nigeria economy Archives

August 10, 2011

A Nation Besieged by Articulated Vehicles

The transport sector is often regarded as a vital sector in the economy of any nation. This is often as a result of the indispensable role that transport or transportation plays in the geographical movement of people, goods and services from one point to another. In effect it bridges the gap between the demand for and supply of goods and services. The role that transport plays in the economy of any nation is akin to the role of the blood in the circulatory system.

This is why serious countries in most parts of the world have evolved an enduring inter-modal transport system; a system that seamlessly integrates all modes of transport be it Land, [Rail &Road] Air and Water in a perfect and effective manner. The reasoning that each mode of transport is best suited for conveying or transporting certain types of goods and services informs the development and complementary roles that each mode of transport enjoys. This is the kernel or theory that underpins the idea behind an “inter-modal” or efficient transport system.

However, as it is not to be completely unexpected, which is attributable to the manner we do things in this clime, the reverse seem to be the case in Nigeria as the transport sector in Nigeria is bedeviled by chaos and a seeming incoherent and inchoate policy characterized by many policy somersaults, so to speak. It is trite to say that of all modes of transport recognized and in operation the world over, it is only the road transport sub sector that seems functional in Nigeria. This has led to an unprecedented level of congestion on Nigerian roads especially by articulated or heavy duty trucks carrying all manner of things and traversing the entire country. The ubiquity of these articulated vehicles on Nigerian roads have become a menace that both inter city and intra city travels on Nigerian roads have become not only a nightmare but a risky venture. The deliberate neglect of the rail sector and cosmetic efforts and approaches aimed at its revitalization by government has made the articulated vehicle the only viable option for conveying bulky goods across the vast lands of Nigeria. This has led to the “invasion” of every stretch of road by these articulated vehicles. This situation is clearly depicted in the way and manner these articulated vehicles park on major highways causing untoward and avoidable traffic hold ups. At times these articulated vehicles break down in the middle of roads in heavily populated cities thereby complicating the already complex traffic situation in such cities, at times also resulting into fatal accidents with heavy casualties.

In view of the inherent disadvantages which outweighs the advantages that over reliance on articulated vehicles as a means of conveying bulky goods over long distances has caused the country, it becomes imperative for those in charge of the transport sub sector of the Nigerian economy to begin to put on their “thinking caps” and begin to fashion out an enduring transport policy for the country.

April 27, 2011

The Menace of Child Street Begging in Northern Nigeria

The geographical region referred to as northern Nigeria covers more than half of the total land area of Nigeria. It is also a region with vast agricultural potentials as a variety of tropical agricultural systems is widely practiced there leading to the mass cultivation of food and cash crops. As a matter of fact, the popular and defunct groundnut pyramid was one of the regular features and symbols of this region during the heydays of agriculture in Nigeria.

This is also a region where a lot of mineral resources such as limestone, bauxite, kaolin, phosphate, tin and columbite are found in substantial commercial quantities.

However a puzzling feature of this region is the menace of child street begging which is pervasive especially in the core northern areas or states of Nigeria. [ie spatial units of administration] Such areas include Kano, Bauchi, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi, Jigawa, Borno, Katsina, Gombe, Yobe and parts of Nassarawa, Niger and Kaduna.

That a region which is so much endowed potentially and actually is riddled with this social malaise is confounding. These child street beggars mostly between the ages of [3-17] years are a regular feature of most of these areas mentioned. They regularly move about in groups of 5-20 with plates or bowls in hand soliciting for stipends, food, or anything edible from people or passers by. Some commentators have argued that this societal ill has a cultural/religious dimension to it, while others argue that it has more of the political dimension to it. As those who believe in this particular mantra have argued that the present volatile nature and persistent violence in northern Nigeria can be traced to the activities of these child street beggars.

Whichever school of thought one belongs to, it is pertinent to draw the attention of political, traditional/cultural and religious leaders in Northern Nigeria to this untoward social behavior, on the need to put a stop to this practice. It is unfathomable that in this age and time when kids who should be in school or doing something positive with their lives are left to roam about the streets, all in the name of whatever social/cultural/religious or political nuances. As the future of any society can only be guaranteed if it takes adequate care of its youthful population or future generations.

December 5, 2010December 7, 2010

Nigeria’s Role in Africa Over the Next 50 Years

Dr. Robin Sanders, U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria

Nigeria — a nation of plenty, a nation of potential, and nation of prospects. These are the key pillars that the next 50 years should bring to fruition for this great country. As an African-American who sees Nigeria as one of the most important global nations in the world today, it is important for Nigeria, with the support and encouragement from its friends, to enter the next half century with the goal of improving the daily lives of each Nigerian citizen. This includes having a safe enabling environment not only for economic growth and development, but also to further ensure its rightful place as a leader in the sub-region on peace and security issues. Nigerians, and their friends, see the struggles that this great nation faces today with instability being renewed in the Delta, ethnic tensions in parts of the North, corruption issues, and concerns about a successful, and transparent election looming large for April 2011.

None of these issues should be taken lightly, they are real, cause uncertainty, and are challenges that must be addressed in a transparent manner to set the stage not only for Nigeria in the next 50 years, but also for the African continent writ large. The nation of Nigeria and the people I have had the pleasure of working with and knowing have always made me proud to be connected to a country with such great potential and prospects. Nigeria is a symbol for many African-Americans in so many positive ways — the creativeness, the talent, and the strong love of country — to name a few of the core values that I experienced living in Nigeria. This viewpoint does not mean that we are not rooting for Nigeria to be even more than it is today and that it must continue to work to ensure that the challenges of today mentioned above are addressed and are not markers of the future. I was asked about the role of Nigeria in the future of Africa over the next 50 years given that Nigeria and 17 other nations celebrated their jubilee anniversary in 2010. There are several very important points to make in this regard:

Leadership by far is Nigeria’s first role on the continent as it is a key political, security, and trading partner in the sub-region and with other world nations. However, with this, it has to continue to find ways to better address its own internal security and corruption issues as part of this leadership and make transparent elections and good governance the order of the day;

Nigeria’s development role is next, particularly, as Nigeria and the rest of Africa should be the next emerging frontiers for economic growth, markets, and trade. The recent positive news in some quarters of Nigeria’s macro-economic and capital market reforms efforts spurred by the leadership at Nigeria’s Central Bank and at its Security and Exchange Commission are symbolic of the solid foundations that countries in Africa need to be moving toward over the next 50 years. The issues of most concern to me are what I have called the FEEEDS issues (with the acronym meaning Food Security, Education, Environment, Energy, Development/Democracy and Self-Help). The FEEEDS issues will need to be better handled over the next 50 years by all nations on the continent;

Nigeria’s youth and women need to be included and play a key role in the direction of the country. Given that more than half of Nigeria’s population is under the age of 35 coupled with having nearly 74 million women, both youth and women need to be provided with not only ample but more adequate educational opportunities (including vocational and entrepreneurship training) as they are vital to a viable future for any nation. No nation can develop by excluding more than half its population from a strong and visible role in political development, and social sector reform; and, transparency in resource management which is not only cross sectoral but also a synergistic way of better addressing how all resources — energy resources, land and water resources, human resources, and financial resources — in a country are governed.

None of us has a crystal ball, and none of us can predict the future. What we can do is our utmost to put in place the things that we know can help make the future a better place. Nigeria, as the most populated nation on the continent and because of the core values I know are part of the Nigerian mosaic, can and should help set the stage for the future of the Africa region and the global community, but addressing the four points above are key parts of achieving these goals.