₦airaland Forum

Saig:
Somebody who got over 6 million votes in his first outing. If you can even afford the form go and pick it na

seunmsg:
You are just a presidential candidate and not a real contender. The contest in 2023 was between Tinubu and Atiku and the contest in 2027 will still be between Tinubu and Atiku. If you want a presidential debate so badly, go and debate Sowore and the Accord party candidate. Those are the presidential candidates in your cycle.

SeeWahala:
See, Iddo Market , use 500 to rent truck, PUSH IT

It comes with more dignity, more peace of mind, more profit, good physical therapy, etc etc 🤗

NL resident Data B0i work no be better work Bros 🙁

shortgun:
What exactly does that have to do with the subject here?

shortgun:
Peter Obi has never claimed to be a forbes billionaires because he's not a thief. There's nobody in Nigeria that became a Forbes billionaire without stealing public funds, owning oil wells or enjoyed government waivers and state sanctioned monopolies.

Flets:
Without rigging, Obi will get at least 70% of the votes across all regions.

The political class knows this and are desperate

Nairalander248:
You no be God!

Nairalander248:
If I tell you, when your paymaster is out of office you won't last a year here, you can bookmap this and let's remind our selves in 2028….

Ofunaofu:
You've already begun the crying

shortgun:
The Pandora papers investigation did not say that everyone it named had committed any crime or they are corrupt.
Billionaires like Peter Obi usually have funds and financial investments in countries that are tax friendly....

Peter Obi acknowledged that he had been connected to offshore companies.
He said that the companies were established for legitimate business and investment purposes before he even became governor.
That he did not personally own or benefit from public corrupt funds through them.
The Federal government investigated Peter Obi over the Pandora papers allegations and found nothing on him.
As of today, Peter Obi has not been convicted by any court in relation to the Pandora Papers, nor has he been charged with any corruption case.
As a good citizen of this country write to the relevant government agencies to charge Peter Obi over the Pandora papers.

Mankind2024:
Your response relies more on insults than facts. Calling someone "foolish" does not invalidate their argument.

First, I am a proud, full-blooded Ijebu man. I have no genetic relationship with the Igbo ethnicity, so don't drag ethnicity into a debate that is about economics and national interest.

Second, supporting the fight against drug trafficking does not mean supporting xenophobia. Any criminal, regardless of nationality, should be prosecuted according to the law. However, collective punishment, mob violence, and attacks on innocent Black Africans are unacceptable and deserve condemnation.

Third, I support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his re-election. Supporting this government also means supporting policies that protect Nigeria's economic sovereignty.

Now, let's discuss MTNN. Are you aware that there was a period when MTN imported recharge cards into Nigeria, placing additional pressure on our foreign exchange?
Are you aware of the long-running controversies over the illegal repatriation of billions of dollars from Nigeria by MTN?

Are you also aware that South African companies repatriate substantial dividends from Nigeria every year to benefit their shareholders and pension funds while Nigeria continues to run a significant trade imbalance with Xenophobic Republic of South Africa?

If you disagree with nationalization, present an economic argument. Don't substitute insults for evidence. Mature debates are won with facts, not abuse.

Mankind2024:
On the issue of drug peddling and trafficking, it is within the constitutional authority of any country to investigate, prosecute, and punish offenders. This should not be misconstrued as "giving a dog a bad name in order to hang it."
My position remains unchanged: "Xenophobia is one of the worst crimes against Black Africans. It is time to sever all diplomatic ties with South Africa."

Mankind2024:
If the Federal Government of Nigeria were to nationalize MTN Nigeria (MTNN) while still allowing it to operate as a professionally managed, commercially driven, publicly listed company (similar to many Nigeria-owned enterprises that remain listed on the NGX), then the proponents of nationalization could argue the following potential advantages:

1. Retention of Profits Within Nigeria
A larger share of dividends and profits would accrue to the Nigerian government and Nigerian shareholders, rather than being remitted to foreign parent companies.
2. Increased Government Revenue
Annual dividends from MTNN could become a significant source of non-oil revenue, helping to fund infrastructure, education, healthcare, and security.
Improved National Security.

3. Telecommunications infrastructure is considered strategic. Greater Nigerians ownership could provide stronger oversight of critical communications infrastructure during emergencies.

4. Support for Digital Sovereignty
National ownership could strengthen Nigeria's control over sensitive telecommunications infrastructure, data governance, and digital transformation initiatives.

5. Reinvestment in Local Infrastructure
Profits could be prioritized for expanding broadband, rural connectivity, and 5G deployment instead of maximizing foreign shareholder returns.

6. Foreign Exchange Conservation
Reduced dividend remittances abroad could lessen demand for foreign exchange, potentially easing pressure on Nigeria's foreign reserves.

7. Development of Local Capital Markets
If MTNN remained listed on the Nigerian Exchange, Nigerians could continue investing while Nigerians
maintained majority ownership, supporting the domestic capital market.

8. Alignment with National Development Goals
The company could more closely support government initiatives such as digital inclusion, financial inclusion, e-learning, and e-government services.

9. Greater Local Procurement and Employment.
A nationally owned MTNN might place greater emphasis on sourcing goods and services from Nigerian businesses and creating local employment opportunities.

10. Long-Term Strategic Planning
Instead of focusing primarily on quarterly earnings, the company could make investments with longer payback periods that support Nigeria's long-term economic development.

BATified2023:
oga stop your bullshit, the energy u will use in dealing with south Africans use it to warn your people from doing crime.

Why are we Nigerians always trying to be mischievous?

So south Africans are complaining about drugs Nigerians bring into their country n we Nigerians are pretending as if we don't know what they are saying.

So if u deal with mtn now because it belongs to south Africa

What will u do to
Cambodia
India
Bangladesh
Ghana
China
Kenya

And all other places Nigerians mess up with drugs, if we Nigerians won't stop drug crimes, virtually all countries in the world will become xenophobic to us

Jakarta:
Na MTN pursue Una from SA? Every time MTN, is MTN owned by the SA government?

BATified2023:
oga stop your bullshit, the energy u will use in dealing with south Africans use it to warn your people from doing crime.

Why are we Nigerians always trying to be mischievous?

So south Africans are complaining about drugs Nigerians bring into their country n we Nigerians are pretending as if we don't know what they are saying.

So if u deal with mtn now because it belongs to south Africa

What will u do to
Cambodia
India
Bangladesh
Ghana
China
Kenya

And all other places Nigerians mess up with drugs, if we Nigerians won't stop drug crimes, virtually all countries in the world will become xenophobic to us

Mankind2024:
Xenophobia is one of the worst crimes against Black Africans. It is time to sever all diplomatic ties with South Africa.

Mankind2024:
Why the Federal Government of Nigeria Must Nationalize MTNN

It is no longer news that the ANC-led ruling xenophobic government of South Africa has crossed the Rubicon, stirring honest resentment across the continent. The immense contributions of Nigerians, our parents and grandparents, in supporting the liberation of black South Africans from the clutches of apartheid have seemingly been consigned to the dustbin of history.

Many celebrated and renowned Nigerian musicians recorded several albums and songs in support of freedom for the xenophobic nation.

The late Fela Anikulapo-Kuti released an album titled Beast of No Nation. Kollington Ayinla sang a track in honour of Nelson Mandela, while Wasiu Ayinde performed a song for African leaders. There were also many other celebratory songs and events marking the freedom of the oppressed, who were often referred to as slaves during that era.
A Yoruba adage says: “Everyone suffers collective punishment once a slave is made a king.” This is what we are seeing in Xenophobic South Africa today.

Nigerians born in the 1960s-70s and beyond carry a clearer, more personal narrative of this solidarity. In my growing-up years, after the morning assembly, the next memory verse we recited daily before learning activities commenced was: “Apartheid is a crime against humanity, free Mandela.”

This same arrogant and ungrateful xenophobic posture has seen South Africa label Nigeria a drug-peddling nation and subject Nigerians living there to collective punishment. In response to this brief narrative, which has already become a global viral event, I call upon the Federal Government of Nigeria to immediately set up a panel of experts to commence the nationalization of MTN Nigeria (MTNN) and separate the entity from its South African parent company.

I recall vividly when the parent company of MTNN illegally repatriated billions of dollars, amounts reportedly twice Nigeria’s national foreign reserves at the time, through a consortium of banks. This issue was diplomatically resolved during the administration of the late President Muhammadu Buhari. At that time, the government could have confiscated the entire assets of MTNN, but it refrained for fear of sending a negative signal to foreign investors, whom Nigeria desperately needed.

Such an action would not be the first instance of diplomatic tit-for-tat in international relations. Many countries have successfully nationalized strategic sectors, including telecommunications, to assert sovereignty and protect national interests. For instance, in 2008, Bolivia nationalized its leading telecommunications company, Entel (previously owned by Telecom Italia), as part of broader resource and strategic sector reforms under President Evo Morales. This move allowed the government to regain control over critical infrastructure, expand access in underserved areas, and redirect revenues toward social programs, contributing to economic stability in key sectors despite ongoing challenges.

A compelling African example is Ethio Telecom in Ethiopia, which remains predominantly state-owned. It has demonstrated strong performance, reporting significant revenue growth (e.g., a 20% rise in half-year revenue to over US$633 million in one period) while successfully launching Telebirr, a mobile money service that reached millions of subscribers. Even as Ethiopia liberalized the market by allowing private entrants like Safaricom, the state-owned operator continues to drive digital inclusion, generate substantial government revenue (often described as a “cash cow”), and support national development goals. This shows that competent local management under national ownership can deliver results in complex telecom environments.

Further afield, China’s major state-owned telecom operators, such as China Mobile, have achieved global scale and technological leadership while advancing national strategic objectives like widespread broadband access and digital economy growth. These examples illustrate that nationalization, when paired with competent local expertise and clear governance, can transform strategic assets into engines of sovereignty and development rather than perpetual outflows.

Nigeria is blessed with many capable and competent professionals, engineers, managers, and executives,who can navigate the complexities of MTNN once the nationalization act is passed.

To lead the post-transition phase of a nationalized MTNN, we can leverage the expertise of prominent Nigerian corporate leaders, including Jim Ovia, Tony Elumelu, Emmanuel Nnorom, Femi Otedola, and Abdul Samad Rabiu.
Retaining and empowering local talent would ensure operational continuity and improved service delivery aligned with national priorities.

As a matter of urgency, Nigeria should sever all diplomatic relations with the xenophobic Republic of South Africa. This would serve as a strong deterrent to any ungrateful nation on the continent. Instead, we should build deeper diplomatic and economic ties with willing African partners who respect mutual sovereignty and historical solidarity.

Additionally, the non-profitable operations of Access Bank’s foreign entity in South Africa should be discontinued to align with this assertive posture.

Nationalizing MTNN is not merely retaliatory; it is a strategic imperative to reclaim economic sovereignty, stem capital flight, and redirect telecom revenues toward Nigeria’s development.

Historical precedents from Bolivia, Ethiopia, and China demonstrate that such bold steps, executed with expertise and foresight, can yield long-term benefits for the nation. The time for decisive action is now.

1Alex:
All the commenter in this thread are from one WhatsApp group.

Jahwinaboy:
Because the presidency is allowing so many wrongs to happen in the country. If they was security and good economy, who would think of kidnapping in the first place. If not for the public outcry, would the president react?

ariesbull:
Must you bring tribalism in everything ...let's be happy that the kids are out of the forest

Kini big deal ?

esnbrutality:
Till then..

Wike will love you right?

Till then..