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Car Talk › Modern Auto Technologies That Are Largely Unusable In Nigeria by COMPAQ(op): 10:11pm On Sep 08, 2020

I just got back from a road trip from Houston, Texas to Temple, Texas. This is my first time driving intercity in the US and it was a 3hr trip. I was blown away by how organised and stress-free driving long distance is in America and why driving 5-6 hrs is no big deal for Americans. Driving that kind of distance is a decision they can make overnight here, whereas common Lagos - Akure, I would call like 5 people 1 week in advance to find out state of the road, which route to pass, where robbers are operating etc. It also explains why cars imported from America can often have high mileage 70k miles in like 2 years. My 10 year old Camry in Lagos is still on 54k miles.

Anyway, the trip got me thinking of auto tech and road infrastructure I used on that trip which would be generally unusable in Nigeria.

1. CRUISE CONTROL:

Cruise control enables you to set a cruising speed and your car automatically keeps that speed, enabling you to take your foot of the accelerator and rest your feet. All you need to focus on is the steer your car. More modern versions of this called dynamic cruise control have radar to sense the distance between you and the car in front of you, such that if the car in front slows down, your car will automatically slow down to maintain the distance to the car in front of it and if the car in front picks up some speed, your car will also automatically accelerate, but WILL NOT exceed the set limit.

More advanced dynamic cruise control systems found on luxury cars will even steer for you and use in built mapping tech to slow down when the car is going round curves in the road.

This tech is pretty much unusable in Nigeria due to the horrible state of our roads. Our roads require so much braking and swerving to avoid pot holes that it remains to be seen if cruise control could work effectively here. In 3 hours of driving from Houston to Temple, I can safely say my car experienced ZERO pot holes. Granted, there are a few roads where it would work such as Abuja airport road, maybe PH Eket road (if it hasn't fallen apart by now), but point is roads where you can use it are very few and far between.

2. ROAD SIGN RECOGNITION:
This is tech works hand in hand with cruise control and enables the car to recognize speed limits and other road signs and adjust accordingly. i.e if the speed limit drops from 70mph to 60mph, the cars camera will spot it, automatically drop the speed and automatically increase when you exit the 60mph zone.

This tech will never work in Nigeria for obvious reasons...our highways do not have signage!! There would be no way to know what the speed limit is!!

3. ROAD LANE CENTERING & STEERING:
Again this works with cruise control in the sense that most modern cars are able to recognize the lane markings and keep the car centered in the lane. This has many safety benefits in that drivers who are tipsy will have their cars automatically stay in lane instead of veering off the road and running into others. In the even you wish to change lanes, the more expensive versions of this found in luxury cars will turn off the feature temporarily, scan the entire road and if safe, automatically change the lane and re-engage lane centering. All you have to do is hit the trafficator to signal intent to change lane.

Again this tech won't work here because we have no road markings. There are very few roads in Nigeria, maybe 1 in every 1000 that has proper lane markings.

4. ELECTRIC VEHICLES
Due to restrictions on emissions and concerns over global warming and climate change a number of auto companies are introducing electric vehicles. these are vehicles that run on rechargeable battery power and an electric motor, as opposed to the petrol/diesel fueled internal combustion engine that we are used to. An electric engine produces zero CO2, whereas petrol/diesel engines produce considerable amounts of CO2, particularly in Nigeria where we use a lot of rickety trucks and commercial transport vehicles that spew out lots of emissions. Most European countries have set dates between 2030 and 2040 for the complete eradication of internal combustion engine cars on their roads. Remains to be seen what Nigeria is doing to prepare. Perhaps we intend to take the scrap cars from everywhere and continue living in a fools paradise based on our crude oil and petrol.

Unfortunately, the era of using electric vehicles in Nigeria is a long way off for the simple fact that we have one of the most unstable electricity infrastructure in the world. Where people have little access to electricity at home, how will the vehicles be charged? One of the reasons we have to sort out our electricity situation pronto!!

Suffice to say, I was really impressed by how people largely obeyed speed limits and road regulations without being prompted. And it was not necessarily because of cameras or police, but more because they are just a more disciplined society. Even on one of two occasions where these was like 5 minute congestion, lanes were maintained and there was ZERO case of cars migrating to the service lane or shoulder of the road to beat traffic. This made the traffic to clear in just a few minutes. Had it been Nigeria, within 1 minute, you'd have dozens of cars, mainly danfos, driving on the shoulder of the road, only to make 5 minute traffic into 1 hr of hell.

Bottom line is we have a long way to go to become an organized and disciplined society. In fact whilst we should be catching up to the rest of the world seeing as we can just adopt what works elsewhere without much thinking, we are actually being left further behind.

3 Likes

Politics › Re: FG Begins Full Deregulation, Discards Petrol Price Band by COMPAQ(m): 7:30pm On Sep 08, 2020

georgeiyke009:
Lol. Well technically its possible but thats where economics will come in.

A lot of people move around too much and buy and drive cars cuz fuel is affordable. When they make it unaffordable, then the following will happen:
1. Most fuel people buy is for commuting to work and back. Discussions for people to start working from home permanently and maybe just come to the office once in 2 weeks will happen.

2.Ride sharing will become the order of the day as guys will team up and fuel a guys car for the week, then another person's car.

3. People will start trekking more especially for within movement.

4. Online shops will surge in profits as people will prefer to buy and pay a delivery fee which will be less.

5. Less traffic as few cars will be on the road as a result. The few times people really need to go out the road will be at least free saving fuel.

6. V6 and v8 cars will become junks as smaller cars will become more attractive. Only the truly rich can now afford to drive one.

So in the end it does not matter if they band and make it 1000/liter. A lot of people will simply not be able to buy and drive as regularly as they do and they will be forced to drop their cars and limit movement as much as possible. They can no drink their fuel. Literally.

Good points. It's funny how in UK most people drive tiny cars for maximum fuel efficiency. Its rare to see a car the size of accord or carry on UK. Yet in Nigeria we have this obsession for benz and SUV partly because petrol price was never an issue. Maybe this will cause a rethink. Very likely my next car will be a hybrid.

Maybe this is also a time for car conversion to LPG to kick off in Nigeria.

1 Like

Politics › Re: FG Begins Full Deregulation, Discards Petrol Price Band by COMPAQ(m): 7:23pm On Sep 08, 2020

Ehinmen3:
This timing is good according to your buhari book of wisdom Abi?

Unfortunately, there is no "good"time! Majority of Nigerians have been extremely poor for that past 30 years and that won't change anytime soon.

Not because I like it like that, but thats the unfortunate truth. There is no magic wand to it. And one of the biggest reasons is because we are also majorly illiterate. In this modern economy, a country just can't have people as poorly educated as Nigerians are and expect they won't be living in poverty

Politics › Re: FG Begins Full Deregulation, Discards Petrol Price Band by COMPAQ(m): 7:19pm On Sep 08, 2020

Seikiri1:
The countries in the chart what are their minimum wage?
You should have included that as well.

That is where the real issue is. Wages in this country are way too low.

Sports › Re: Manchester United Features Dj Cuppy In New Jersey Ad by COMPAQ(m): 7:05pm On Sep 08, 2020

khingTony:

DJ cuppy's chest though

The baby just dey add anyhow! She's looking very puffy

Agriculture › Re: Floods Washed Away More Than 25% Of Nigeria’s Rice Harvest by COMPAQ(m): 8:49am On Sep 08, 2020

Blue3k:
Lol 2020 is an interesting year, 1/4 of rice production is washed away. These little events along with news of Nigeria importing grain put Nigeria's Argo sufficiency into question. I think its safe to say the agriculturual policies have failed and the government should admit like they did the subsidies.

Not quite sure how you deduce that from the article . Flood is a natural occurrence, so how is that tantamount to policies having failed?

Politics › Re: LASG Reassures Boat Passengers Of Safety by COMPAQ(m): 6:26am On Sep 08, 2020

money121:
https://lagosstate.gov.ng/blog/2020/09/07/lasg-reassures-boat-passengers-of-safety/

I thought the 100,000 passengers in 124 days was a lot, till I divided it and it turned out to be just 800 per day.

Still a lot of work to be done. The waterway system in Lagos has a lot of potential. It should be doing like 5000 per day. From Iyana Oworo and Bariga to CMS/Marina and Oniru or VGC area to Marina/ Oniru should be very popular routes for those going to work.

If only they can make it work properly by doing the following, it will work well.

1. Have clear schedules with specific departure and arrival. This way people chasing their appointments will be clear on their arrival times at destination and plan departure time accordingly.

2. Online real time ticket purchase.

3. Parking stations on mainland. Can be free at first to encourage users, say for first 2 years, but it would eventually have to be paid parking.

4. Quality and well maintained boats like the one they have now.

5. Very clear safety protocols and processes to give users assurance of their safety, even if the boat malfunctions in water.

2 Likes 1 Share

Politics › Re: Electricity: Uncertainty, As Discos Bid To Pull Out by COMPAQ(m): 9:32pm On Sep 07, 2020

kokomilala:
@COMPAQ, why not?You sound pro discos. They are a collage of irresponsibles. They overcharge consumers for what they don't use.
It's not rocket science, the problem of the power sector. If the legal frame work is in order, the grey areas sorted out, and the parties adhere to the terms, why not.Please,do not put a lead on the possibility of serious investors coming on board. The communication sector is a good example of where investors put in their money and it worked, still works.
These discos here are just useless. They don't seem to be building capacity at all. They just roll out bogus and outrageous estimated bills monthly for power they don't give.

Everyone quotes the gsm sector as one that works. Did you ever hear that the government forced operators to any specific tariff? Sim went as high as N20k, which is like N100k in todays value yet people bought it before it came down. Tarrifs have stayed about the same for 10years, but in real terms when you consider inflation and devaluation it has really come down.

The gsm sector is unique though in that the marginal cost of add I ng one subscriber to its network is zero. If 100k people move to MTN, it doesnt cost anything extra to provide service to them, so its easy to reduce cost, cos the fixed costs are now spread out over more users. Most other sectors are not like that. To supply electricity to 100k more people means a DISCO must also pay for that extra electricity.

Like I said earlier, when we do the right things, we get the right results.

5 Likes 2 Shares

Politics › Re: Electricity: Uncertainty, As Discos Bid To Pull Out by COMPAQ(m): 9:18pm On Sep 07, 2020

favor914:
No one forced them to buy it, if not greed, when the likes of Eskom, ABB, Siemens did not show interest they should have suspected foul play? FG should have sold the power infrastructure for 100 Naira & let the real investors take charge, not quacks like Bedc (Funke Osibudu) & Co. that went and took loans at high interest to acquire toxic assets.

Not sure any of those you mentioned would come to invest in Nigeria considering how corrupt we are, how we fail to honour agreements, how our currency depreciates daily, how we vilify those repatriating their hard earned dividend back home.

Funny enough, if they had actually come and the situation remained the same, the same Nigerians would have been saying they should go and let the FG give local investors.

We Nigerians have no clue what we really want. We just always want the opposite of what is on ground. Meanwhile the common factor when things don't work in Nigeria is always our INCOMPETENT GOVERNMENT!!

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Politics › Re: Electricity: Uncertainty, As Discos Bid To Pull Out by COMPAQ(m): 9:10pm On Sep 07, 2020

kokomilala:
Good news if they go. I was following the privatization process about 6 yrs ago. But the moment I saw Nigerian interests coming forward, I knew it would head for the rocks. I stopped following it.
These discos haven't got the technical capacity like Siemens and General Electric and others to run power companies. Are they stupid? Didn't they evaluate the scraps they bought as transmission lines and other obsolete facilities? But they knew Nigerians would pay for their stupidity, that's why they went ahead.
If government owes 40 percent stakes in the discos, doesn't the government have a say in how they're being run? And why are they afraid of forensic auditing?
I pray and hope they pull out so that real investors who would invest in the sector and provide the technical capacity to bridge the gap in the power infrastructure would come in.

No real investor will invest properly in power when the cost is not reflective. No magic can cause that. Same way there can't be any investment in refining.

I really wonder how many people doing business here give away their products below cost price, but you want others to do the same.

When we do things right, we get the right results. Government in nigeria is the most incompetent organisation in nigeria. Totally clueless about the implications of what they are signing as we have seen with P&ID, Azura Power, and many others .

Soon after Siemens does the work, they will now start saying they didn't know the agreement said we will pay them for next 10years. Then Siemens will go to court, win the case then you people will say Siemens and German government want to enslave nigeria.

1 Like 1 Share

Politics › Re: Electricity: Uncertainty, As Discos Bid To Pull Out by COMPAQ(m): 9:04pm On Sep 07, 2020

nairavsdollars:
You increased tariff by 150 percent yet the light went from bad to worse

Only in two days that tariff increased have you concluded that light went from bad to worse. I fear your imagination o

Politics › Re: Tough Policies: IMF, World Bank Take Over Nigeria’s Economy - TribuneOnline by COMPAQ(m): 9:28am On Sep 07, 2020

obailala:
What exactly is your argument really? Are you just trying to force an argument out of nothing?... Yes the interest rates for treasury bills has dropped massively now, but that was only just very recently. If you truly buy treasury bills, then you should know this.

Pulling numbers out of my arse? The very same DMO website where you pulled your figures from is where I also pulled the figures below from. Only difference in our numbers is that I've quoted the grand totals (in dollars). These are the direct links:

https://www.dmo.gov.ng/debt-profile/total-public-debt/3235-nigeria-s-public-debt-stock-as-at-march-31-2020
www.nairaland.com/attachments/12284462_screenshot20200905223020drive_jpeg59e60f02fece0a14987e7470e5b96292

https://www.dmo.gov.ng/debt-profile/total-public-debt/54-total-public-debt-stock-as-at-30th-june-2015
www.nairaland.com/attachments/12284463_screenshot20200905223550drive_jpeg7231fd8790269b64d9bea3bf036abfe9

So if you claim these numbers directly from the DMO website are from my arse, then your numbers from the DMO website are also from your arse, and I don't have any argument with you any more.

And no! I'm not trying to paint buhari as a better manager of the economy (if that's what's making you go hysterical). All I tried to point out was that it makes no sense, and is probably just pure ignorance for anyone to attempt to heap the blame of Nigeria's current excruciating debt burden on buhari alone. Buhari met a massive debt stock and coming in a time of severely reduced national income, borrowing was inevitably necessary.

Guy, no overstress yourself. It is the stupidity of the average Nigerian that when presented with irrefutable facts, they still go about arguing. Most people who argue here just comment on basis of headlines, political lines and ethnic lines. No knowledge of economics or how economies run in a 21st century, where we are all connected by global trade.

2 Likes 1 Share

Politics › Re: Calas Vegas: Ayade Builds ‘World-Class’ Resort Despite Tinapa’s ‘$450M Setback by COMPAQ(m): 9:19am On Sep 07, 2020

SmartPolician:
Donald Duke was a fine governror who put Calabar on the tourism map. From Tinapa to Cattle Ranch, Cable Cars to Popular Calabar Carnival, all these were ideas he used to promote the state.

Today, most Nigerians would want to holiday in Calabar more than anywhere else in the country. The problem is that all the governors that came after Duke didn't have his kinda foresight.

Please give that man some credit

Mind you, I am not from the state, but we all watch this happen in his time as the youngest governror of Nigeria, who to date has no criminal records at the EFCC

I totally agree. the first and only time I visited Calabar was when Duke was Governor. I stayed in a hotel, spent money on food and taxi, went to Tinapa for an Asa concert and basically contributed to the Calabar economy. This is how economies of states and countries can be turned around by tourism. Then I was also yearning to visit Obudu and planning another trip to Calabar fro Christmas. Now due to inconsistent policy, all of those plans have faded away and my money stays in my pocket.

Politics › Re: Calas Vegas: Ayade Builds ‘World-Class’ Resort Despite Tinapa’s ‘$450M Setback by COMPAQ(m): 9:15am On Sep 07, 2020

Openbusiness:
Cross Rivers and Akwa Ibom, these 2 States are always in the news for the right reasons. Always doing the South South proud.

What is there to be proud about? A white elephant project that will never see the light of day despite billions that will be allocated to it?

These are the things Nigerians should be shouting about and protesting against, but they won't because the attitude of the people is "this one no concern me". But when it comes to electricity tarrif and petrol subsidy removal, they will shout to the high heavens about wickedness of Buhari, despite the fact that economically, it's the right decision.

The attempt to spend billions in Calabar by Ayade is a far worse decision for the people of Cross River than the removal of subsidy in the long term. Unfortunately, everyone is more interested in the N100 in his pocket today, instead of the education and healthcare of his children and other infrastructure.

Politics › Re: Buhari’s Shock Therapy For Nigerians by COMPAQ(m): 9:06am On Sep 07, 2020

jabberjawz:
Na today day break....No be the Buhari wey we know?

Other countries think creatively to manage their situation, Greece was in a tougher mess a few years back and they are gradually getting back on their feet, but look what we have in Nigeria, a nepotistic old man with empty brain & hatred flowing in his veins & blood vessels......loaded with a cabinet full of people with empty brain cells......all they know is how to tell lies, lies & more lies.....no thinking out of the box to tackle challenges & proffer meaningful solutions ......rather some are already thinking about 2023, wey them no even dey sure if them go live long enough to see........

So maybe this is also part of the process of getting back on our feet.

Or maybe you want Nigeria to end up like Venezuela before the government takes action?

1 Like

Politics › Re: Tough Policies: IMF, World Bank Take Over Nigeria’s Economy - TribuneOnline by COMPAQ(m): 9:41pm On Sep 06, 2020

IMF is not taking over anything. They are just instilling some discipline and economic aense in our government which we ought to have known and implemented by now.

Any sensible adult who knows reasonable economics will tell you the following

That our public service is grossly overstaffed and has too many agencies and parsststals, which makes for bureaucratic, expensive and slow government.

That we cannot continue subsidising petrol. It wastes government scarce revenues, keeps investment from flowing into the sector and is keeping hobs from being created.

That we cannot continue keeping the price of electricity below the cost price. This keeps the operators from making the investments for improving power supply because there is no hope of a profit. Govt bridging the gap is in effect a subsidy which also wastes government scarce resources.

This is what we already know and we didn't need IMF to tell us. IMF is only forcing the FG to financial discipline, which and normal bank like GTB or Zenith would do for anybody borrowing from it.

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Politics › Re: Further Petrol Price Hike Likely, Marketers Warn Nigerians by COMPAQ(m): 4:33pm On Sep 04, 2020

The problem with Nigeria is that wages are too damn low. Ideally minimum wage should be N150k or something like that.

However, part of the reason it's low is simply demand and supply. Due to a high population and relatively poor educational quality, the supply of CHEAP labour is plentiful. For every accountant, lawyer, engineer who says his salary is too low, 100 people are waiting to do it.

We need to create a situation where people are better paid. Someone doing Doordash in the states (which is a side hustle) makes more that probably up to level 10 in civil service.

And this absence of a large middle class has bigger implications. It is a hindrance to development. Nigeria is in a type of situation where 10,000people are billionaires and 100,000,000 have just N1,000 (speaking metaphorically). We need to be in a position where 10million people have N1mln.

Think about it, if 10,000 billionaires have 10 cars, they have only bought 100,000 cars. If 10mln people buy 2 cars, they have bought 20mln cars.

Have you thought about why despite our population we have no Samsung, Sony, Toyota, HP, Michellin, Dunlop, LG, manufacturing in Nigeria? It's because of the scenario above. There are just not enough people to buy it and support manufacturing operations. It makes more sense to import for the 10,000. That's why the only type of manufacturing we have is Cadbury, PZ, Indoomie etc. i.e what those on a low income can afford. If an LG plant is manufacturing 1,000 split unit air conditioners a day, where are the people to buy the 365,000 they will produce in one year. And besides, a plant cannot be competitive producing just 1000 a day, due to economies of scale. A Chinese plant producing 10,000 per day will outcompete with you.

This is why I would advocate that FG sacks up to 50% of its work force, but increase the salary of the remaining 50% by 100%, so that they earn good wages to really be called middle class. It will support this economy better than employing millions of people that can barely buy a product of N5k without thinking twice.

1 Like

Travel › Re: Onna Jetty In Akwa Ibom Is Near Completion (Photos) by COMPAQ(m): 4:11pm On Sep 04, 2020

Hunchogee:
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1501156123418491&id=223506687850114

Akwa Abasi Ibom kingdom ayayayayya

This simply, basic jetty construction na im be big deal!?

2 Likes

Politics › Re: Senators Protest Fuel, Electricity Hikes by COMPAQ(m): 12:56pm On Sep 04, 2020

stormborn28:
you are good at bringing all the needed parameters but you forgot the money to be saved from these government initiative will eventually end in private pockets but is it so in China if such initiatives are carried out?

That may be so, but the extra productivity, efficiency, economic growth, jobs etc that will be generated also benefits people.

And even of what is saved, if 50% is actually put to work and the other 50% stolen, add 50% to the benefits above, is it not better in the short/medium term, while we look to stop the corruption in the future? (if that is ever possible)

Politics › Re: Senators Protest Fuel, Electricity Hikes by COMPAQ(m): 11:59am On Sep 04, 2020

stormborn28:
if you earn #500000 per month remember someone else earn #30000 per month. It wasn't his or her making that is what he/her employer can pay.. I will challenge you, with this increase how many companies in Lagos will put #10000 on the salary of each worker in order to Cushing that effect of the fuel increase?

It's not just about what people make, but understanding the nature of economics, economies of scale, global trade, population, capital flows, productivity, technology, exchange rate dynamics, efficiency among others, that all have an impact in how a nation grows and develops.

Everything is not just about govt should provide this or that. The world economy is too interconnected now for any government to ignore the global economy and its place in it.

Celebrities › Re: Ikorodu Bois Honour Chadwick Boseman. Remake Scenes From "Black Panther" by COMPAQ(m): 10:58am On Sep 04, 2020

mariahAngel:
Those kids are AH-MAZING! SO TALENTED!
Their best so far is the remake of Extraction trailer.

Yep, I agree with you. Extraction seems a more complicated one to make and they did brilliant.

1 Like 1 Share

Celebrities › Re: Ikorodu Bois Honour Chadwick Boseman. Remake Scenes From "Black Panther" by COMPAQ(m): 10:57am On Sep 04, 2020

laosy:
Those boys are doing well and innovative.
They just need sponsor to take to a good filming school and you'll see how they'll kick start the very set of Nigeria action movies from scratch.

Totally agree. Netflix gave them some equipment recently. Seems they have found their calling already.

They should then back it up with proper education in the arts, scripting, film production etc and perhaps they can take Nollywood to the next level.

3 Likes 1 Share

Politics › Re: Gani Adams Urges FG, NASS To Reverse Fuel Price, Electricity Tariff by COMPAQ(m): 9:15am On Sep 04, 2020

surgical:
your mumu no be here,except You are deceiving your self,nobody takes this your line of argument serious again,it is worn out,nigerians sees as it is lies
Besides you are comparing apples and oranges
This government lacks capacity and will to move this country forward.This government is just causing hardship for Nigerians deliberately,while a sensible government work deliberately to bring it's people out of hardship
In other climes serious governments are giving palliatives and policies to alleviate effect of covid,your government is increasing exchange rate,fuel prices,electricity tariff,stamp duties at the same time,which will result in inflation in an economy that is already down,only a dumb government will act this way
Besides this is the most corrupt government in the history of Nigeria

Agreed that the government might be corrupt and incompetent, but at least let the damn economy move to private hands. That way the incompetence and corruption of government has far less impact on the industry, which can then grow.

I always tell people if we were still operating NITEL today, first of all how many of us would have phones now? And how many people with no connections could work there? It would just be a racket for the children of the rich and well placed. But today there are tens of thousands of people who knew no one, who work in MTN, Glo, Airtel and 9Mobile - all they did was to pass a test. When did you hear Nitel ever did a test??

If Dangote refinery and Bua refinery come online, you and i and our children have a better chance of working there than PH, Warri or Kaduna refinery. This generation might not benefit much, but our children very well might.

Politics › Re: Gani Adams Urges FG, NASS To Reverse Fuel Price, Electricity Tariff by COMPAQ(m): 9:08am On Sep 04, 2020

kikero:
Crude was never at 170 dollars per barrel

Under GEJ, crude was fluctuating between 91 and 130 dollars per barrel. Our breakeven oil price, or the price we need oil to be at to have a balanced budget then was 120 dollars per barrel (it has been 140 since 2017, and it is that high due to high population, high cost of producing crude in Nigeria and so on)

So back then, we had to take loans. And there was corruption making matters worse.

In my opinion, and I should say I don't like writing this, we must deregulate now because we are not earning enough for our 200 million population. And it is the only way we can stop taking more loans

Very sensible and true post. One of the few people who really understand how an economy works.

What Nigeria could do in 1990 with 87mln population is not the same it can do with 200mln population. Do you know the increase in cars between then and now? And all of them consuming subsidized petrol?? What will we do in 2035 when we hit 300mln and there are additional 15mln cars in Nigeria? We will be paying subsidy for those ones as well? And then where will the money to pay for schools, universities, hospitals and teachers and doctors to cater to the extra 100mln people, if we spend it all on subsidy. The Country will just fall into worse and worse problems.

Yet Nigerians cannot pay tax like everywhere else and continue to give birth like rats, yet we continue to cry and yearn for the period of 1970 when govt could afford to do everything for Nigerians when it was earning like 5 times what it does now (in REAL terms) and with a population one quarter of what it is now.

1 Like 1 Share

Politics › Re: Gani Adams Urges FG, NASS To Reverse Fuel Price, Electricity Tariff by COMPAQ(m): 9:01am On Sep 04, 2020

QuickStandard:
Way to go

Where are all those that were protesting during Jonathan's era?

Have they all chickened out?

Can't imagine even Prof Wole Soyinka has gone into extinction. COWARD, much I supposed.

Where are all the hungry Nollywood Bandwagons?
They have caved in as well?

Useless set of people.....

We are all in it together. We the hustling Nigerians will always strive, no matter what.

And what have you done yourself? Wole Soyinka is [b]86years [/b]old!! And you are waiting for him to come and fight for you!!?? You are a shame for disrespecting an old man like that who has done more for Nigeria that you likely ever will.

Can you tell him what you typed up there to his face if you met him? If you tried it and he cursed you, it will stick with you and your generations for eternity cos God would back him up!

Nonesense!!!

Politics › Re: Senators Protest Fuel, Electricity Hikes by COMPAQ(m): 8:55am On Sep 04, 2020

Ijaya123:
They should protest by reducing the cost of governance especially their ridiculous allowances. Then we will take them seriously

That is the real koko of the matter. Senators that see nothing wrong in spending N39bln on renovating NASS building - already one of the most magnificent structures in Nigeria. Senators see nothing wrong in what is going on with their colleagues in NDDC! Senators see nothing wrong with corruption in their ranks and in the country at large. Senators see nothing wrong with insecurity in the land!

But they shout and wail at DSTV increase and petrol and electricity price increase, so that they can look good for the gram!!

And Nigerians think the Senators really care about them? It's just for show to be seen to be doing something.

While it may be painful for this generation, The government has done the right thing for the future of this country. Not sure that many people realize that the country is virtually broke! And we got to this point in part by stupid subsidies over the years. What we have spent on subsidy in 40years by now will be close to $50bln!!!

1 Like

Politics › Re: Petrol Price Increase: What Nigerians Should Know by COMPAQ(m): 6:14pm On Sep 03, 2020

hush15:
Of course I didn't believe but I also believe price shouldn't be more than a hundred if things are done right.

We have the facility, we have the resource, we have the workforce that can make it possible. Our local market consumption alone can sustain this economy if government are judicious in the expenses, even with a few excesses but no, not this governmen but at the end of the day, its the people that suffer the consequences

It's so annoying

Even the N100 would be a tall order. The fact that we have oil doesn't mean its free. There is a cost to finding, developing and producing it. There is also the opportunity cost of using it locally. If I am a local crude producer with option of selling to Dangote refinery in Naira and selling internationally in dollars, I will only sell to Dangote if it pays me. The moment it doesn't, I would rather sell internationally.

Therefore the opportunity cost of selling a barrel of crude to Dangote N11,400 ($30*400) is the difference between $30 and the international price of crude, which is $ 43.

Point is Dangote will have to get his crude at near international price and that therefore means it would be very unlikely for petrol to be N100. Even the portion that will come from his own oil fields, which cannot sustain the refinery, won't be at below cost price of producing it.

Politics › Re: Femi Fani-Kayode On N162 Fuel Price: Nigerians Should Expect More From Buhari by COMPAQ(m): 3:03pm On Sep 03, 2020

nairavsdollars:
https://www.independent.ng/n162-fuel-price-nigerians-should-expect-more-from-buhari-fani-kayode/

The reality is that this might very well have happened regardless of whoever was in power.

All that is going wrong with Nigeria is simply ONE thing!! Over dependence on crude oil for foreign exchange. It is what caused the exchange rate to fall by almost 25% (N360 - N450), itself due to the crash in crude prices.

And because pretty much everything we spend on in Nigeria comes from abroad or has a foreign component (DSTV, Rice, Petrol, Electricity), the prices have gone up. Govt in a bid to raise more money to pay its millions of underpaid workers have no choice but to increase taxes (VAT).

No matter who was in government, it's unlikely much would have been done to change this scenario. It takes deep thinking from brilliant minds, short, medium and long term planning, almost zero corruption, strong political will and faultless execution of the plan.

Unfortunately, non of these are our strong areas! We are just a lazy, shallow thinking country. We just think that things happen simply or by desiring it. What it took for China, Singapore, Taiwan, Vietnam, Rwanda and even Ghana to turn themselves around is all of the above, but we just don't have it in Nigeria. Compare the intelligence of Paul Kegame and Ghanaian president to Buhari or GEJ? Compare the discipline of the average Rwanda or Ghanian to the average Nigerian? Compare the decency of politics in those countries to Nigeria and you will know why we are where we are.

Politics › Re: Petrol Price Increase: What Nigerians Should Know by COMPAQ(m): 2:42pm On Sep 03, 2020

hush15:
This write up is pure trash cos I remember during the eve of elections in 2015, they promised that fuel will go as low as 30 or 40 per litre.

To achieve that, the former minister of state of petroleum, ibe kachukwu who later became MD NNPC in the early years of APC government, promised to revamp all local refinery to make adequate local consumption at lower price.
Instead, the wasted billion and billions of dollars doing nothing. At the end of the day, they kept recording loss at the refinery all the way to 2019.

When 2019 elections came, Atiku said that the way forward for NNPC is to sell NNPC and retain only the regulatory aspect therefore, opening the petroleum market sector to wider market, Nigerians because of that singular reason didn't vote for him even when he said the plain truth.

Today, NNPC is nothing but a drain pipe and a laundering center for all kind of anomaly in the petroleum sector. First of all, the money wasted to exploring oil in the north, till today, there is no fuel there yet. Secondly, the almighty turn around maintenance that has not turn around yet. Money that could have been used to build a new refinery was wasted and declared loss year in, year out for the last 6yrs. With all the lies that they need more years to bring the decided change, the real truth is the have not even initiated any change process.

Today, NNPC is the sole importer of fuel in which they now sell to marketers! How can fuel be expensive again if not fraud?

What a failed nation....

If you really believed petrol could sell at N40, then most likely the fault is with you!

The reason why it could not is relatively simple and basic economics.

2 Likes 1 Share

Politics › Re: Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala Takes Up American Citizenship by COMPAQ(m): 1:43pm On Sep 03, 2020

rentAcock:
Sad. Another one who has chosen to flee instead of fight.
Another Ivy league educated scholar who could change Nigeria for the better has decided to switch sides.
This is very sad, she will be remembered as a loser
She gave up because she lacks foresight

Me and my household will never flee or beg the white man for visa, greencard or citizenship. We will continue to fight and do all we can for the betterment of this country.

And what exactly have you done for Nigeria outside of nairaland and other social media outlets?

Politics › Re: Atiku Abubakar Reacts To Fuel Price Hike by COMPAQ(m): 1:19pm On Sep 03, 2020

Nemere2020:
https://twitter.com/atiku/status/1301437529674018816?s=19[/quote]Atiku is being a hypocrite. He said many times he would privatise the NNPC and has variously canvased for a more private sector led economy. If NNPC were privatised, wouldn't the petrol price be even higher than this? Or was he intending to privatise NNPC and still regulate the price.

2 Likes

Politics › Re: Unions Protest Against Planned Concession Of Four Airports (photos, Video) by COMPAQ(m): 7:57pm On Sep 02, 2020

MarketDispatch:
Concession does not necessarily solve any problem. Federal Government just needs to change the head with someone like the current Jamb Registrar, and watch the Airports generate money to take care of itself without federal Gov allocations.

You'll need to go through 1000 Nigerians before you find 1 like him. Nigerians have become hopelessly corrupt!! It's now in the DNA

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