I just had a heated argument with a friend about the strongest African economy. He thought that South Africa was the strongest and would remain so for ever. Whereas, I think Nigeria is the next big thing. Oil+growing Agri Industry+Robust Population= The Next Big Thing?

What do you guys think?

http://www.trading-safely.com/ - Website for the COFACE Country Risk and Economic Studies Department

http://www.coface.com/CofacePortal/COM_en_EN/pages/home/Who_we_are - To check their credibility

It borders on grandiose delusion to compare an elephant like South Africa with a mouse like Nigeria. Our political leaders keeps brainwashing the man in the street that "we are the giant of Africa", this statement only holds true in terms of our landmass, population and vices that our corrupt, visionless political leadership have sustained since independence that they are now a culture!

South African Economy is far better than Nigeria, i stay here in SA thats really makes know what i am taking about, if for crimes i pick SA.

Whose citizens' enjoy more SouthAfrica. Which country Makes more money? Nigeria.

Guys it really bad how quick we are to condemn our own country just because we are outside and feel things are easy for us, before your make such a comparison what are the point of comparison , this need to be first determined before you can actual make a statement about this, i have always believed that its very difficult to come out and say this country is better that another and to do that for a country like Nigeria will be wrong as most of you have never had the privilege of visiting at lest 20 state in the country to better make any analysis of the country called Nigeria.
I have lived in these two nations and traveled extensively in them, mingling with the people and can tell you that not withstanding the challenges the Government of Nigeria faces the country is truly far better than some of the so called developed nations the West want us to believe are better than us.My brother the major area SF is better is that the people are so proud of themselves and their country and some of us Nigerian rather take delight in tiring down your nation and only see the bad in it, that why the world has nothing good most time to say about us. I am a PROUD 150% NIJA and will say it anywhere in the world.

@ERICBON

i know you love your country, so do i. but lets not close our eyes to the reality of things in this country. our economy is no way near that of south Africa, Egypt or even Ghana. come a couple of years, Angola's econony will probably rise against ours.
you asked what are the points of comparison. the points i considered before jumping to such conclusions are;

State of the stock market. . . in case you've not noticed, our stocks are falling by the day, i cant even remember the last time i saw a green arrow-up next to the NSE sign.
foreign exchange. . . compare naira to rand to dollar and tell me what you find
export of goods. . . what else of substance to we export in this country except for oil. by the time the reserves is exhausted. i wonder what will be relying on.
foreign investors. . . how many foreigners will be willing to invest in Nigeria, compare that to S.A
banks. . . .when you look through top 100 banks in Afirca, the first 7 are Egypt and South African banks. Nigeria made its debut in no.8 with first bank and thats the only Nigerian bank in the top 10.

the reality may be hard to swallow but we should just accept it with hope of a change in situation.

@ERICBON
i used to defend my country and speak up for it before but now i have given up becos i don't see any change and lying to ourselves is not going to make anything better NIGERIA IS A SHITHOLE and i stand by my statement till things start to look up

Nigeria will not frustrate us ooh! instead work hard, become richer than those thieves in political, and change at least 3 things in your own lil way.

south africa's economy for now is better... lets be realistic. there is better income distribution in south africa than nigeria.