Economy:Ivory Coast Growing, Nigeria In Deep Recession

Ivory Coast and Nigeria are countries on the African continent and they are both situated in the West African region of the continent. While Ivory Coast is presently experiencing economic boom the Nigerian economy is in deep recession. Inflation in Ivory Coast is presently less than 3% while inflation in Nigeria is close to 20%.

The economy of Ivory Coast is stable and currently growing, in the aftermath of political instability in recent decades. The Ivory Coast is largely market-based and depends heavily on the agricultural sector. Almost 70% of the Ivorian people are engaged in some form of agricultural activity. Ivory Coast is among the world's largest producers and exporters of coffee, cocoa beans and palm oil.

Nigerian economy is mostly dependent on Crude Oil export and is presently experiencing worst situation since the country gained Independence in 1960. Directionless economic policy of the Buhari administration have plunge the Nigerian economy into deep recession. The most prominent campaign slogan of President Buhari was fight against corruption and recovering of looted funds but with 2 years into the administration the fight against corruption is only targeting the opposition with corrupt Buhari's cronies left untouched.

While Nigerian President Buhari depended heavily on Western countries to return looted Nigerian funds but to his disappointment no fund is return to date. President Buhari implemented Western-promoted economic policies in Nigeria just to please the West but the West have not rewarded him with anything.

While the Ivory Coast government is working tirelessly to improve economic relations with emerging non-Western powers like Iran, the Nigerian President Buhari slaughtered 1000+ Nigerian Shia civilians in Zaria in December 2015 and dumped their dead bodies in mass graves at night under the pretext of curtailing growing Iranian influence in Africa.

Recently the Ivory Coast's Transport Minister Amadou Kone in a meeting with Director General of Iranian Foreign Ministry's Africa Department in Abidjan asked for Tehran’s help to renovate his country’s public transport sector. During the meeting in the Ivorian capital, Kone declared Ivory Coast’s program to develop its transportation system by 2020 and the country’s need for 50, 000 light and heavy transportation vehicles. He called for Iranian auto manufacturers' help to accomplish the goal.

The Iranian official, Aqa Jafari, for his part, briefed the Ivorian minister about Iran’s capacities in various fields, including auto manufacturing. "Iran’s auto manufacturing companies are ready to have a strong presence in developing Ivory Coast’s public transportation," he said.

In relevant remarks in mid-November, Iranian Ambassador to Abidjan Mansour Shakibmehr and General Manager of Ivory Coast's Investment Promotion Center Emmanuel Essis in a meeting in the Ivorian capital underlined the need for the further expansion of trade ties between the two countries. During the meeting in Abidjan, the Iranian ambassador and the Ivory Coast's official discussed bolstering of mutual cooperation between Iran and Ivory Coast in the fields of energy, auto industry, pharmaceutical, medical equipment, agriculture and food industry.

Development and human progress is not about religion, race or Shia-Sunni sectarianism, it is based on fundamental factors of development and progress. Brutal massacres of innocent Nigerian Shia civilians by President Buhari will never curtail the growing Iranian influence in Africa. Iran has the money, technology and the political will to invest in Africa and African countries are in desperate need of development activities. Brutal massacres of Nigerian civilians to serve imperialism by President Buhari will never result in developmental activities in Nigeria.

On a final note, while the people of Ivory Coast are enjoying the economy prosperity and growth their Nigerian brothers and sisters are walloping in abject poverty, massive unemployment and deep economic recession under the clueless government of President Buhari.

Harun Elbinawi
elbinawi@yahoo.com
Elbinawi.

Wait let me ask our sales girl sorry madam kemi

Beautiful country, beautiful landscape and beautiful cuisine. Can't forget the most importantly, beautiful women too.

The giant of Africa is going down with incompetent leaders.

Fact is Delta and Rivers alone can do better than Ivory Coast economically. It didn't happen simply because of bad leadership. One can easily notice the level of corruption and bad management the governors inflicted to their masses in those states since 1999.