch. I hate discussing it because the points seem way too obvious for me but I thought to chip one or two things in here.

PS: I get worked up when people say devaluation will lead to inflation- a phenomena we are already experiencing with our costly forex regime.

Philadelphia:
Hi everyone, I just wrote the Mckinsey SHL test and I don't know if it's me or the test was generally easy. I finished with about 5 minutes remaining (without guessing).
Please share your experiences too.

So have you heard back from them?

ekechil:
Hello bro, can someone who has a cousin in same city as city of study use the cousin's apartment contract and a letter attached to it for accommodation receipt?

You might be making a mistake by doing that. There are accommodations online that you can get and trust me you will be grateful the embassy enforces that.

When some folks told me how much they were spending in hotel rooms, I was glad I paid upfront and the only thing I had to do was to inform the accommodation of the day I was arriving.

If you can get your own accommodation contract.

ekechil:
How do i book an appointment for the visa application, is it online or i ve to go to their office to do it?

You don't book appointments for Spanish visa applications. You just turn up!

ekechil:
Thanks bro for the response, please my resumption date is 15th Feb 2016 and your no 2 step talks about a month and half to resumption date. My legalisation date is 3rd Feb 2016 and every document is ready, what do you think about the timing?

Well I reckon that step was not written here but if you have an urgent legalization, it pays to tell them. They always considered me every time I asked. You've run out of time and they will definitely tell you to get a document from your possibly adjusting your resumption period.

This document like everything you should be going with should be original. To be sure I had my school send one to me because I resumed after three weeks.

As for how to salvage the situation, you can still shoot them an email because you are really hard pressed for time. You should at least give them 14 days before travel date to process the visa and but you apparently will fall short of that.

sahm4u2nv:
I'm lost here.
I need some clarifications, I'm about to finish my Nysc program. and I'm planning to study in Spain for my MSc
pls can someone tells me things I need to put in place
thanks and Godbless

Read the thread from page 1. I mean, the very least you need to scale the Spanish Embassy hurdle is to be enterprising which also holds true for searching for a school that will admit you.

ekechil:
Hello 1andonly, congrats on your visa. the photocopy "all documents" you mentioned for legalization should be birth cert, police cert, bsc cert, transcript and medical cert right?

I meant you should photocopy every freaking thing you are going to that embassy with so long as it is a document. To be safer, make two copies.

dmariowizzy:
ok.. thanks for the advice.. but bro.. you said you would choose USA anytime.. whats your reason??... please state it.. i would like to know..

More opportunities than Europe. It couldn't get better than that.

dmariowizzy:
your right bro.. that's what peole keep saying... i agree with that.. and besides i don't know any other language apart from my native language and English... won't it be difficult for me to socialize in europe??..

Most young European folk speak in English. Apparently globalization did not just affect us...

I reckon this is a no brainer especially from the legal perspective.

In Europe if you are not in Germany or the Uk the chances of getting employment are at a premium. Maybe the Scandinavia could be a good prospect but if you ask me I would choose the USA every time.