₦airaland Forum

Lalasticlala

Travel agencies in Nigeria can be economical with the truth sometimes. Apparently, brutal truths can hurt business prospects. But it isn’t only in Nigeria that agents embellish sour realities with salt. It’s a global trend.

A family holiday survey conducted on family vacations in the US is revealing. 10% of the respondents said they were not happy with their last holiday. And about 30% blamed their bad holiday experience on misleading vacation brochures they read. Poor victims – if only they knew some travel brochures only preach to win converts!

Granted, fake travel agents in Nigeria are real and in their numbers. But don’t take it way too wrong. Real travel agencies in Nigeria equally exist, though few in number. Regardless of the tag, many of them can hardly let out a few secrets Nigerian travelers may be itching to get. Guess you don’t need to be told the reason – every business wants to make money.

There’re truths you should know as a traveler. At least, the ones that won’t empty some pockets and bleed some souls. Let’s get right into it – truths most travel agents in Nigeria will be reluctant to tell you.

You Can Apply and Get Any Visa Yourself
This fact isn’t entirely hidden actually. Nearly half of Nigerian visa applicants know it.
But it appears many are gripped by fear – the fear of visa denial. If only they knew their fears were just baseless – the fear of the unknown.

There are busy Nigerians who can’t make out time going through the hurdles of visa application. Some others are constrained by emergencies that they will need help in obtaining a visa.

That said, it’s sheer ignorance and fear that scare most Nigerians away from applying for visas by themselves. What if all they need is to be told that they can successfully apply for visas in Nigeria by themselves? What if those who had fallen victims knew that they could have avoided being preys in the hands of the predators-turned-visa agents? What if you knew that simple online research would help you secure a visa?

What if…

Well, applying for a tourist visa in Nigerian, for instance, may take some rough turns, especially meeting the requirements. They could prove exhausting sometimes. The best visa agencies in Nigeria know a thing or two of what to do in this circumstance. So, it may just be that every travel-hopeful needs the services of “genuine” visa agents.

Visa Application Success isn’t Entirely Guaranteed
It’s laughable seeing gazettes with prints like “Visa success 100% guaranteed.” One wonders if the embassy of whatever country they offer visa services are on promo.

Travel agencies or visa agents in Nigeria can only try. But they aren’t the alpha and omega of your visa application. However, their try most times is good enough to help you secure the visa. Most know the twist and turns in a visa application.

Granting a visa is the sole prerogative of visa officials. Regardless of how complete your documents are, how much you meet the requirements and how thrilling your interview goes. It may just never work out – sorry, but the truth can be brutal sometimes.

Fair enough finding a good visa agent in Nigeria may just be all you need to scale through the hurdles easily. Visa application in Nigeria can be draining, especially with developed countries like the US, Canada, Australia, Germany, etc.

Know Your Destination
You may have come across those article headlines that read “why you should take your vacation to…” or “Best vacation spots to visit in…” They are often decorated with eye-catching pictures that will blow your mind at first sight.

Some further research will save you from “if only I knew…” during your vacation trip. Not too many travel agencies in Nigeria have the courage to tell you that.

Travel brochures can code-talk. You can see words like “busy” and “lively” resort. Those words are enchanting. Wait until you visit the location. It may be some razz area that can make your stay hellish.

How about “quiet” or “away from the buzzing town”? You’ve heard of those, too? The location could be about 7 miles away from the nearest bus stop.

What this misleading information does is that it makes you plan on the wrong destination, book the wrong accommodation, and lead you into a horrible vacation. It happens.

We’ve created an article specifically to guide you in planning your travel, especially choosing your travel destination. You should check it out here.

Nevertheless, good travel agencies can help you in choosing the right destination you need for your trip.

Travel Itinerary Is As Important As Your Visa
All you want is to get the visa. But after the visa bottleneck is severed, what’s next?
Funny, the checklist of most Nigerian travelers doesn’t follow in order – and to think just a few of them plan an itinerary for vacation gives worry.

You need to plan a travel itinerary even before visa for obvious reasons. Travel itinerary helps you to manage funds. You plan how much to spend and what to spend on – no frivolities unless you have a plan for extras. It also helps your time management efforts during travel. You know the best season of the year and the right destination that will give you the best travel experience. You equally know where and when to be at every moment during your trip.

Some so-called visa agents in Nigeria will want to lure you into a visa application for vacation when you haven’t even thought of a travel plan. During the visa application, you hurriedly lump together some unrealistic items on your list. That shouldn’t be the case when you intend to go on vacation or holiday.

Moreover, a travel itinerary can help you to save cost. Knowing the best travel moments or off-seasons can save you quite a lot. You know the destinations that sell early tickets, book early flights, etc. This saves you a heck of troubles travelers experience during rush hours – it equally saves you money.

Only trusted travel agencies in Nigeria will tell you how to plan your travel itinerary to benefit your travel. At least, Travelwahala helps visa applicants in building a visa checklist aside offering other travel solutions.

You should always plan a shorter travel itinerary. 15 days or less is best. This is even necessary for your visa application. The shorter your itinerary, the more genuine and realistic your application proves.

Bonus
Apparently, the attitude of Nigerian travelers sometimes pushes travel visa agents in Nigeria to pocket some truths. While you hit google to search for the list of fake travel agent names in Nigeria, know that you aren’t an exception. If you fail to know a few simple truths, you make yourself vulnerable.

Best travel agencies in Nigeria exist and are working well. Do your search. Travelwahala, for instance, has offered visa, hotel, flight booking and other travel solutions to Nigerians in the past 8+ years. You have the best travel agency in Abuja you can trust for assistance in every step of your journey.

https://travelwahala.com/https-travelwahala-com-truths-travel-agencies-in-nigeria-hide/

Lalasticlala

Air Travel Tips are essential to have a memorable travel experience. Unfortunately, Nigerian travelers rarely give heed to them.

Whether you’re late on your flight or had to join long TSA lines, or pick up checked luggage, there’s a handful of challenges you’ll face during travel.

There’s this assumption that travel tips are unnecessary especially for Air travel. “Is it not just to book a flight, check-in at the right time and head off to my destination?” Some will ask.

Religious inclinations don’t help matters either. You hear some people claim, “it’s only God that grants journey mercies. If we read all the travel tips in the world, they won’t save us.” They recuse themselves from taking charge of their safety.

Nevertheless, to enjoy a hitch-free air trip, you need to learn a few tips. These tips will teach you not only what you should avoid, but also what to do during air travel.

Early Arrival Is Key
Does this sound like a cliché? Well, it’s necessary to start with the obvious.

While you may want to disregard this point, understand it may sabotage your entire travel.
We often get stories of how some travelers run late to the airport. Some even miss their flight. Either the Uber driver was stuck in traffic or something else came up - the stories that touch!

Early arrival is one major air travel tip you can’t neglect. Simple things like waking up early enough and booking your ride to the airport early help.

When you arrive earlier, say 2 hours before checking, you have enough time to relax and prepare yourself for whatever situation that may spring up a the airport.

Ensure You Charge Your Phones, Other Devices
Also, a very obvious fact, right? But there again, exempting it may prove too big a blunder that can wreck your travel joy.

Devices such as laptops, phones, cameras, etc. are essential to giving you great travel experience. You will eventually need them unless you prepare to sleep or chat with someone all through your 4, 5, 6, 7-hour flight - and this will require finding an equally gifted talker.

You may need to capture the glowing sky with your camera or pass time with movies, especially on a long flight. It is equally possible you find someone you will exchange contact details with, and having a phone handy sure helps.

Aside from keeping yourself busy or catching fun, these gadgets will help you fight boredom and fright, especially if you have a phobia for air or height. It cuts off these frightening thoughts off your mind off and gets it busy.

If necessary, consider taking a power-bank mostly for overseas travel.

Try Online Check-In
Rather than standing in exhausting queues, why not check-in online?

You sure know how exhausting it is to check-in at the teller in Nigerian Airports. And more pathetic during rush hours. Sometimes, you will have to queue until your legs can't carry your body.

Good thing, there is a way out. Online check-in will save you much of the headache. Even a luggage drop-off section is available for passengers who check-in online. Just when you arrive at the airport, you can proceed to drop off your luggage.

Pack Light
It’s funny seeing the kind of loads most Nigerian travelers arrive at the airport with. One gets to wonder if they have 5 more co-travelers on the journey with them. Even vacationers who don’t intend to spend more than 3 months pack as if they’d never return.

You don’t need to take the whole world with you on a travel of even 3 months duration. If you’re going just on vacation or business, get the necessary items, and that’s it. Many hotels offer some of the things you labor yourself with. Conditioners, soaps, toothpaste, tubes, etc. are offered in most hotels or accommodation you'll hire.

Use the Layovers
It’s health-wise to exercise your body shortly before your flight takes off.

Layovers provide you the ample opportunity to take a walk, stroll, look around - just exercise. Before the first stop, you may be sitting for over 2 hours. You need a layover to cancel the effects of those idle hours on your body.

It’s important you confirm the take-off time of your flight before you take a walk. Though the monitors mounted at the airports will help you keep tabs with the take-off time.

Good thing, there’re airports with indoor art display rooms, gardens, movie theaters, massage chairs. Ask questions to check what attraction the airport has or what you can get within the few moments available.

Apparently, few Nigerian travelers know about this - a reason most don't do it.

Have an Immune Supplement
No doubt, traveling especially by air exposes us to lots of health dangers.

You’ll share air with hundreds of co-travelers who probably shared air with 100+ people before getting onboard. Also, you will most likely exchange pleasantries with people including shaking hands, hugging, etc. You don’t know the last thing they touched or the last person they greeted.

More so, you will touch items or luggage dozens of people had touched. It's common to come in contact with items like seatbelts, security bins, tray tables, door handles, etc. You don’t have an idea of the number of germs that settle in their hands.

An immune supplement will help you fight off these germs almost in the first contact.

However, you shouldn't have the mindset that everything you touch is riddled with germs. But prevention, they say, is better than cure. Take precautions so that regrets that surface.

Wear Something Appropriate
Dresses suit specific kinds of weather and locations.

Plane temperature is flexible. While it could be very cold at some point, other times it could be very stuffy and hot. You need to prepare for any of the conditions.

Put on something that you will be comfortable in. Most importantly, dress with the hot weather in mind. You may loosen up a little. Also, keep your jacket or sweater handy. When the cold becomes unbearable you'll eventually need it.

Bonus

Air travel tips basically help us enjoy our air trips and have a memorable experience.

At TravelWahala, we often advise Nigerian travelers to give timely preparation and ear airport arrival a priority. Arriving some moments away from boarding time is, indeed, essential. Our experience of providing quality travel, flight booking, and visa solutions to Nigerian travelers in the past eightt years has proven this fact.

https://travelwahala.com/5-best-air-travel-tips/

yanabasee:
If I ever visit any place off the shores of this country... Then, I'm never coming back.

It's well

Lalasticlala

These places are all you need to see before your next trip!

The beauty of Africa isn’t just about the skyscrapers that stand tall in the chilly cities of Capetown or the sweaty, commercial Lagos that’s noised with round-the-clock hustle. The emerging city of Nairobi still doesn’t qualify. Africa is beautiful for its own sake!

If you form your story of Africa from the pictures on television, you’re no better than one who still regards Africa as a country. The national dailies won’t feed you better ideas either if you need places to visit in Africa. Forget those horrifying tales and black monkey legends. Africa is lush!

I’ve toured different destinations of the world as a virtual nomad. I can’t yet rank any other place better in the way I felt the touch of nature in East and South Africa. But I may be wrong. There may still be better places my adventurous self hasn’t graced. Well, I live for discoveries.

Places to Visit in Africa; My Little Tip Experience
From when the aircraft you board touches down, you can almost tell what the destination you are visiting looks like. Africa is given out easily. Safe for North Africa, the weathers across the continent are nearly the same. So are the people; accepting, loving and beautiful. African cultures fascinate and can easily draw any tourist in. I can’t easily forget my fascinating experience in Namibia.

It was my first time in Namibia. I just arrived at the Namibian airport and boarded an airport taxi to my hotel. The driver helped with a 1990s countryside sound to suit the breezy, sunny atmosphere. Just as I looked against the rear window, I could embrace a feeling that resonates with the home. It was an emerging city that hasn’t yet forsaken its cultural traits.

My experience in Namibia is strikingly similar to what I had in many other parts of Africa I visited. It’s the same continent that offers the best wildlife and safari experience. The same continent with bubbling nightlife and hustling spirit. The same continent with many natural virgin tourist attractions that are hungry for discovery and appreciation.

While you plan on taking your vacation to Africa this period, these four places to visit in Africa are perfect options you may want to consider.

Watamu, Kenya
Watamu is a small, fishing and undeveloped village in Kenya. Strikingly, it’s one of the best places to vacation in Africa.
Sitting north of Mombasa, Kenya, this lush, sandy coast embodies is a tropical gem you rarely can find anywhere in the world. It’s beautified with coral gardens and crystal blue sea that project nature in its idyllic form. Indeed, is one of the thrilling places to visit in Africa.

Just when I touched down the Mambosa airport on my first trip, I strongly felt its captivating allure. I must confess, it was a healing experience as I needed a breakout from my insane routines. And each day I set out to the beach to embrace the serene, brisk atmosphere, I would return rejuvenated and healed.

There’re many things to experience. You could go onboard paddling in the river – the home of dolphins and humpback whales – if you’re stronghearted. Kite surfing or scuba diving is another thrilling experience visitors and locals enjoy at the Watamu Marine Park. How about exploring the open, greenish Arabuko Sokoke Forest – Southern and Eastern Africa’s largest coastal jungle. There you’ll meet the wildest, gentlest and lovelies of animals in the world, even buffalos and elephants. You could wrap up touring the green, tall tree plantation and beautiful archeological artifacts.

Nungwi, Zanzibar
“It sounded too exotic to be real in the story. But when I visited, I realized the stories didn’t really capture the depths!” – an American backpacker shared with me over a glass of wine at the Forodhani Gardens.
This is an Island with matchless untamed beauty! Why won’t it sit atop the list of places to visit in Africa?

Surprisingly, a lot of the visitors Zanzibar are couples. Maybe they are drawn by its contagious romantic appeal which is potent enough to revive a relationship on a downward spiral. From the luxe hotels that stand on the gateway to the captivating sunset and chilly resort, there’s just much to help your couple goals.

But Zanzibar isn’t for the couple vacationers alone. It’s perfect for anyone and anything. If you are on solo travel, you can settle to treat your drained body to some spa after climbing Mount Kilimanjaro – the famous mount standing just against the beach. If you’re a foodie, hold yourself – sumptuous seafood, grilled maize, meat kebabs and other savory delicacies served at the resort may push you to empty your wallet.

Interestingly, this plush island was once a fishing village living a distressed ghetto life. The once aging suburb bungalows scattered in the locale have now taken the shape and glamour of state-of-the-art edifices offering comfort to thousands of tourists from all over the world.

After a long day of tour and adventuring on its beaten paths, you can retire to one of its wintry beaches to unwind with a chilled drink.

Anse Source d’Argent & Anse Soleil, Seychelles
Some say it’s “the most beautiful beach in the world.” Others say it’s “lush tropical heaven.” Don’t argue if you haven’t been here.
Whatever praise it gets, the Anse Source d’Argent, La Digue of Seychelles is deserving of it. Its type is rare – an archipelago that revels in luxury and deluxe tropical scenery. Its breezy, palatial beaches and pristine, chilly white sand make honeymoon, vacation or backpack delightful ranking it top on our list of places to visit in Africa. And year by year, thousands of tourists escape finding solace away from noise-infested urban locales.

The gateway to the resort leads to a stunning backdrop of beautiful green hills and an alluring tropical path. And when you touch down, you can readily find your next stop – there’s so much to do. Slipping into the sparkling, exquisite water for a swim or snorkeling in the luxuriant reefs may attract you first. You may also want to go diving or relax your weary self on the beach, work on your tan, etc. – just so much to fix up with.

And I can’t forget neat restaurants that treat both locals and visitors with delicious meals. Lavish Seafood and local cuisines may waste you if you are such a foodie.

If you take your kids along, be careful, they may ask for a permanent stay.

Skeleton Coast, Namibia
Warning, this isn’t a love zone! It’s called “the land God made in anger.”
From the air, its bleak shoreline gives an astonishing overview. But this is a daring resort – with lions and other carnivores walking proudly on its chilly white sand as you’d have in the Caribbean.

Its sands tower hundreds of meters – nearly 400 feet- against the shores. Everything you see is pure nature, nothing man-made except for the old shipwrecks buried in the beach sands and the skeletons of Whale and seal the former whaling industry litter the coastline – the source of its startling name.

So, why visit this such a place with that’s likened to the terrifying Caribbean. Because it’s the best shorelines in the world.

“It seems more like a mirage than real,” CNN’s Joe Yogerst said describing this forbidden wonderland.

Situated between the Swakop and the Kunene rivers, in the coastal side of Namibia, the Skeleton beach is a virgin spot that’s unique in itself. It extends from the Swakopmund city in the north of Namibia, to the Angolan border. It sits in between the Ugab and Hoanib Rivers in the South and the Hoanib and Kunene rivers in the north.he north – where, the Skeleton Coast Wilderness lives – is where visitors want to go. But just about 800 visitors are allowed to grace the lovely shore each year in order to preserve the fragile environment.

You can build a checklist of things to do before you set out on your journey. You can go on fishing at the Henties Bay, explore the Cape Cross Seal Reserve, ride along to experience the desert-adapted wildlife.

The Skeleton coast is largely uncivilized but this’s intentional to preserve it for nature’s sake – so, visitors can have a place of escape from man-made urban areas with sweaty, polluted life.

Bonus
These are just a few mentions of the beautiful, lush places to visit in Africa. Step out of your comfort zone, you'll discover that nature lives in the continent.

https://travelwahala.com/4-best-places-to-visit-in-africa/

It's getting clearer that all these shenanigans were just a political ploy to dig out an end.

MEND?

The very dirty, tremendously corrupt MEND?

Lalasticlala

DexterousOne:
Leisure travel is very good

But the economic realities in Nigeria won't allow many....

Well, it may sound unbelievable but it doesn't cost a fortune to go on leisure travel. It mustn't be outside the country, though.
A nice, chilly place where you can escape from the bubbling city and storms of life is perfect. If you could find that within Nigeria or her neighboring countries, it would be near-perfect.

Leisure travel is hardly regarded by Nigerians. Yet, it’s critical to our wellbeing.
Have you ever thought of life without leisure? When you only face workflows and business engagements each day, month and year. Think about it for a second; would you cope with to cope without off-work moments?

Agreed, our society of today is one where the pressure to achieve and be productive is hounding everyone. We’re all soaked up with the pressure of delivering tasks and KPIs. We hump into our cars, commercial buses at 5 am and retire home at 9 pm. And when the weekends come, family and religious engagements swallow up our time.

This drives our attention away from the things that matter to us. Although we admit leisure travel is good for our health and wellbeing, some of us hardly regard it.

Yet, we need leisure travel to refresh, re-energize, flourish and glow in health and wellbeing. Aside from the physical and health benefits it gifts us, we get improved quality of your life.

Why Leisure Travel
Perhaps, the underlying points will give a clearer picture of how vital leisure trip is to our wellbeing.

It Enhances Our Physical Health
It’s for everyone to grow old someday. However, no one will want to be old at even at 40.

It’s a prayer, dream and wishes to live a life full of health and energy. But aside from eating good and healthily, there’s no better way to a good life than leisure travel.

Leisure travel takes us away from the toxicity, stress and whatever negative that gets at us in our day-to-day life. Those who embark on vacation at least every 6 months aren’t only seeking for fun. They want good health too.

There’s quite much you can do during your leisure trip. Skiing, Safari tour, Hiking, and some other recreations can help.

What other way does it improve your physical health? It can lower your blood pressure, burn fats sugar, lower cholesterol in the body and much more. etc. Perhaps, you can start with some outdoor activities.

It Enhances Our Mental Health

Wellness isn’t just about physical appearance. It also includes a sound mind or mental healthiness.

With leisure or recreational travel, you can offload your mind and refill. It’s a moment that allows you to connect with your inner self. You are alone and away from work, stress, challenges, etc. And this is the right time to introspect, learn more about yourself, and free up your mind from toxic thoughts and information.

More so, in your introspection and self-healing, you are able to learn more about your abilities and strengths. This is a great way to conquer self-doubt and build your self-esteem.

It Improves the Quality of Our Life

Career achievement isn’t all there is to life?
In fact, career achievement alone can’t guarantee life fulfillment. Our jobs can best guarantee to provide us the means with which we care for other aspects of our lives; including leisure travel.

Still in doubt?

Well, there is this report the American Recreation Coalition. It explains that those who embark often on leisure travel find more life satisfaction.

The study was taken to discover the impact of leisure travel on the life fulfillment of Americans. Interestingly, 90% of those the respondents who embark on leisure trips or vacations revealed that they derive more life satisfaction from it. In contrast, 60% of respondents who rarely embark on leisure travel, say they have low life satisfaction.

Leisure trips, indeed, enhance the quality of our lives in measures that we can’t fathom.

What to Consider Before Embarking on Leisure Trip
I hope you have gotten a clearer picture of how leisure travel helps you and why you need it. But then, there’re a few things you need to note before embarking on any. These points can help.

Your Travel Destination: It’s important to have a clear knowledge of your destination before drawing up your travel itinerary.

Ask the right questions. It helps a great deal. Questions such as, what are the things I will do there? How safe is the location? Does that area have restaurants, parks and other fun attractions that meet expectations? Will they make my experience a memorable one?

How Unique the Place Is: Of course, you know that traveling to the same place over and over again doesn’t offer a unique travel experience. The beauty in leisure travel is to visit different, unique destinations on each trip.

Ask yourself, how unique is this destination? What will it offer different than the previous location I’ve been to? If your last trip destination was a bubbling, mega town with the buzz of nightlife, you might consider something off. A remote location that is withdrawn from the city will spice up your adventure or travel experience.

Travel Insurance: We can’t discuss this any less. This is one necessity some Nigerian travelers keep neglecting.

Travel insurance is key to have a great leisure trip. When you get an insurance cover, you settle your mind off worries of accidents or dangers. It sort of gives you some rest of mind and peace.

In our previous article, we outlined 5 vital ways travel insurance helps you enjoy your vacation. We also revealed trusted and best travel insurance companies in Nigeria.

WiFi Availability: Even if you want to save cost, you should try to get a room with WiFi. This is especially if you’ll be staying in a remote area where there might be possible network issues.

Attractions and Services: For a better experience, you may want to get a place that offers some good services and with lots of attractions. Pools, Spas, Parks, etc. help build our travel experience and make it a memorable one.

After a long day of sightseeing or touring, you may want to retire the day with some spa treat or outdoor relaxation.

Safety Tips: This is another aspect of travel that some Nigerian travelers disregard. But it comes back to hunt some eventually.

Safety is key to enjoying a successful leisure trip. You need to outline some safety strategies to employ in order to stay safe during your trip. Remember, this is a location you are not very familiar with.

These 7 travel safety tips from our article will give you the perfect idea of what to do to stay safe on your vacation. Ensure you read it up.

Your Travel Budget: According to Leonardo, research in American revealed that budget influenced 85% of tourists who go leisure travel.

Indeed, your budget largely determines what you get from your trip and how much you’ll enjoy it.

You have just a sizeable budget and still, wish to go on your dream leisure travel? These powerful ideas can help you enjoy cheap travel.

Wrap Up
Leisure travel isn’t something we should do in a one-off moment. It should be part of us. Like they say, “play is life” and we can’t do without it. Guess you also remember the saying; “all work without play makes…” well, you can complete it.

At travelwahala, we advise travelers to start from their flight and hotel bookings. This is where your travel experience begins. In our eight ( years of offering visa, travel, flight, and hotel booking solutions to Nigerians, we’ve come to realize how vital these two things are to your trip. We care to help whenever and wherever you need

https://travelwahala.com/why-you-need-leisure-travel/

Lalasticlala, please, help educate Nigerian travelers

Cc: Lalasticlala

Christmas is here!

It's, again, that season of the year when excitement fills the atmosphere and everyone can feel the grip. Planning is top gear for family visits, holiday trips, group/family vacations, etc. But an important item that hardly makes our checklist is safety.

As religion devotees, Nigerians often rest their safety on faith, and hardly regard travel safety tips until trouble strikes.

Each year, we get stories from Nigerian travelers of how they encounter mishaps. Some are minor cases of pickpockets and miscommunication. Yet, others are as serious as robbery, accident, and theft.

That you have traveled ten times before and didn't run into trouble doesn't mean you are insulated from troubles. You must not take travel safety tips with levity. While you hope for the best during trips, prepare for the worst. These 7 important tips should help you stay woke and stay off of trouble during your next travel especially overseas.

Research Your Destination, Learn Their Common Scams

Nigeria isn't the only country with scammers! They are everywhere, even in the safest countries!

It is wisdom you learn a few things about your travel destination. Things like what's their criminal history? Which part of it records high crime incidents? What is their culture etc.?

It's funny how most Nigerians believe they can never fall victim to a scam. Yet, it keeps happening!

Some Nigerians have fallen victims of the Money-doubling or dollar-watching scam in Dubai. These guys are often on the streets and some major cities. They approach you asking to change a dollar. If you give in, your money is gone!

In Paris, France, there's the ring scam. In Cuba, it is the milk they use to scam visitors. Also, in Costa Rica, the trick is a broken taxi. You need to stay woke! A simple search on Google can help a great deal.

Keep Your Valuables Safe

Experience shows that tourists or holiday travelers are most at risk with travel theft.

As most Nigerians do, you may want to pack your luggage to the brim. Taking only necessities especially on a holiday trip helps.
Get a small strong lock for a few valuables you would go out with. And mind them! It's funny, but this is one of the best personal travel safety tips you can get.

A client and his wife, Engr. Adesola, we helped with flight and hotel bookings had Miami in their holiday travel itinerary. They visited the Miami beach on the third day of their stay. Just while they joined some tourists to pose for shots, their camera was stolen. That was in Miami!
Some thieves and pickpockets are so experienced that they can move nearly anything. Be conscious of your valuables at all times. Also, ensure your accommodation has good storage facilities before you book.

Get Travel Insurance Cover

Sadly, a lot of Nigerian travelers consider travel insurance less important.

Funny, one replied "I'm not going to Madrid to fall sick" when we advised her to get travel health insurance sometimes ago. Her ignorance was loud.
You don't only need travel insurance for health or death reasons. Many different incidences require insurance cover. Missing a passport or luggage is common.

Good thing is, you get peace of mind when you insure. But watch it. Research well to find the right insurance companies in Nigeria for travel.
Axa Mansard and Custodian offer pretty good services. But if you encounter difficulty finding one, you can reach us for help.

Identify with The Nigerian Embassy or High Commission in Your Destination

Well, this may be a no-no for you. You don't want to have anything to do with Nigeria outside the country. We feel you!

Contrary to popular belief, the Nigerian embassy or high commission has helped many Nigerian travelers abroad. Mostly when there's some attack, robbery, natural disaster, etc., they can step in. If you are visiting a country where any of these occurrences is common, try and identify with them. This enables them to reach you for help easily. Don't have the mindset that the Nigeria you meet at home is the same abroad.

Connect with Locals, Seek Their Help

Even if you are the world's biggest introvert, you must mingle.

Aside from being one of the best travel safety tips, it's also a great way to have a memorable travel experience.
Many locals are welcoming and willing to help tourists. They know the in and out of their locality. Therefore, it's wisdom you quickly identify with them once you arrive.

Front desk officers at the hotel are proven to be more receptive and helpful. If you can afford it, leave them a little tip. That can spark some great connections.

Identify with Their Dressing

You don't go to Dubai wearing a suit. Your dressing will just shout "I'm a tourist!"
And you know what that means, right? You are the first target for scammers, the first suspect for local authorities. In short, you are the first anything wrong!

By far, language and dressing are the easiest ways to connect with locals. When you dress their way, you blend with them. And that helps protect yourself.

So, check out the dress pattern of locals. That of the Middle East is obvious. Mexico and other South American countries also have a distinct dress pattern.

Don't Show Off

You know how it goes in Nigeria; the fancy lifestyle.

Well, you had better drop that mentality back home. Unless you are ready to hire a flit of security guards abroad. And don't always give in to the pressure of helping people, especially road-side beggars.

The story of how Kenneth, one of our clients, was robbed in Brazil is still fresh in mind. He helped a beggar he met outside his hotel with some cash. The following day, he was returning late to the hotel and met the beggar joined by four boys. They insisted he should give them some money. He resisted. And they forced his wallet off him, took the cash in the wallet and threw it back at him.

If you must help, let your instinct guide you. And monitor the terrain very well.

Wrap Up
Don't ignore these travel safety tips or consider them too common. They can make or mar your travel experience.

At [url]travelwahala[/url], there are other important safety tips for travelers we encourage our clients to learn. Learning a little about people's language, customs, culture, and laws is very important. In our eight ( of rendering quality travel, visa, and flight solutions to Nigerian travelers, we have discovered that safety is key to enjoying a great travel experience.

https://travelwahala.com/https-travelwahala-com-7-travel-safety-tips-you-must-know/

Realtizzy:
The post is so educating, abeg how i go fit contact this travel wahala

You can reach travelwahala at https://travelwahala.com/contact-us/

Everyone likes cheap travel.

Unfortunately, travels task our wallets so much. If you’d traveled overseas, you’d fully understand. There is just so much you want to enjoy. But your wallet keeps warning you each time you make a move.

Not to worry, a few tricks can help you work around it. Sure, you can still enjoy cheap trips. And these 13 tips can best help you travel cheap!

Research about Your Travel Destination
It’s popular knowledge that people spend more when they visit a place for the first time. This is even worse when you have no prior knowledge about your destination.

Simple research about your place of travel helps immensely. Not just to plan your itinerary but also to save cost.

Ideally, you could compare the cost of the local transport system and choose the cheapest. You could check good hotels at cheap rates. How about where to buy cheap things etc. There’s just so much to research about.

Draw a Budget for Your Travel
You need to create a budgetary template that should guide you. Here, you give a price tag on each item on your itinerary list.
More importantly, ensure you stick to your budget. You certainly will have so many attractions and distractions. Don’t spend outside your budget.

Off-Seasons are Great for Cheap Travel
Off-season saves you the cost during rush seasons. Not too many people travel at this time. So, you get a chance to find a cheap flight and hotel bookings.

This period usually falls around January, March, September, and October. This doesn’t take anything away from enjoying your trip.

Consider Cheap flights, Book in Advance
It’s wisdom and prudence to compare the cost of air tickets before booking.

Understandably, airlines don’t offer the same price. Granted, it is good you choose a good one. But you should choose a good one with lower rates.

More so, you should consider booking far ahead. It is common knowledge that the prices of flights skyrocket during the festive periods or rush hours. There is no wisdom in waiting until that time. If you have the money, book in advance.

Good a thing, a lot of airlines in Nigeria offer discounts on bookings. So, 3-5 months booking isn’t a bad idea to enjoy cheap travel.

Consider Specific Days Best for Cheap Travel
Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays are better days to catch cheap flights for foreign trips.

Domestic flights have their off days on Sundays and Saturdays. And the afternoon period is the best odd moment.

More so, consider a little more layover; the stops and your seat position. All this has an impact on the flight rate.

Consider Working while on Travel
Absolutely yes! You can do a few jobs to earn while on a trip overseas. While freelancing is a more common job for tourists, other options abound.

You can take up coaching or teaching jobs, for instance, language coaching. Though it’s illegal to work with a tourist visa in some countries. Still, there are many other earning opportunities to exploit. At best, research on available jobs for tourists in your travel destination.

Buy Necessities from Home
It’s wisdom you get some of the things you’d need in Nigeria especially if you’re going on a long trip. Even toothpaste costs three times as much in European than it costs in Nigeria.

So, check through your list of necessities and get them from Nigeria to save costs.

Checkout for Free Offers, Discounts
Just a little search will reveal lots of free stuff you can enjoy in your travel destination. So, you don’t waste so much on your itinerary.

Some museums give a discount to visitors or tourists on the first visit. Some community attractions and restaurants also do. Aside from the internet articles. A good source of information is the community calendar. If you really want to enjoy chea travel, this shouldn’t be hard thing to do.

Consider Cooking Little Meals
Surprisingly, some people aren’t cool with cooking abroad. You hardly can tell how much you can save when you make simple meals like making teas for breakfast yourself.

Book a lodge with a kitchen or even a microwave and fridge. These things can save you the pricy meals of hotels or the room service. Even if you have to buy a meal outside, you can reheat the leftover.

Guide Your Appetite
To enjoy cheap travel, you need prudence in your spending. You’ll be exposed to loads of eye-catching treats, cuisines, and attractions. Hold your appetite by sticking to your budget.

There’s so much to do in big cities like Canada, Australia, Spain, the US, etc. However, your budget size determines what and what not to buy or do.

Consider buying from the Farmer’s Market
This market is a good place to shop at a cheaper rate. You can have a taste of the local meals or items without here.

Another good idea is to buy fresh food and prepare the meals yourself if your accommodation has a kitchen. It is far less expensive this way than visiting the restaurant.

Get Accommodation Outside the City
Save up by finding a cool place to stay outside the city. Cities are, of course, expensive to live in anywhere in the world.

Resist the urge to staying in the city just to show off. There are lots of cool places outside the city you can get at a very cheaper rate. You can always go to the city for whatever purpose and when you want.

Find Cards for Tourists
Good a thing, several places in specially developed countries offer tourism cards to tourists. These cards offer so many things including discounts on shopping, accommodation, etc.

Interestingly, you can access the best attractions, use free public transport, guidebooks, etc. with the card. Check which your travel destination offers.

Conclusion
It’s very possible to travel cheap. If you can implement these tricks, you can save yourself, the huge costs of travel, especially international trips.

At travelwahala, we always tell travelers to prioritize creating a budget and research. In our eight years of offering travel, flight and visa solutions to Nigerians, we’ve discovered most travelers have unfulfilled travel experiences. Mostly because they failed to heed to these simple things that matter most.

Wow...pls, a friend told me they would come to Abuja. Can you help me with the date and how I can register?

Nigerian visa applicants don suffer walahi...imagine when some useless countries dey deny us visa...soon na Togo and Benin Republic

Our national pride is so battered that these oyibos dey look us one kind.

Oh my goodness!! Look at the leaders of tomorrow.

Look at the mothers and fathers expected to race the coming generation!!

What becomes of our future!!?

Nigerian educational system, like most of the other sectors in the country hugely dominated and controlled by the government, is, to many, a latent hell. The euphoria and youthful joy that greeted the Jambite when admitted into the university certainly dissipate in no mean time as he steps into the school environment to begin studies. He is introduced into a world different than the one he was used to. He is confronted with the energy-sapping processes of manual registration at the Faculty and Department, manual documentation at the Exams and Records, manual registration at the Student Affairs, manual documentation at the Hostels and all these Manuals which may drag him well over a month, and which go on alongside lectures, dry up the fats and weight the student gained at home, leaving his body with a caricatured, skeleton-like figure. Then come the toss and thorns, the hassles of early morning rush to general classes and the tiring night class studies; the dragging of sits in classes and keeping-up with conflicting lecture timetables.

And eventually, when the student passes through the gates of Hades to graduate, then comes the monster of missing scripts or grades, just like I witnessed in the University of Nigeria. I finished my final year exam in the month of July of my graduation year, together with my colleagues. Of course, I participated in the frenzy “graduation tour” around the campus and outside, and the graduation party that followed. The joy this time was more overwhelming, nearly unquantifiable with that we had during admission, as Freshmen; because, we had come, seen and conquered. After the frenzy, everyone departed for his home. I traveled down to Lagos, confidently waiting to hear date for our Convocation announced. But after four months, in the last week of November, I was called back to the school to find four of my missing scripts and the project grade. The angst and boiling hate that stood inside me were inexpressible. Same week, I took a bus down to University of Nigeria, Nsukka campus to begin the hunt for the missing scripts and grade. I didn’t conclude until after three weeks of tumultuous back and front movement between my department and Exams and Records. In this particular journey, were tens of my colleagues who had a good number of either missing scripts or missing grades. I certainly know this is obtainable in all Nigerian institutions.

My Experience As An Insider

Two years after, I was employed in the same school at the Exams and Records. When I assumed duties, I discovered that the experiences students face haven’t been any better. More heart-wrecking is that encountered by Alumni or Graduates when seeking for their Transcript. I have been deeply troubled by this headache of Transcript for Alumni that I had one time thought of opening a blog to assist Alumni seeking for Transcripts with how to go about it the easy way.

Transcript is a heck of hassle one wouldn’t want to engage in unless serious need called for it. With my experience as a staff at Exams and Records, I understand every Alumnus that is seeking for Transcript has a serious need that propelled him or her to do so. And having been caught in the line, most of you want it done with urgency. Some of the needs range from Admission to further in Masters Programme, Scholarships for further Learning, to Employment into educational institutions etc. With these opportunities put at stake without your Transcript, you engage the “fire brigade” approach to securing it within the shortest time possible. But the blow comes when you eventually contact your school or get someone to, and the response you get is “you have to come down here (school)” not even with a friendly, sympathetic voice. When you eventually visit, believing it would be a thing of a day or two, your eager anticipation is put at rest with the rigorous processes outlined to have you go through. You think of the long, draining, rigorous task and you resort to begging the officer. Well, the officer will certainly accede to your request, and your pocket will suffer for it. Of course, at that time, you are willing to pay the price. And this is how some officers at Exams and Records enrich themselves at the expense of helpless and stranded Alumni. I have had to confront a colleague at a time who charged a lady at Abuja as much as N105k to process and transport her Transcript; though he later reduced the billing to N90k. With this trend, many Alumni adjudge all the officers at the Exams and Records as the same. I have received, on countless occasions, calls from persons from far and near, who are either referred by friends or beneficiaries of my help, asking me how much they would have to pay for my services, to help them process their Transcripts. Agreed, I often found it embarrassing, but I shook it off with much pity for them.

The Turning Point...

Personally, I have always wrestled in my spirit with these systemic problems. At least, after graduation, one should take a final deep breath for completing time with one's school. In developed countries, this Alumni Transcripts “wahala” never arises. Technology has simplified every process that Alumni over there worry over nothing afterwards. I began to think of the same for our Nigerian Institutions. Why can’t it be obtained here? I would ask myself. However, same year I thought of owing a blog to assist Alumni on how to go about their Transcripts in Nigerian institutions, the light came to the University of Nigeria both at Nsukka and Enugu Campuses. A private technology solutions firm had built an online solutions system for processing Transcripts. This time, it was only for University of Nigeria and University of Calabar Alumni. So, on the platform, Alumni anywhere they are, could easily order for their Transcripts and receive them in no mean time, without any hassle of travelling down to the campuses or bribing officers at Exams and Records. It is free of charge - the platform is itranscript.ng. I may not be more relieved than the many Alumni whom I have directed to the platform when they called to inquire about how to get their Transcripts, but am surely very gladdened with this much needed solution. Now, the platform has been enlarged to include more Nigerian Universities. You should visit to check if your school is included.

Though this article is necessitated by the need to sensitise the many Alumni who still dabble into the hot fire of manual Transcript processing, I believe my passion to create solutions to needs of people is more the driving force. I can't just keep seeing Alumni with wrinkled and bemoaned faces, famished and worn-out, stager into my office, looking pitiable all just to get a Transcript. And those who unfortunately get in the wrong hands are exploited severely. Alumni and Graduates, you now know better.

Obi Dave
Exams and Records, Department

http://igbobia.com/?q=how-graduates-allumni-fall-victim-of-transcripts.html

Lalasticlala

Lalasticlala, Olawalebabs, Richiez, Fynestboi

The National Common Entrance Examination [NCEE] Board has published the Entrance Exam Cut-Off Mark of Each State for the 2017/18 session.

The apaperent lopsidedness in the allocation of cut-off marks to the states in Nigeria, has fueled agitations over the inequality and injustice associated with Entrance Exam Cut-off marks in Nigeria.

It is therefore, bewildering to see majority of the students especially from the South who scored much higher than their counterparts from the North denied admissions into Higher institutions while those from the North with much lower marks gain admission.

This has been one of the banes of Nigeria's faulty educational system, as it permeates or levels of academic instutions in Nigeria.

Below is the Current National Common Entrance Examination [NCEE] Cut-Off Marks Of Each State In The Federation

State Male Female

Abia 65 65
Adamawa 40 40
Akwa-Ibom 63 63
Anambra 66 66
Bauchi 18 18
Benue 60 60
Borno 33 33
Cross-Rivers 54 54
Delta 65 65
Edo 63 63
Enugu 65 65
Imo 66 66
Jigawa 37 37
Kaduna 52 52
Kano 34 34
Katsina 37 37
Kebbi 35 35
Kogi 61 61
Kwara 62 62
Lagos 65 65
Niger 49 49
Ogun 65 65
Ondo 64 64
Osun 64 64
Oyo 63 63
Plateau 52 52
Rivers 62 62
Sokoto 15 7
Taraba 19 19
Yobe 20 20
FCT-Abuja 57 57
Bayelsa 51 51
Ebonyi 60 60
Ekiti 62 62
Gombe 37 37
Nassarawa 42 42
Zamfara 14 12

National Merit Cut-off Mark – 68

http://igbobia.com/?q=see-lopsided-cut-off-marks-national-common-entrance-examination-released-for-20172018-session.html

Most employers could definitely have suffered employees’ theft. Whether you run a one-man business with few staff numbering 2-7 or a medium enterprise of about 10-70 employees or the large scale company with limitless number of staff, you are not an exception to this business-killer-syndrome. Though you may not have discovered, it doesn’t take away the possibility of your company suffering it. As an employee myself, who had worked in about three establishments, in sales, customer service and procurement roles respectively, before my recent job as a sales manager, I was dismayed at how employees could cage their conscience in running down the establishments where they work in. Do not misunderstand me, not every employee cheats. There are very good ones you won’t dare lose, they remain the backbone of your establishment. But the bad eggs in the staff roll, I believe, spoil a lot. Years of my working career have exposed me to these bad eggs and their activities, particularly those in sales, procurement and customer service.

How Do Employees Cheat? Sales officers leverage their positions to divert goods, this I have seen. Some when they sell a particular quantity of goods at a particular price, their entries into the company account are way too different from what they sell. So, you find misrepresentation of data in the invoice, receipt, vouchers and other certifications. In my first place of work, I could remember how my regional Sales manager connived with the account officer and some sales persons to steal silly. He was our boss. Some of us not attuned to his treachery could neither confront nor report him until about 6 months after, the management caught him and issued him direct sack letter.
What Reasons make employees cheat then?

There are different reasons why employees cheat. Yours may differ from mine but, these few I shall list out capture vividly the reasons and may not be of any major difference with yours. Experience shows employees cheat because:

1. They are not happy with their boss/ jobs: what I and my colleagues observed at my first place of work was that this was the primary reason our regional sales manager cheated. Our regional sales manager and his colleagues assigned to other regions were used to always talking bad about the Head of Sales Department. They were actually hated him. They felt he was too bossy (and actually he was). I could remember him reviewing the KPIs of the sales department severally with increased sales targets and no complementary incentive or commission. This ultimately affected everyone as the regional sales manager would in turn review our targets much higher without any additional incentives. That got us worn out and some resigned. So, when employees are badly treated, it would change their attitude to work and affect their performance.

2. They are not paid regularly and on-time: I haven’t personally had this experience as I have had the luck to work in organisations where pay is regular and on time. But, I believe this stands as a key indicator why employees cheat. I mean, why people work is basically to earn a living which is included in the salary and incentives they get. Should they fail to have their primary needs met, they may be forced to find other alternatives, which would be to steal.

3. They are naturally greedy and have the natural tendency to steal: Some persons just have that natural inclination to steal. They are just too greedy that nothing is enough for them. When I worked as a customer service officer with a manufacturing company, I enjoyed most. The staff were well remunerated. We were all happy. Yet, our procurement officer had no satisfaction. He forged virtually everything and hiked prices for anything he bought. No one knew what he had been doing until he was on holiday. The manager delegated a staff to procure some materials. That was how it all blew-up. There was about 40% slash in price this time. Agitated, the manager visited the records of the previously acquired products by the procurement officer. He had been scamming the company. Well, he resumed work after his holiday to collect his sack letter.

4. The company doesn’t have data capture system: through my experience, I believe this is the primary reason why employees steal and get away with it. Companies mostly neglect the great relevance of data capture and are ignorant of the fact that this could solve all their problems. I was exposed to the multiple solutions data capturing render a company where employees steal at my present place of work. Before I was employed, the Head of Sales Department had already established that all sales managers must use the data capturing system. And no one could run away from it. First off, all the employees including the Heads of Departments were captured. Our Biodata are stored in the system Logs and so, the company doesn’t worry sending a sales manager to faraway states to distribute goods.

By the way, what is Data Capture: should you wonder what data capture means, it is the method or process of collecting or gathering information of person(s), animal(s), plant(s), object(s) etc, and changing the information into computer readable form i.e. storing it in a computer device. This means that you can get and store information of anyone and anything on the computer, transform it into any form you like and retrieve it whenever you need it. However, it is not as simple as that. With my little experience about it, it is a complex and rigid process. Standard devices and machines are used for this as well as some high-tech programming. And because of this, there are companies that exist solely to help other companies capture and manage their data.

What benefits do companies get from Data Capture? Data capture is not all about apprehending cheating employees. In our company for instance, we have lots of benefit derived from Data capturing. First, with automated (Electronic) Data Capture, all invoices, receipts and purchase papers are entered into the Data base, with a single company password known to no one but the officer in charge. This way, no manipulation on sales or purchases is heard of. On my own part as a sales person, there are three people who are very important to me; they are the prospects, the leads and the converts. The prospects are the potential customers the sales person first has contact with and introduces the company goods and or services to; the leads are the ones who have begun to reason with your “sales preaching” and; the converts are the ones who have accepted your goods and services and become customers. Through these stages, you need a data capturing system to enter and manage the Biodata or information of the customers. This is because, the system enables you to remember their reactions when you first contacted them and effectively follow them up. Also, with data capture, you can build good customer experience. Sometimes, as a good customer relationship officer, it is expected of you to relate personally with the customers. When necessary, you could address them by their titles and names to show you are interested in not just having their patronage but building relationship with them. This is what Data Capture can help you do, as the system would automatically update the customer information when you inquire.

What About the Government: I strongly believe that Data Capturing is an exercise so versatile and all encompassing in rendering lots of solutions even to the government. Often we hear of billions of naira the government is losing to ghost workers, yet ghost workers are at large in the civil service. The solution is not far-fetched, Data Capturing. If the biometrics of the staff (staff enrollments) are properly captured, stored and well managed, then ghost workers could easily be buried in their respective graves.

So with Data Capture you know you save yourself from revenue loss and enhance the growth of your business or establishments.

My warning and advice however: beware of companies that manage your data. Should you fall into the hands of some of these, you will regret ever contemplating optioning for Electronic Data Capture services. Though I had not been employed at the time, but I was told of how my present company lost significantly to the inefficiency of a data capturing company it had contracted. Part of the problems ranged from duplication and loss of employees’ and clients’ data, systemic breakdown sometimes when there the company needed to retrieve data and, the major one, high cost of services. Therefore, you should be very careful with the company you assign the contract of data capturing to. For the past one year, our company has been using Bioregistra.com, the best platform to us. It’s needless to talk about their efficient, top-notch data capture solutions (services); you just try and find out yourself when you visit the site. Mine is to advise you. But to save your business, organisations and personal properties, from theft you sure need DATA CAPTURE.

Any further inquiries or conversations? Check my moniker...

Most employers could definitely have suffered employees’ theft. Whether you run a one-man business with few staff numbering 2-7 or a medium enterprise of about 10-70 employees or the large scale company with limitless number of staff, you are not an exception to this business-killer-syndrome. Though you may not have discovered, it doesn’t take away the possibility of your company suffering it. As an employee myself, who had worked in about three establishments, in sales, customer service and procurement roles respectively, before my recent job as a sales manager, I was dismayed at how employees could cage their conscience in running down the establishments where they work in. Do not misunderstand me, not every employee cheats. There are very good ones you won’t dare lose, they remain the backbone of your establishment. But the bad eggs in the staff roll, I believe, spoil a lot. Years of my working career have exposed me to these bad eggs and their activities, particularly those in sales, procurement and customer service.

How Do Employees Cheat? Sales officers leverage their positions to divert goods, this I have seen. Some when they sell a particular quantity of goods at a particular price, their entries into the company account are way too different from what they sell. So, you find misrepresentation of data in the invoice, receipt, vouchers and other certifications. In my first place of work, I could remember how my regional Sales manager connived with the account officer and some sales persons to steal silly. He was our boss. Some of us not attuned to his treachery could neither confront nor report him until about 6 months after, the management caught him and issued him direct sack letter.
What Reasons make employees cheat then?

There are different reasons why employees cheat. Yours may differ from mine but, these few I shall list out capture vividly the reasons and may not be of any major difference with yours. Experience shows employees cheat because:

1. They are not happy with their boss/ jobs: what I and my colleagues observed at my first place of work was that this was the primary reason our regional sales manager cheated. Our regional sales manager and his colleagues assigned to other regions were used to always talking bad about the Head of Sales Department. They were actually hated him. They felt he was too bossy (and actually he was). I could remember him reviewing the KPIs of the sales department severally with increased sales targets and no complementary incentive or commission. This ultimately affected everyone as the regional sales manager would in turn review our targets much higher without any additional incentives. That got us worn out and some resigned. So, when employees are badly treated, it would change their attitude to work and affect their performance.

2. They are not paid regularly and on-time: I haven’t personally had this experience as I have had the luck to work in organisations where pay is regular and on time. But, I believe this stands as a key indicator why employees cheat. I mean, why people work is basically to earn a living which is included in the salary and incentives they get. Should they fail to have their primary needs met, they may be forced to find other alternatives, which would be to steal.

3. They are naturally greedy and have the natural tendency to steal: Some persons just have that natural inclination to steal. They are just too greedy that nothing is enough for them. When I worked as a customer service officer with a manufacturing company, I enjoyed most. The staff were well remunerated. We were all happy. Yet, our procurement officer had no satisfaction. He forged virtually everything and hiked prices for anything he bought. No one knew what he had been doing until he was on holiday. The manager delegated a staff to procure some materials. That was how it all blew-up. There was about 40% slash in price this time. Agitated, the manager visited the records of the previously acquired products by the procurement officer. He had been scamming the company. Well, he resumed work after his holiday to collect his sack letter.

4. The company doesn’t have data capture system: through my experience, I believe this is the primary reason why employees steal and get away with it. Companies mostly neglect the great relevance of data capture and are ignorant of the fact that this could solve all their problems. I was exposed to the multiple solutions data capturing render a company where employees steal at my present place of work. Before I was employed, the Head of Sales Department had already established that all sales managers must use the data capturing system. And no one could run away from it. First off, all the employees including the Heads of Departments were captured. Our Biodata are stored in the system Logs and so, the company doesn’t worry sending a sales manager to faraway states to distribute goods.

By the way, what is Data Capture: should you wonder what data capture means, it is the method or process of collecting or gathering information of person(s), animal(s), plant(s), object(s) etc, and changing the information into computer readable form i.e. storing it in a computer device. This means that you can get and store information of anyone and anything on the computer, transform it into any form you like and retrieve it whenever you need it. However, it is not as simple as that. With my little experience about it, it is a complex and rigid process. Standard devices and machines are used for this as well as some high-tech programming. And because of this, there are companies that exist solely to help other companies capture and manage their data.

What benefits do companies get from Data Capture? Data capture is not all about apprehending cheating employees. In our company for instance, we have lots of benefit derived from Data capturing. First, with automated (Electronic) Data Capture, all invoices, receipts and purchase papers are entered into the Data base, with a single company password known to no one but the officer in charge. This way, no manipulation on sales or purchases is heard of. On my own part as a sales person, there are three people who are very important to me; they are the prospects, the leads and the converts. The prospects are the potential customers the sales person first has contact with and introduces the company goods and or services to; the leads are the ones who have begun to reason with your “sales preaching” and; the converts are the ones who have accepted your goods and services and become customers. Through these stages, you need a data capturing system to enter and manage the Biodata or information of the customers. This is because, the system enables you to remember their reactions when you first contacted them and effectively follow them up. Also, with data capture, you can build good customer experience. Sometimes, as a good customer relationship officer, it is expected of you to relate personally with the customers. When necessary, you could address them by their titles and names to show you are interested in not just having their patronage but building relationship with them. This is what Data Capture can help you do, as the system would automatically update the customer information when you inquire.

What About the Government: I strongly believe that Data Capturing is an exercise so versatile and all encompassing in rendering lots of solutions even to the government. Often we hear of billions of naira the government is losing to ghost workers, yet ghost workers are at large in the civil service. The solution is not far-fetched, Data Capturing. If the biometrics of the staff (staff enrollments) are properly captured, stored and well managed, then ghost workers could easily be buried in their respective graves.

So with Data Capture you know you save yourself from revenue loss and enhance the growth of your business or establishments.

My warning and advice however: beware of companies that manage your data. Should you fall into the hands of some of these, you will regret ever contemplating optioning for Electronic Data Capture services. Though I had not been employed at the time, but I was told of how my present company lost significantly to the inefficiency of a data capturing company it had contracted. Part of the problems ranged from duplication and loss of employees’ and clients’ data, systemic breakdown sometimes when there the company needed to retrieve data and, the major one, high cost of services. Therefore, you should be very careful with the company you assign the contract of data capturing to. For the past one year, our company has been using Bioregistra.com, the best platform to us. It’s needless to talk about their efficient, top-notch data capture solutions (services); you just try and find out yourself when you visit the site. Mine is to advise you. But to save your business, organisations and personal properties, from theft you sure need DATA CAPTURE.

Any further inquiries or conversations? Check my moniker...

Earlier today, the "three wise men" were pictured walking the streets of Lagos within the axis of Ikeja and Oshodi and beyond.

They were reportedly distributing gifts in a bit to create awareness for the forthcoming Lagos @50 celebrations.

http://igbobia.com/?q=three-wise-men-as-they-call-them-pictured-in-lagos.html

Lalasticlala

The music and humanitarian tour of Chinedu Okoli aka Flavour in Liberia was crowned with a greeat coronation.

Flavour was crowned with one of the most prestigious titles in Liberia, "Chief Zanzan of Liberia," as a mark of recognition of his humanitarian exploits and immense contribution to the development and projection of African music and cultural heritage.

http://igbobia.com/?q=flavour-given-traditional-title-in-liberia.html

Lalasticlala