₦airaland Forum

Dangote is really trying, atleast he is investing in Nigeria and providing jobs for the masses. He is even making people rich by placing some of his companies on the Nigerian stock exchange (Nigerians can own a bit of his massive empire).

If the man really ends up building a 50,000 MW power station (did they mean to write 5,000 MW ?) , we might have to name one of the naira notes after him. lol

adconline:
Bayelsa is yet to be connected to the national grid

adconline, obasanjo's administration has connected Bayelsa to the National Grid. The $76 Million Owerri-Ahoada-Yenagoa transmission line was completed last year.

Related Link:-

http://www.nigeriafirst.org/printer_6643.shtml

Na waa ooh.

How did Seun manage to have so many enemies like this?

@Seun, I think you should warm people first before banning them (depending on the severity of the offense). If you have warned someone once or twice and the behavior continues unabated, then I think your banning would be well justified. When people are involved in a heated debate, there is a tendency for things to get out of hand and folks easily going off topic. That's just human nature. Please keep this in mind.

Kudos for a job well done on administering this forum.

Uche2nna,

I do agree that the middle class folks are on the low end in Nigeria, there is no doubt about that. But it has increased a little bit under obasanjo due to his economic reforms

Have you ever heared of Pencom ? Nigerians now have money deducted from their salaries (monthly) that goes towards their retirement (similar to the social security system here in the states).

As of October 2006, over 600 billion naira has been contributed to this fund [url=http://209.85.165.104/search?q=cache:nL7oZFAV7UEJ:financialstandardnews.com/page.asp%3Fid%3D71+Pencom+Nigeria+billion+naira&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=6&gl=us](Source)[/url]. As a result, Nigeria has witnessed an influx of portfolio managers and stock market folks from the UK and the U.S. at a rate never witnessed in its history as a Nation.

About 14 licenses have been granted to firms to help manage this fund.

Now uche, do you know how much money stock market folks, portfolio managers make per annum ? Positions such as Market analysts, Research people et al are the middle class jobs created here.

When you have a chance, visit the Pencom website to learn more. I gave this as an example of how the non-public sector middle class has increased (even if it is only marginal) in Nigeria.

Also, remember that lots of middle class jobs were created as a result of our boom in telecommunications.

@Uche, why do you keep mentioning going to shop in London ?

@Backslider, I am so happy for your brother. I have seen people get job offers even through this Nairaland (through the job posting section). Someone got a job at Virgin Nigeria airlines and did not have any connections.

When I visited Naija last in 2004, I was told that things are better than the days of Abacha. Much, much better ! Infact, part of the reason why there is so much traffic congestion in Lagos is due to the boom in economic activities.

My ibo friend, Chuks, said you can't compare how busy the ports are now to the days of Abacha, and they are charging more fees now at the ports than ever.

The only things people complained of were inflation, power supply and gasoline prices (and of course, the infrastructure).

@Bankole01

My brother, why would I call you 'ode' ? I don't resort to name calling just because someone has a different point of view than mine. That's childish 

@Uche2nna

There are middle class folks in Nigeria. They may be just a couple of folks, but they do exist. There are people in Nigeria who make between N70, 000 and N200,000 a month. Many of them work for MTN, the banks etc. Some of them are university lecturers. I consider them middle class folks.

@Bankole01

Have you had a chance to visit this thread ? Two of the power stations being built have been commissioned. A world bank team took a tour of some of the power construction sites and were very impressed with what they saw. They are not just white elephant projects.

@Jen33,

Take a look at this.

SOURCE:  

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/3/story.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10434308

Shopping spree in Lagos as malls finally arrive in Nigeria


Nigeria's middle class can now enjoy retail therapy closer to home.
In the old days, for some, going shopping in Nigeria meant going to London.

Now Nigerians, at least in Lagos, can go to the country's first shopping mall and parade past air-conditioned shops of clothes and jewellery, or sit in a coffee shop, sipping a latte or cappuccino. The centrepiece is a South African Shoprite supermarket - again Nigeria's first - where the middle classes can buy ordinary things such as biscuits and pre-packed beef.

Not far away, on the edge of the street, are the old shops - open-air markets where women sit with little piles of tomatoes or onions on the ground in front of them. Nearby, in the open air hang slabs of meat feasted on by flies. Until a few years ago, these markets and a few family stores were all that was available as shops.

Elements of the old Nigeria are still visible at the Palms Mall. The Shoprite manager, Andrew Mweemba, complains that containers of perishables regularly get held up at the port. The local electricity supply is too unreliable, so the whole mall is powered by generators, which puts prices up. But, says Mweemba, they are hitting their targets and controlling costs.


They are planning several other malls in what must be one of the last countries in the world to enjoy retail services the rest of the human race take for granted.

This is probably the most visible sign of a new Nigeria, a country that is becoming more in tune with the rest of the planet. Its cause is the growth of a young middle class, many of whom have returned from London or New York to work in the booming financial services industry.


The Nigerian "Big Bang" started in 2001 with a free auction for Nigeria's mobile phone licences. Stung by a global reputation for corruption and fraud, President Olusegun Obasanjo's government started to reform the banks, reducing their number from 89 to 25, and supporting businesses that wanted to do things according to international standards.


In the old days Nigerian business people were simply agents, getting contracts from the state or acting for foreign companies. Nigeria produced little except oil and gas, and its exceedingly rich elite stayed rich because of connections, not competence.

Osaze Osifo, 39, who worked for HSBC in London, is typical of the new generation. He and six other Nigerian professionals are setting up a US$300m ($407m) equity fund in cool, glass-panelled offices with a view across the lagoon and out to sea. They have international businessmen on to their board to make sure everything is done in accordance with international business practice.

"It is not just local people and people coming back from overseas," he explains. "Nigeria is where it is at. The hotels are full, and the merchant banks are beginning to arrive." What encouraged people like him to return was the business space opened up by the economic reforms. Obasanjo picked a business-minded team to run the economy and the national bank, and appointed a brave young police officer to run the anti-corruption body, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. Its spectacular investigations and arrests of prominent people have helped to persuade outsiders that you can do business in Nigeria without being corrupt. The sale of mobile phone licences in 2001 was the start of the new era, according to Osifo.

The business tyros are challenging the old oligarchs in business and, inevitably, in politics. "More and more people in Nigeria have too much at stake.

"They have something to fight for, and they don't want their businesses ruined by the reputation for corruption," says Osifo.

Lagos also used to have a frightening reputation for robbery and violence, but that too has subsided. Ten years ago the biggest companies on the Nigerian stock exchange were subsidiaries of multinational corporates. Today, the three richest companies are all Nigerian. Its top 10 banks, most of them new, have announced returns of between 14 per cent and 38 per cent on shares.


Nigeria's richest business man, Aliko Dangote, turned 50 last week. A manufacturer of everything from cement to orange juice, he is reported to be worth US$8bn ($10.8bn) - and may not be the richest man in Nigeria. Some of the oligarchs may be richer, but not for much longer.

Donnel Jones - Where I wannaa be

Art & Soul - Ever Since you went away

Jay Z - 99 Problems

Mos Def - Ms Fat Booty

in my opinion, nigerian christians are the most sanctimonious, no doubt, but we are such hypocrites that it is mind boggling. its really sad to say this because like i said, i'm a xtian, but its so true.

[s]_{I'll tell you for a little surcharge}[/s]


I'm a christian. Why do you ask ?

Red_Lips:
Majority of them are just self righteous hypocrites.

Well said @ Red_Lips. Couldn't agree with you more.

Pain:
How Does His Military Background Disqualify Him? Can U Please Give Us A Detailed Breakdown.?

@Pain

There is a growing trend in Nigeria to keep ex-military men from top political positions in Nigeria. That was the basis of my prediction.
But of course, I could be wrong. 

interesting article, but i think he exaggerated a little bit with the muggings.

9ja4eva:
What of Ibori and Odili?The main thieves in government.

Ibori has really stolen a lot ooh . Delta State brought in this british based banker as Commisioner of Finance. I don't think the guy lasted two years on the job before he resigned. He apparently didn't want his hands tied to the looting.

Whether Yar 'Adua is going to go after him after May 29th remains a mystery, because ibori used state funds to finance Yar 'adua's campaign.

@topic

I think your thread is not fair.

What about people whose names are Shaniqua and Taneesha  ?

How are they going to respond to this thread ?

According to reports, Bush was persuaded not to meet with Yar 'Adua due to the way our elections were conducted. Protestors were gearing up at the white house in the event that Bush met with Yar 'Adua.

But this doesn't mean the U.S. wouldn't support Yar 'Adua's presidency.

U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, John Campbell as well as his Canadian and Japanese counterparts have all met and congratulated Yar 'Adua (at Aguda House, Aso Rock Villa) and pledged their support to his government.

Yar'Adua’s visit to Washington is stirring controversy as several opposition groups have called on President George Bush to bar him from the White House. They plan protests in all the cities he is likely to visit, such as New York, Washington, and California.

Regardless, U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, John Campbell, and his Canadian counterpart, David Angel, on Wednesday enlisted the support of their home governments for Yar’Adua when they visited him in Abuja.

And the Japanese ambassador joined the league of foreign missions which have endorsed his election.

Source:-

http://www.independentngonline.com/?c=44&a=25762

Of course he is going to betray OBJ sooner or later.

His fellow Northerners are going to rally around him and make sure he is no stooge to a Southerner. Abi, isn't this naija we are talking about ?

so @adeboo would you marry a househelp ?

Jen33:
But there will come a time when the market for the rich elite is saturated and this will force private developers to begin to cater for the lower-income groups, even at the risk of lower profits - or go out of business.

That is an excellent statement there @Jen33.

You see, our country has been on the downside for so long that people are just so pessimistic and honestly speaking, I don't blame them. Until the current wave of change is felt by the common man, no one would ever give any Nigerian government any credit.

My prayer right now is that we meet this 10,000 MW target by Dec 2008. I think people can then have a sigh of relief.

God Bless Nigeria.

@topic my earlier post was in response to this post by BigSis

(with emphasis on the portion in bold)

Amer,

I can only say as a black American woman that I know very few black American women who are sexually attracted to white men.  So you want ever see that happening among AA women in any significant numbers.  We are absolutely not impressed by their manhood.  Most importanly, black women history in this country relative to white men isn't a pleasant one.  So we don't hold them in high regard or generally see them a viable marriage or sexual partners.

Most AA women desire a man from their cultural group, like most people.  I know some women who would rather be manless than settling for a non-AA man. However, there may have be a shift in including viable men of color.  I think the younger AA women may be more open to marrying outside of their cultural group. 

Again, for most AA women I know the thought of marrying a non-AA man is something hard to let go.

Naijaway,

Are you a beach boy.  You  know you service foreign women tourist?

All,

When come to black men and white women, they are usually butt ugly, white trash.  They usually on the bottom of white society.  These nothings know that many black men feel lowly about themselves.  They are with these guys because most decent white men would not give them the time of day.  However, they know black men who don't feel good about themselves will woship their whiteness, even thought they are considered by the own to be white trash.  Also most of these guys live off of these females.  They are easier to use.

I often feel sorry for some black males.  Many of them as absolute fools and they will continue to ruled by others.


Ikoma,

You trippin'.  You just want to make black women' live harder by going to some foreign country to pick up and take care of some desperate loser.  These men have other agendas and are major project. The woman's life will be hell. Those guys are simply 419  boys who will use you for his coveted green card, and discard you once he has what he wants.  We know the game.  Why go to AFrica.  Haiti is right next door.  I have seen some awful good looking Haitian men. 

Do you have any good ideas. 

All,

I know hordes of black women and none of them have babies.  It is generally the lower class women that babies like that - just like in Naija.  The poor women have babies like rabbits by men who don't have a pot to piss in.

No I men of African descent. 

Africans have an awful inferiority complex when it comes to white. It is God/servant complex.  I see Africans routinely bowing and grinning like hyneas for whites.

You talk big, but you subjugate yourselves to whites.  You are accustomed to being that way from your upbringing, with the whites being the true masters in your

land.  Yes you may be the majority in numbers, but they are the true masters.

BigSis:
No I mean of African descent.  Africans have an awful inferiority complex when it comes to white. It is God/servant complex.  I[b] see Africans routinely bowing and grinning like hyneas for whites. You talk big, but you subjugate yourselves to whites.

[/b]

There is a difference between working hard to get ahead and subjugating to whites. Kissing up to one's boss is not the samething as subjugating one's self to whites. These whites that you speak of kiss up to their fellow white bosses to get ahead. We just choose to work hard to earn a living and get ahead rather than rely on the state for support.

BigSis:
You are accustomed to being that way from your upbringing, with the whites being the true masters in your land.  Yes you may be the majority in numbers, but they are the true masters.

In Nigeria, our president is black, our parliamentarians are black, the political elite class are black, over 95% of the country's wealth are controlled by blacks - all black Nigerians. Take a drive down marina and victoria island, and take a look at the skyscrappers. Over 80% of them are owned by Nigerians.

In the U.S., the president is (and has always been) white, the overwhelming majority of U.S. congress members are white, the political elite class are white, the economy is run by whites, over 90% of america's wealth are controlled by whites.

So in contrast to your thinking, Nigerians are the true masters of our land, while the whites are the true masters (the one's really calling the shorts) in the U.S.

ziddy:
obasanjo intentionally ignored the power sector and the refineries for the 8 years he has been in power

@ziddy, Obasanjo's handling of the power sector has been less than perfect, no doubt, but saying he intentionally ignored the sector for the reason you stated is completely irrational.

Infact, your contention that he ignored the power sector is completely flawed because power generation has increased by over 100% under his administration.

The problem is that, OBJ's govt initially underestimated the demand for electricity. It thought that by increasing power generation from 1900 MW in 1999 to 4000 MW by 2001 (i.e. double what was currently being generated), the problem would decimate, but it didn't because the demand for electricity in Nigeria is in the neighboorhood of 10,000 MW - 15,000 MW (some even say 20,000 MW).

In addition, OBJ thought the deregulation of the power sector would make private investors come and build power stations. Licenses were issued to many private investors, but they have not been able to deliver. Hence the need for the govt to intervene by building more power stations.

One thing I can't stand is when people just make blatant accusations without having a good understanding of the underlying problem. We should stop stating our opinions as fact. We should also not let emotion and sentiment cloud our reasoning. As far as the power sector is concerned, the only thing OBJ is guilty of is not paying more attention to power generation right from 1999.

@dayokanu

The govt is working on the electricity problem. Yes, OBJ did not embark on building the power stations he is building now right from 1999, which is a flaw of his administration, but the government is hoping to generate 10,000 MW of electrcity by December 2008.

We are not there yet, but by God's grace, we will get there.

Those are elegant pictures.

The western media always portrays us (africans) as poverty ridden people. Your pictures show that we also have high brow areas in our country.

Its nice seeing Nigeria depicted in a positive light.

blue-sky:
@GNature
this is the first im hearing about an igbo in sudan. igbo men na travel everywhere

My sister, every second spent on Nairaland is a learning experience.

Infact, Seun should be issuing us College credits for partaking in this forum. Walahi.

blue-sky:
did he not say he was from Dafur

Yes. He said he is an igbo from Darfur, Sudan.

_{Make I grab my encyclopedia, because this one donn pass boundary}

blue-sky:
so u are from Sudan? or r u Nigerian?

ROFLMAO 

_{gotta love this thread. God bless Nairaland}