Their new year is 27th August.

Ekpeitit:
The point is that Peter Obi said he doesn't fly in private jets.
Criticise the message not the messenger.
Peter Gringory Obi is a liar.

EXACTLY.

OBI LIES TOO MUCH.

THIS WAS HOW HE CLAIMED TO HAVE HAD DINNER WITH THE US PRESIDENT.

WE NEED LOCALISED POLICING.

FAILING THAT, DOUBLE OR TRIPLE THE SIZE OF THE FEDERAL ARMY AND POLICE.

Biola67:
Imagine bandit killing people in one part of California… how does it sound?

THEY HAVE MORE KILLERS IN CALIFORNIA THAN ALL OF NIGERIA COMBINED.

THEY'RE JUST NOT CALLED 'BANDITS'.

People who are chopping money.

Ever since Nigeria's ECOMOG intervention to end the civil war in Sierra Leone in the 1980s, the people of the West African nation have had an undying love for, and affinity with, Nigerians.

If you are a Nigerian and get lost in Africa, find your way to Sierra Leone, our home away from home.



In Sierra Leone, Nigerians Show Prospect of Regional Integration As Catalyst for Africa’s Growth

“There are many Nigerians doing business here and the number has increased significantly in the last few years."

PREMIUM TIMES


Freetown, Sierra Leone


As the boat glided through the waters separating Lungi from Freetown in Sierra Leone, Nigerian Afrobeats star Asake’s smash hit—“Terminator”—blared through the speakers. It was a few days before the Sierra Leone presidential election and there was excitement in the air.

At the entrance of the Lungi boat terminal, there is a signboard with the bold inscription “Naija Salone”, a catchphrase reflecting the synergy between both countries—“Naija” representing Nigeria and “Salone”, an indigenous Krio expression for Sierra Leone.

Throughout the boat trip between the airport and the city centre, passengers consisting of election observers from different parts of Africa, including this reporter, spoke excitedly about the Nigerian diaspora community and their place in the Sierra Leonean economy.

The Freetown International Airport, locally known as Lungi International Airport, is located in the coastal town of Lungi. It is the only international airport in the West African country, separated from Freetown, the nation’s capital city, by the Sierra Leone River.

After about 30 minutes of travel across the waters, the boat got to the terminal at Freetown and passengers disembarked. “How una dey,” a lady said gently at the arrival section of the terminal, beaming with a smile. When asked about her mastery of what sounded like a Nigerian expression of courtesy, she quipped: “I am Nigerian and my name is Ijeoma. Welcome to Freetown.”

Ijeoma would eventually direct this reporter and a few other passengers to another Nigerian lady, who works as a chauffeur for the boat servicing company, Sea Coach – arguably the biggest boat servicing company in Sierra Leone. The company, alongside numerous other businesses owned by Nigerians across different parts of Sierra Leone, provides jobs for residents and contributes immensely to the Sierra Leone economy.

Historical Insight
Sierra Leone holds a special place in the history of the transatlantic slave trade as the departure point for thousands of West African captives. The country is bordered by Guinea to the north-east, Liberia to the south-east, and the Atlantic Ocean to the south-west. With an estimated population of 7.4 million, Sierra Leone is known for its white-sand beaches lining the Freetown Peninsula. The official estimate for the country’s GDP was $14 billion at the end of 2023, in purchasing power parity terms.

Meanwhile, the socioeconomic relationship between Nigeria and Sierra Leone dates back to the nineteenth century and the dawn of the twentieth century, notably with the evolution of the Creole civilization. According to Beatric Awortu, a Nigerian scholar, the Creoles were said to have migrated to cities like Lagos, Abeokuta, Port Harcourt and Calabar, among others, strengthening inter-cultural and economic ties. Many Nigerians, on the other hand, also migrated to parts of Sierra Leone to facilitate trade and deepen economic interaction, a practice that has improved significantly in recent decades.

“There are many Nigerians doing business here and the number has increased significantly in the last few years,” I.K James, a Nigerian clothes seller, told PREMIUM TIMES at the ever-busy Sani Abacha Street in central Freetown. Mr James said he left Nigeria for Sierra Leone in 2018 and he has been able to grow his business and employ an assistant.

Apart from Freetown, the capital city, PREMIUM TIMES gathered that Nigerians reside in and are doing business in major towns and districts such as Bo City, Port Loko, Makeni, Waterloo and Keidu. “I have friends in major places across the country and they are Nigerians too. We have a big community here and our people are doing well,” quipped Mr James.

Trade, Economic Ties
In 2019, the government of Sierra Leone vowed to intensify its economic and trade cooperation with Nigeria with special emphasis on trade and investment promotion. The High Commissioner of Sierra Leone to Nigeria, Solomon Gembeh, maintained that both countries have had a long-standing relationship which could be further strengthened with increased trade, fostering economic development and regional integration, a core vision of ECOWAS.

Nigeria spent $13 billion in Sierra Leone and Liberia during the civil wars that engulfed both countries in the 1990s up until the early 2000s, as part of measures to maintain peace across the region. The Sierra Leonean authorities have over the years shown deliberate efforts to sustain the relationship and maximize the economic potential inherent in partnerships between both countries.

Last November, Nigerian indigenous vehicle manufacturing company, Innoson Vehicles, delivered the first set of vehicles manufactured for the Government of Sierra Leone as ordered by the Sierra Leonean Ministry of Defence. It was in fulfilment of a promise made during a working visit to Innoson Vehicles by the top hierarchy of the Sierra Leone Defence Ministry led by Edward Soloku, the minister of Internal Affairs.

Last week, F.A Oil Limited, a company owned by Nigerian billionaire and Africa’s richest woman, Folorunso Alakija, was awarded exploration rights in six offshore oil blocks, following the issuance of a Petroleum Licencing Agreement by the Government of Sierra Leone. The Sierra Leonean government noted that the licence agreement represents another level of cooperation opportunity between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Republic of Sierra Leone.

Before then, in January 2020, the chair of the ECOWAS Committee of Governors of Central Banks and Governor of the Bank of Sierra Leone, Kelfala Kallon, had disclosed a plan for a currency swap between Nigeria and Sierra Leone.

He decried the increasing dollarisation of West African economies and subsequent depreciation of national currencies in the region, adding that the agreement was aimed at providing sufficient local currency liquidity for Nigerian and Chinese industrialists and other businesses and reducing difficulties as they search for a third currency.

Although not much has been heard of the agreement ever since, the West African country has remained resolute in its desire to open up to Nigerian businesses, identifying the largest economy on the continent as its leading partner.

Earlier in September 2019, Mr Gembe called for Nigerian investments in Sierra Leone, as part of efforts to tap into the investment appetite of Nigerians. He said: “We have virgin lands waiting for Nigerians to be a part of this dream that we have in making Sierra Leone like a Singapore and you can be able to help us. Nigerians are very talented, you are the greatest economy here, you have a lot of people with money. If you have a population that has mineral resources like Sierra Leone to the tune of trillions and a bigger brother like Nigeria is investing in it, it is a huge trade opportunity. If you have a business functioning in Nigeria, you can go put an extension in Sierra Leone.”

And indeed, Nigerians are doing business and investing heavily in Sierra Leone, boosting the local economy and repatriating wealth back home in the form of remittances, says Bamidele John, a trader at the Lumley Roundabout in Freetown.

“Some of the prominent banks in Sierra Leone are Nigerian banks,” he added, noting that business entities such as Sea Coach also contribute in no small measure to the economy and livelihood of Sierra Leoneans.

Sea Coach



As Sierra Leone voters prepared for the general elections on 24 June, visitors trooped into the capital city via the Lungi airport, the majority of them using the Sea Coach boat services connecting the airport and central Freetown.

Olusegun Jaji, a Nigerian business entrepreneur, owns and operates the boat service company which commenced operations with a single, old-fashioned and dilapidated wooden- boat, locally called “pan-pan”. Since it commenced operations in July 2009, the company has continued to provide water transportation services to Sierra Leoneans and visitors from around the world. It has since acquired a fleet of water taxis to transport passengers to various destinations in Freetown and other parts of Sierra Leone.

The company now operates a modern, sea-worthy boat fleet, all built with certified operating gadgets. With support from the banks, particularly Zenith Bank, a signed partnership agreement was nurtured to purchase new boats, with an agreed share of returns. Sea Coach also gives back to the host community by offering scholarships and donations to various organizations to pursue educational and skills training programmes locally and abroad.

The success of Sea Coach and other big companies owned by Nigerians in Sierra Leone is a testament to the enabling environment the government provides for people of diverse nationalities to do business and boost economic activities, says Nonso Ezedibia, who leads a group called Naija in Salone, comprising of Nigerian nationals resident in Sierra Leone. Mr Ezedibia runs Global Communications Consult Ltd with a focus on civil engineering, telecom support, and real estate development. His company has a presence in places such as Bo, Port Loco and Makeni.

Ezedibia's office


“No challenges doing business here as long as you have some smart and brilliant ideas and stay within the law,” he told PREMIUM TIMES in an interview.

But apart from the big businesses, Nigerians are also powering the informal economies with their presence in trade and small businesses.


Informal Economy
The day after the general elections, this reporter visited some of the major restaurants along Beach Road to feel the pulse of the city. At every junction, Nigerian music blared from loudspeakers as revellers and nightlife lovers danced to the rhythm of Afrobeats sounds – from Burna Boy’s ‘Ye’ through CKay’s ‘Love Nwantiti’. The same energy and love for Nigerian music were evident in Keke (tricycles) and mini-buses plying the city centres, colloquially referred to as ‘Poda-Poda’ among residents.

“Nigerian music is so popular here,” said Ejike, an attendant at a Nigerian restaurant along Lumley Road. He would later serve this reporter a Nigerian local delicacy, excited about the presence of many Nigerian visitors at the restaurant.

......“I sent home money to build a house while working from here in Freetown,” a businessman who identified himself simply as AY told PREMIUM TIMES at Aberdeen in central Freetown. “I also support my family and contribute to communities from proceeds of my businesses here.”

Mr Gembeh argued that strong trade relations between Sierra Leone and Nigeria would further increase trade and integration within the West Africa Sub-region and indeed, other parts of Africa.

In 2018, the Nigerian High Commissioner to Sierra Leone, Habbis Ugbada, disclosed that there were over 2,000 registered Nigerians resident in the country, contributing immensely to the social and economic development of their host country.

Speaking with PREMIUM TIMES, Mr Ezedibia suggested that the numbers must have increased significantly within the past few years, as many Nigerians have found opportunities within the Sierra Leonean economy. He argued that the West African nation is a good place to invest and do business because of its friendly atmosphere and peaceful people, noting that Africa would be better for it if other countries provided a similar atmosphere for residents and investors, irrespective of where they come from.

“They (Sierra Leone people) are friendly, accommodating and nice people,” Mr Ezedibia said.

flokii:
Gathering of losers.. why didn't the bigot Chimamanda go to Anambra that Obi her messiah governed to launch book, why Tinubu's Lagos?

The stupid woman doesn't know she is finished yet, insulting Soyinka and attacking PBAT has sealed her downfall. Useless ethnic bigots.
No Lagosian or notable personality in Lagos attended the nonsense book launch, shows she is not welcome in Lagos.

The girl just messed up herself with that stupid letter to Biden.

Roughly 28 billion dollars.

This country no get money.

I don't know why we like deceiving ourselves that we are rich.

South Africa's annual budget is over 120 billion dollars.

US 8 TRILLION dollars.

UK 1.5 TRILLION dollars.

abba190:
which kind king and queen jare if its true osimhen must be mad to agree to date oshoala

Why, is she not a human being like you? Idiot.

sucemt:


The problem is land expropriation law, which the Europeans imposed on different African countries... check most of the developed nations on earth... they have private property/land rights unlike in Africa where the colonially imposed govt claims ownership of all lands in order to supply resources to Europe instead of allowing the real owners develop industries with them

Excellent point.

derealj:
OP you don't know what you are saying, Asia has more languages than Africa, yet they are developing while Africa is moving backwards.

Africa is cursed............

OH SHUT UP, YOU MORO.N.

How is Africa moving backwards?

Air head.

Get off CNN and their racist misrepresentation and travel around the continent and see development going on.

Today 12 of the 20 fastest growing economies on Earth are black countries, 11 of them in Africa.

SO SHUT UP.

oldguyman:
Chimamanda Adichie and Obi are both clowns.... When we say their region is backward in all ramifications they will cry... Why bring your book launching to Lagos, what happened to Anambra, Abia or Enugu? At Least you should be able to showcase her backward region to the world.

Don't mind them. Useless set of people.

They cannot do anything without other regions, yet they boast night and day about nothing.

abc115:
Instead of launching it in Anambra to bring more revenue home , later they will be shouting marginalisation

Don't mind the idiots.

Why didn't she launch it in Onitsha?

DesChyko:

https://dailypost.ng/2023/12/30/we-are-hungry-lagos-residents-yell-at-tinubu/

OH SURE IF PETER OBI WAS IN POWER, HE WOULD HAVE MAGICALLY FIXED THE ECONOMY IN 1 WEEK AND THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO HUNGER IN THE LAND.

USELESS RUBBISH.

ABEG GET LOST WITH YOUR STUPID HATEFUL IGBO THREAD.

IPOB OUTCASTS TURNED EMERGENCY NIGERIANS.

SPIT.

NzogbuNzogbu:
the foolish thing abt you tinubu yoruba supporters is that you want everyone to be singing tinubu praise and saying all is well propaganda

The question is how does all these stop tinubu from working and proving people wrong if he has anything to offer

You people and your double face would leave tinubu failure and start looking for wind to blame

Tinubu have not gotten half the deliberate sabotage that he gave gej when he ganged full regions against him yet gej faired more than him and buhari

So it's Bloomberg that's now your problem abi

Dude, it's not gonna take 6 months to fix an economy. Be patient, man.

Give the president time for his policies to mature.

SmartyPants:
I hope we will also accept positive reports from Bloomberg too?

In any case, I have scrutinised the article and reject its conclusions. The projection of a weak naira is based on a projected inability to attract fresh foreign investment due to inflation.

This will mean a lower or stable inflow of fx.

However, this does not take into account the projected boost in oil exports and elimination of oil imports with the revival of local refining.
I will align myself with JP Morgan's, Moody's, and Bismark Rewane's projection of a strengthened naira in 2024.

Interestingly, Bloomberg has not gotten a single prediction on Nigeria correct - at least, not in the past 12 months.

They never get anything correct with Nigeria!

Always predicting rubbish.

Ranked 5th best team in the world in FIFA world rankings 1995 - the highest ranking for an African side till date - the Super Eagles team 1994 - 2002 was the best team in the history of African football, and the pride of all Africa.

The mere thought of facing this side sent chills down the spine of every team on Earth, including Brazil.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwJTUbCJlY8&ab_channel=Rensenbrink70

Tjra:

As Peter Obi lose election, then any negative prediction against Nigeria is a sweet song to their ears.

They are not called children of hate, anger and prediction for nothing.

It's really sad.

bigpicture001:
i also read that article from the source..the OP didn't complete its copy nd past cuz there is an advertisement in the last quarter of the article separating it from the top...see the last piece here..

the OP gave an adverse conclusion of the subject matter

Interesting omission by the OP. And a very mischievous one at that.

Thanks for this addition.

Some people just have bad mind for this country, I don't know why.

See how the guy just cooly removed the part that didn't serve his demonic mindset for the country!

Faiththatworks:
I believe there's a coordinated attempt to instill fear in the minds of Nigeria concerning 2024.
I read Dr Sobowale column in the Vanguard online edition today and I was really bemused and flabbergasted,his doom day prophecy concerning 2024 is worse than what Isreal faced in the bible during the famine and drought of Prophet Elijah.
He predicted food scarcity, currency scarcity,fuel scarcity,forex scarcity and concluded 2024 will be very difficult year for Nigerians.
Bloomberg has decided to follow the same pattern as the Dr of Doom by predicting the Nigerian currency will perform terribly in 2024 meaning expect more devaluation of the currency next year.
I beg to disagree with all these Messages of Doom being released by these so called experts,even when Baba Buhari with his Buharinomics was using 98% of our earnings to pay off foreign debt,the Naira didn't collapse.
These experts all have something in common,they always try to downplay the significant impact the Dangote Refinery and the port Harcourt refinery will have on the economy of Nigeria.
In the report by Bloomberg,they alluded that things will get better if Nigeria is able to produce more crude oil,I daresay Nigeria is already producing more,with local refining expected to Increase significantly in 2024, Nigeria will definitely produce more.
2024 is the year my country will turn a corner for good,like Dr Rewane said, revenues have increased by 200%,the states and local government have more money to work with.
I can testify to this because my mother's pension in Lagos state was increased by 105% in the month of December.
Naysayers should keep their message of Doom cos things are about to get better in Nigeria.
God bless Nigeria.

Nigerian patriot.

Well spoken sir.

sauceEEP:
Toxic thread.

In a Toxic forum.

Calitoscassius:
Naa! I don't think Naigerians are that stupid not to know the difference between Libya, Lebanon and UK, America or Austrailia..

Are you thick?

Who said they don't know the difference?

They are headed to Europe and they get STUCK in Libya etc, captured and enslaved.

nedu666:


Bleep off. House rat

Fcking outcast refugee IPOB.

GO HOME, FCKING PESTS.

nedu666:


It's actually 70.million lgbos in the north and 80 million lgbos in the sw, then 72 million lgbos in the ss plus 100 million lgbos in diaspora

Shut up.