This post summarizes the reason why ability to resist societal pressures could be your key factor in creating wealth.
Those pressures throw money down the drain.

Live far lower than your means; then save and invest. It is easier to do this when you can resist those pressures !!

life4lekan2: I most say this a good forum, am about graduating from the university of ilorin studying telecommunication. Am well grounded in RF communication and optimization, 2G(freq planning), link budget and capacity planing for 2G, wcdma(code planing), power budget and capacity planing for wcdma, analysis of drive test using genesprob software, wimax and also networking.

@ life4lekan2.... If you have all that as hands-on experience, you are miles ahead of the average graduate. Nice one !
Did you have internship periods in those areas ?

Harribatia2s: please can any1 give me information on tuition fee in doin masters at digital bridge institute abuja

Hi Harribatia2s;
See the bottom of this page for contact details to get updated & accurate information:
http://www.dbieducation.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=83&Itemid=138

O'neil:
Thanks a lot for your reply Debosky and Naijababe.
That sounds like something I'll like to be involved in. Do you know anything about visa rules in US and Canada? I just rounded my MSc in London were I currently reside, my visa expires at the end of January after which I'm expected to vacate this place. My internship program with JP Morgan in the US begins in March and there's no guaranteed permanent employment afterwards. What are my chances of securing a job there in the US or Canada upon completion of the program? A friend of mine is currently on the program was given an 18 month visa, so I think I'll be given the same. That leaves me with an extra 6 months to arrange myself somewhere. I heard US is as stiff as UK even worse. What tips can you give for other areas like Canada or Dubai? My ultimate goal is 9ja but as you know, oil jobs are bit too competitive..

Hi O'neil....I can speak for Canada.
It seems your career is in the Finance area. If you can demonstrate one year of continuous work experience, you may be eligible to apply to permanent residency in Canada while you are in your internship
See the link for details of the program. "Financial and investment analysts" are eligible http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/media/backgrounders/2013/2013-04-18.asp#list

Goodluck !

XPIC: Cross Polarization Interference Cancellation

For a few months I have been deploying microwave transmission systems that use this XPIC feature.
Essentially it's all about how a microwave path can effectively double its capacity (in Megabits per second) by assignment of the same frequency to both a vertical & horizontal polarization on a path, with sufficient seperation between both polarizations (typically > 30dB)such that interference is avoided. This being achieved by employing both polarizations on the same physical antenna (dish), simultaneously connected to two different radio units.

Benefits:
(1) For subscribers: Provides a transport capacity that can meet the growing demands of subscribers with bandwidth-hungry mobile devices and applications (especially for 4G LTE data rates).
(2) For operators: Maximize spectral efficiency of allocated frequency.

...

larion: ebariba, wc country is dt? It seems d technology is coming earlier dan i imagine, even 3G is still in roll out phase for some country n network, wonder wat n how d 3G operators will cope with competition as ds technology (LTE) will kill price n with amazing quality

In 2013, LTE roll-outs will continue to be ongoing year-round globally. But 3G (WCDMA, HSPA+) will still be the dominant revenue-generating cellular technology for operators in most parts of the world (even with LTE availability), until a majority of subscribers get on LTE-capable devices and compatible SIM cards.

chamber2: Hi Rare!
It's been awhile.
Am sure you must have grabbed your foreign kpali by now
All the best

Hi @chamber2......great to meet you here.
Yes; 'degree' kpali is acquired.

Wow ! Excellent advise has been provided for the poster. Great thread so far !

To be honest he has opportunity to pursue both options presented: a career in Nigeria and the "foreign paper" craze. It does not have to be an either/or decision.

A good variety of consulting firms in search of his kind of profile have been presented. If he gets a foot in there & works for a while in Nigeria to start a career, that would be a perfect start in my opinion. If he still feels like research studies abroad later on, it is all fine.

I did both (in that order).....has its ups and downs, but I don't have to answer any "what if" questions in my life anymore.
His credential allows him pursue all options; listen to wise advise and step up your game. People with seemingly lower credentials have achieved awesome things.

Emzybrown: Please i just have to ask this question,zain nigeria is building a mast in a relations rented flat,they are panicking to relocate to another place.does living around mast have some health hazard?

Definitely an important concern. A lot of studies have been done in this area, so you can read a lot about it.

In terms of practise, for instance in Canada, the Health Ministry publishes a document called "Safety Code 6" which details human exposure guidelines to radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic energy. It basically defines what is regarded as safe exposure to RF signals. Also most RF engineers, here, are expected to have knowledge of how to conduct and analyze field measurements for validation of this Safety Code 6 in terms of cellular sites/base stations deployed for mobile networks. This is usually done by calculations using simulation softwares, such as EMF Visual.

So, yes it is an issue for concern, but good engineering practice minimizes the hazards.

larion:
buh y wont management approve it since it will improve QoS? Every system has got its peak (there's a specific name for it, cant think of it now) @ ds stage input might nt affect d output as d system might b @, is it equilibrium?

m mt saying ds is wat is obtainable @ mtn, i dont work there, but there's a possibility dt MTN has reached equilibrum so spending 40% of their revenue on enhancement might only lead to 1% increase in profit, if ds is d case, do u think its wise to carry out such activity? afterall profit is rolling in n mayb even on d increase, instead dey might take d cash to a small village in sokoto or borno to increase coverage if it will mean more revenue.

in my opinion, i think only d FG (mayb thru NCC) can improve d QoS of both ISP n mobile communication operators in nigeria. And NO d recent robbery of ds operators by NCC isnt d way out......

Hi; very interesting thread. I've read through it, and will try to contribute as much as I can. A bit about myself: I have some experience working with telecom vendors, & also have a masters degree in similar field.

@larion; you have made some very insightful posts even as someone who describes himself as a fresher in the profession. I agree on the regulation matter. The state of telecoms in Nigeria has reached the stage where the regulatory body needs to be very, very proactive. At some point, every one was merely impressed with growth in the cellular market (2001-2010), but at this stage service quality is now more important than ever:
(i)Looking at the NCC website, I appreciate the monthly Key Performance Indicator reports for each operator http://www.ncc.gov.ng/technical-standards/qos/332-key-performance-indicator.html, but I wonder what action is taken against those who consistently fall below the set QoS KPI targets?
(ii)I'm also excited about the actualization of Mobile Number Portability (MNP). It's about time! If it's implemented right, it would really give consumers a lot more power of choice, which might in turn improve services from operators.
(iii)Finally, we need to also deal with Boko Haram & power issues. It is not absolutely fair to demand top-notch service quality in the midst of such insecure & unstable business environment.

abyte:

All the tips above are excellent!

Now let me give you the "On-Ground" Tips
,
,
,
,

6. REMEMBER WHERE YOU ARE FROM

Again, might be controversial but, no matter how much you might like it there, you are a foreigner. There are still, even with its chaos, greater opportunity for you in Nigeria to make it big. Unless you are not the typical money driven Nigerian. I know I am. The thing with Canada and other 1st world countries is, its all been done. Whatever you learn, always look at it from a point of view how to use it to better your country and yourself.

There are a few more I can think of but I fear I'm sounding like a preacher now,

Enjoy your flight and no carry anything enter plane for una pant O!

I like this last piece of advice.

Yes; I always encourage people to immigrate through study or other means for all its benefits such as: good education, learning different world views, prospect of getting dual citizenship (for you & future family) & sometimes achieving some heights you may never have thought possible as a young person in Nigeria.

BUT, I always shiver when I see young people who's sole motive of leaving Nigeria is simply about making money. Recipe with high probability for disaster !

Delta007:

My additional response to "akinson" will be along the lines of legalizing his stay if he comes in on a visitor's visa. If his intent is to stay more permanently, I'd advice him to apply to a few institutions so that he can convert his visitor's visa to a study permit. This way, he does not run out of status and he "prepares" himself for the job market. Quite frankly, I do not think it is worth it to risk your future to work for peanuts with no end in sight.

@akinson77; conversion of status from "Visitor" to "Student" is not permitted after you have arrived Canada, especially for passport-holders of nationalities that require a visa to enter Canada. You can extend your stay as a "Visitor".

Also, forget about jobs on a visiting visa. It's against the rules of your visa. Few nationalities are eligible for working-holiday visit visas. If you have a Nigerian passport, you are currently not eligible.

hardbody:

@Herach
My point? when people choose to stay here (at least some peole), it is not out of an inability to travel out and stay out, it may perhaps be a choice that is being exercised, let's just respect it.

When those of you who are making the mega bucks from 'away' come back, we all seat around and compare notes and when the dust settles finally, we always end up standing toe to toe both in achievements and the strength of the pocket. Enough said!!!

@hardbody, I really do respect and concur with your opinion.
Once Nigeria gets to the heights it ought to be, such reasoning will be commonplace amongst its citizens.

Furthermore, when this reasoning becomes accepted, there will be no need to compare notes to justify decisions/actions taken. We would simply do as you said; i.e to respect everyone's choices !!

gel03:

@ Delta, debosky

I received my admission package from Uleth. It includes offer of admission, acceptance letter for visa application and a program planning guide but they stated dat after i have been granted study visa, i should contact one lady to accept d offer. They did not state any deposit. Is it normal please?

No deposit stated is absolutely normal.
You must show evidence of amount stated for tuition & living expenses. You do not need to show any commitment towards it.

@barbosa1; listed below are links to contacts for international students for each of the schools.

The Int'l Centers/Office in most schools have a lot of updated info with regards to living cost & many other concerns for prospective int'l students. If you contact them each they would be more than glad to give you a sample budget breakdown, and other ideas from a student point of view, in their specific locations.

Victoria, BC: http://iess.uvic.ca/contacts.html

Winnipeg, Manitoba: http://umanitoba.ca/student/staffdir/ics.html

Saskatoon, SK: http://students.usask.ca/contact/#iso

@barbosa1. Nice contribution.

It's a good thing you have done some research on your own and narrowed your school choices to three. Within those schools you must have identified certain research areas they're involved in. I would advise you initiate contact with the Professors in those schools (involved in identified areas). Discuss your concerns with them (email, or phone). They are usually open to being contacted. They are the ones that ultimately recommend research masters or PhD hires. Why not attempt to hear what they'd say directly before applying.

sunky644:

@rare, thanks so much,she has already started a post graduate with FUTA, am still at d stage of securing a supervisor so am not sure if I will get funding. I am thinking of embarking on a work permit runs which d agent said will cost #1million, looking at d situation of things do you it will be a good idea if I make my wife the principal applicant for d work permit, thanks waiting to hear an excellent advice soonest.

work permit runs? Run for your dear life. You are about to be swindled !!

Just concentrate on securing a supervisor by trying several schools. If you have excellent academic records; would make it easier.

simpsonX:

How is your stay in Canada going? I landed here September and I must say the winter has been very cold. And yes, things are expensive, so any Nigerian who wants to come here should bear that in mind. To get a haircut from a salon is about 5000 Naira, etc. well just giving you an example. Its not bed and roses, you have to work your butt off. God strength to every Nigerian who wants to excel in good.

For those coming over to Canada, this is one habit to drop --- converting price of everything to naira !!
One-to-one comparisons as this is not the best form of analysis for a first-time traveler, without taking into account the economics of "purchasing power parity"

But, I appreciate the caution you are trying to raise.

sunky644:

This is the most sensible thread i ve ever read on nairaland, it surely helps and kudos to the guys supplying first hand and authentic information here. I ve applied for a M.Sc degree in Biochemistry and also an Advanced Diploma in Food Safety, i actually met their entry requirement and i am at the stage of searching for a supervisor which actually plays a big role in securing the admission. I am married and expecting a baby, my wife also applied for the Advanced Diploma in Food Safety cos she read Food Science at the university, she also applied for a 1st degree in Nursing too as a transfer student and she's more than 26. Pls will she be given the visa if admitted, i really want to travel with my wife to start a new life in canada. I work with a Health Based Company and i have been able to save about 1million naira and i am sure of getting atleat 1million naira from my parents too. Pls people with versatile knowledge about these stuff, kindly put me thru

I suppose your MSc application should come with funding, if successful. If yes, then it is a crucial deciding factor.
If you get a funded MSc, your wife can accompany you through your own student permit application. She would be eligible to a work permit as your spouse. Moreover, she can still pursue her own program here.

The stated savings plus support from parents would be insufficient, if you were to fund yourself and your spouse and child (to be honest).

momoo:

Pls house which one is CANADA GREEN CARD LOTTERY? And pls verify what is happening on there site www.cifacanada.org

Avoid that website like a plague !!
How do people even fall for such information, anyway. There are two Canadian High Commission offices in Nigeria where people can get FREE updated information (by phone or visit or their website).

AjanleKoko:

Guys,
Forgive me for being slow, but is there any other reason for studying abroad, asides taking up permanent residence in that country? I mean, in today's world, is there really any other reason? If there is, I would really like to know.

@Ajanlekoko; this is a very valid argument. It is the ONLY reason why people are fretting over the proposed laws; else why would anyone care ?

wadesipo:

hello guys,
Compliments of the season to you all! Well i am new to this forum and i really must say kudos to you all for the great job you guys are doing. Pls i really need you guys to help me out with a good school in Canada but not too expensive that offers Msc. Finance. Though i av carried out research on my own but it seams I'm lost I graduated with a cgpa of 3.45 (2.2, Mathematics and Statistics ) but in my last 2yrs in sch i made B+ average grade.
Thanks.

It is competitive, but look at it.

University of Saskatchewan; MSc Finance program
http://www.edwards.usask.ca/programs/mscfinance/

Phony200:

^^Thanks. I'm also thinking of sending 1 or 2 more applications to other universities just to improve my chances. I'm qualified for the program I applied for in McGill but i'm worried my cgpa isn't so high (3.57) and mcgill is said to be very competitive. Do you think it's necessary? Thanks again.

I think it is necessary. It was the same strategy I used. You have nothing to lose, and gives you a higher probability of securing an admission, esp if you're interested in the top schools.

Phony200:

Nice thread. I was wondering which recommendation is stronger, lecturer or employer. I sent in a package to Mcgill university and was wondering whether I made the right call. I used my dept HOD and one other lecturer.

You made the right call. Academic recommendations are usually preferred for most regular programs.

SEFAGO:

There are scholarships for WAEC- usually the best three in WAEC during my time. Some people who win the award get like 1 million naira but most sit the SAT and end up leaving Nigeria,

During my time, an organization used to identify brilliant Nigerians in secondary schools and pay to prep them  and sit for the American SAT. Like the best students in QC, Kings College e.t.c.

How far back is your time ? Is this still obtainable today ?

misaac:

True.
So true and I think it is a shame. Cramming does not show mastery of the subject as far as I am concerned. I had a Biology teacher in ss3 who showed the importance of true understanding. His tests were always application based. Apply your understanding to solve the question, don't regurgitate crammed facts. That is one of the greatest problems of Nigerian education-emphasis on cramming.
True again.

If you ask some people who've schooled in North America, some professors make you do same as well (memorizing tutorial assignments); you'd be surprised it's obtainable even in some courses in degree programs. It depends on the tutor. You said you had a good Biology teacher who wasn't like that in Nigeria, so it's nt exclusive to Nigeria. I had some really good tutors in Nigeria too. But that is not to say the Nigerian system is comparably as good. Just disputing the statement that's bolded.

The issue of quality of schools, teaching, and facilities is an over flogged one. But it has its role in this headline.

From another dimension:

(i) As part of regulating schools and teaching standards, would be nice to see Gov't regulatory body allow students to fill out assessments for their schools and teachers. Hoping the data is useful for a sincere Gov't.

(ii) Incentive to students: Why not map some university scholarships to performance in WAEC exams?

(iii) If the WAEC certificates had some immediate labour market value; would students joke with it? Heard it was so once upon a time; and is still so in some countries, where a high school education can get you a decent job.

@Raphel2011, you stand a chance as everybody else. How you present all that detail to the High Commission will determine probability of success.
Study the visa requirements, and see how you can map this profile here to what is required. The vital questions are:
Eg; how do you prove your dad's financial income is steady and can match your tuition/living cost in Toronto? How do you prove his income doesn't have other outlays that could jeopardize your studies? How do you prove you will return after your studies?

MARCLEO:

Guys help me hw do i get a cheap flight to canada?, and do i also book directly? cos these agents wnts to cut my neck with their price pls urgent help needed

You can work directly with the airlines of course. A lot of folks have told me Royal Air Maroc gave them the best deals to Canada.
Try to contact them:
Royal Air Maroc Nigeria
42 Akin Adesola. Lagos 101003, Nigeria
01-904 3083
Open Weekdays 9am-5pm

harakiri:

@redman44. . . I agree with the monthly suggestion of 1-3 months rent payment but that method for now is only practical in advanced countries where EVERYTHING WORKS! In the west,you can be kicked out in less than a week for defaulting in rent payment but can that work in today's Nigeria? I am currently facing tenants that are ready 2 spend half of the rent they owe me on lawyers and bribing court officials to manipulate the case and keep it pending in court for eternity. One of them hasn't paid a dime since 2007 and has incited other tenants to follow his example. I have been tempted so many times to take laws into my hands. My point is, imagine someone paying 1 month rent,failing to pay up the next month and living another 1-2 years free of charge becoz of an incompetent and corrupt court system. Your idea is great but impractical in today's 9ja! ! !

@harakiri, I understand you perfectly. Most other posters probably have not been landlords before. It is tough being a landlord in Nigeria. The legal system does not make things easy for you. You can not quickly tackle defaulting tenants, and would lose a lot despite the value of your property. Besides legal system, a lot of other factors are against monthly rent idea. People having unstable jobs, poor national records/databases etc

As far as legal and regulatory system is not effective, landlords will continue to insist on 2 year rents. If you are a landlord, you would understand why.

harakiri:

The Igbo tribes are the most victims and the reason isn't far fetched. They are the most troublesome. Before some people crucify me, i am partly Igbo myself (from my mother's side) and i speak fluently but ALL the troublesome tenants i am facing today are ALL IGBOS! ! ! Go to any court sitting over landlord versus tenant and you'll discover that 9 out of 10 are of Igbo descent. I don't mean to be tribalistic and i am sorry if i come across that way but THAT'S THE COLD TRUTH of how things really are.
Nuff said! ! !

I have managed tenants. I want to accept this as just a story of your personal experience. I have several examples.
I wouldn't recommend this to landlords screening prospective tenants.

guddylover:

@all,

On my international passport page my place of birth shows Akure.i want to know if i can use my birth cert. from one of the local goverment here in Lagos?

Not sure the implication.

But if you want to maintain consistency, it is easier to get a court declaration to match the passport birth location, than to modify the passport's info.

uniknet:

Hi guys, i must say d replies from u guys have made me fall in love with canada . I am in d middle of my application to university of ontario institute of technology. How do i go about paying for the application fee of 100 canadian dollars . i live in Nigeria. Useful responses needed urgently .

I used GTB USD visa card. Can be gotten if you open a domiciliary current account, which is quite easy to do.
http://www.gtbank.com/domiciliary-account.html
Moreover, it is can still be used even when you get to Canada.