Nigeria is a West African country that has a stupendous endowment of natural resources and intellectual power. With a population of more than 150 million – Nigeria recently surpassed Bangladesh to become the 7th most populous country on earth.
Nigeria’s intellectuals, both at home and in the diaspora, have marked their presence all over the world. They have excelled in physics, mathematics, medicine, engineering, computer technology and other imperative areas of modern human endeavor.
Granted, Nigeria has some serious social and economic challenges. But none of Nigeria’s socio-economic challenges is actually unique to it.
While it will be foolhardy for me to make any excuses for Nigeria, I must nonetheless note here, that the well-publicized problems of corruption, fraud, threats of terrorism, political and religious rigidities as well as beleaguered economic machineries are ubiquitous. Even the United States, Russia, China, Japan, India and other talk-of-the-town nations have their fair share of these ills of humanity. To illustrate, data by Infobase Limited, a California-based database and geospatial data company indicates that the US, the UK, Germany, France, Russia, Japan, South Africa, Canada, Italy and India all have higher authenticated crimes rates than Nigeria. Another database provided by data360 – another California-based database company – containing UN’s global crime trends covering several years, did not show a disproportionate reason for worry for those interested in exploring Nigeria. The top 40 most worrisome countries, included Swaziland, Columbia, South Africa, Jamaica, Guatemala, Russia, Mexico, Paraguay, Belarus, Lithuania, Estonia, Ukraine, Thailand, Philippines, Barbados, Argentina, Poland, the USA, India, Germany, England, France, Portugal, Canada, Australia, Spain, Switzerland, Greece, Saudi Arabia, Japan and Pakistan (in that order).
No! Not Nigeria. Some critics might be surprised that Nigeria was not there. But indeed, Nigeria was not there.
Therefore, no one should allow any real or perceived shortcomings of Nigeria to hoodwink him or her into losing sight of the enormous potentials that Nigeria offers. Nigeria is emerging global economy. Those who recognize this, and get in early, and contribute to the good of the country will stand to benefit.
This begs the question: How does one reach Nigeria and harness the potentials of its people?
There are many profound ways in which the world can benefit from the energy and enterprise of Nigerians. Nigerians have embraced technology more rapidly and more intensely than most other developing countries. Internet and mobile devices – which are the main drivers of today’s economic performances, have permeated the Nigerian society. Nigeria’s cities and its suburban towns are heavily connected to the global information superhighway. Nigerians of all cadres are online – the rich, the man, the woman, the poor, the educated, the not-so-educated; everyone. In fact, even elderly local women in Nigeria – living in the vast countryside are now connected, with their handsets often tied to their wrappers as they go to the market or their farms.
Here are the statistics showing Nigeria’s connectivity:
Internet Usage
Nigeria, has over 44 million active Internet users, and ranks 10th in the world, according to data from Internet World Statistics. See the graph below:
Nigeria’s intellectuals, both at home and in the diaspora, have marked their presence all over the world. They have excelled in physics, mathematics, medicine, engineering, computer technology and other imperative areas of modern human endeavor.
Granted, Nigeria has some serious social and economic challenges. But none of Nigeria’s socio-economic challenges is actually unique to it.
While it will be foolhardy for me to make any excuses for Nigeria, I must nonetheless note here, that the well-publicized problems of corruption, fraud, threats of terrorism, political and religious rigidities as well as beleaguered economic machineries are ubiquitous. Even the United States, Russia, China, Japan, India and other talk-of-the-town nations have their fair share of these ills of humanity. To illustrate, data by Infobase Limited, a California-based database and geospatial data company indicates that the US, the UK, Germany, France, Russia, Japan, South Africa, Canada, Italy and India all have higher authenticated crimes rates than Nigeria. Another database provided by data360 – another California-based database company – containing UN’s global crime trends covering several years, did not show a disproportionate reason for worry for those interested in exploring Nigeria. The top 40 most worrisome countries, included Swaziland, Columbia, South Africa, Jamaica, Guatemala, Russia, Mexico, Paraguay, Belarus, Lithuania, Estonia, Ukraine, Thailand, Philippines, Barbados, Argentina, Poland, the USA, India, Germany, England, France, Portugal, Canada, Australia, Spain, Switzerland, Greece, Saudi Arabia, Japan and Pakistan (in that order).
No! Not Nigeria. Some critics might be surprised that Nigeria was not there. But indeed, Nigeria was not there.
Therefore, no one should allow any real or perceived shortcomings of Nigeria to hoodwink him or her into losing sight of the enormous potentials that Nigeria offers. Nigeria is emerging global economy. Those who recognize this, and get in early, and contribute to the good of the country will stand to benefit.
This begs the question: How does one reach Nigeria and harness the potentials of its people?
There are many profound ways in which the world can benefit from the energy and enterprise of Nigerians. Nigerians have embraced technology more rapidly and more intensely than most other developing countries. Internet and mobile devices – which are the main drivers of today’s economic performances, have permeated the Nigerian society. Nigeria’s cities and its suburban towns are heavily connected to the global information superhighway. Nigerians of all cadres are online – the rich, the man, the woman, the poor, the educated, the not-so-educated; everyone. In fact, even elderly local women in Nigeria – living in the vast countryside are now connected, with their handsets often tied to their wrappers as they go to the market or their farms.
Here are the statistics showing Nigeria’s connectivity:
Internet Usage
Nigeria, has over 44 million active Internet users, and ranks 10th in the world, according to data from Internet World Statistics. See the graph below:
Nigeria ranks 10th in the world in internet usage; and by far, surpasses other populous developing countries such as Indonesia (population 237,556,363 with 30 million internet users), Mexico (population 112,336,538 with 27 million internet users) and Philippines (population 95,000,000 with 27 million internet users). Pakistan, which has a population of 176,603,000, has less than 20 million internet users.
Mobile Phone Subscription
Nigeria has over 91 million mobile subscribers, and also ranks 10th in the world, according to aggregated data from CTIA-The Wireless Association® - an international organization of the wireless communications industry, the Hong Kong Government’s Office of the Telecommunications Authority, the Industry Statistics-Subscriber Data by the Nigerian Telecommunication Commission, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) based in Geneva, Switzerland, and more.
Only China, India, the United States, Russia, Brazil, Indonesia, Japan, Germany and Pakistan have more mobile phone subscribers than Nigeria.
Nigeria has over 91 million mobile subscribers, and also ranks 10th in the world, according to aggregated data from CTIA-The Wireless Association® - an international organization of the wireless communications industry, the Hong Kong Government’s Office of the Telecommunications Authority, the Industry Statistics-Subscriber Data by the Nigerian Telecommunication Commission, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) based in Geneva, Switzerland, and more.
Only China, India, the United States, Russia, Brazil, Indonesia, Japan, Germany and Pakistan have more mobile phone subscribers than Nigeria.
Given these high numbers of hi-tech adoption by Nigeria, as shown above, there is no doubt that many global companies and investors will do well for themselves as soon as they “discover” and explore Nigeria.
The smart companies will begin to find that they can actually profit by locating many operational bases in Nigeria and by linking them to their other hubs, through technology. These companies will save money due to reduced costs of labor, physical plant, insurance and taxes. Yes, they’ll save money, even over the operational bases they may already have, or may be contemplating to establish in India, China, Malaysia, Mexico, South Africa and Egypt. Yes, they’ll find that Nigeria is truly a land of economic opportunities. They’ll be baffled by the amazing returns they’ll rake in, just like they were bamboozled when they discovered China and India, and started investing heavily in those countries. These intelligent global investors, who were originally ridiculed upon moving into China and India – countries that were discounted as impoverished third world nations – are now making huge fortunes from the get-up-and-go disposition of the two Asian tigers that are now somewhat stagnating.
And now this: Nigeria is the African tiger. Nigeria is still waiting for the smartest, world-shattering and most alert global entrepreneurs who must now look outside Asia and South America for greener pastures.
Nigeria also offers tremendous opportunities for those that want to expand their global market.
The most recent economic data, from an unclassified CIA database, shows that the commercial value of Nigeria to the international community is very significant to the prosperity of many global companies, prospective global investors, and ultimately, to the development of the economies of various nations.
The CIA data implies that with Nigeria’s estimated population of over 150 million people, and again, the 7th in the world (and the 8th most populous country just a few months ago), the nation has a lot of potential customers for businesses that are serious with international commerce.
The CIA data implies that with Nigeria’s estimated population of over 150 million people, and again, the 7th in the world (and the 8th most populous country just a few months ago), the nation has a lot of potential customers for businesses that are serious with international commerce.
What’s more? With an estimated GDP (purchasing power parity) of $353.2 billion in 2009, Nigeria ranks 2nd in Africa (behind South Africa, ahead of Egypt) and 33rd in the world. Although the nation’s GDP real growth rate, which was estimated at 3.8% in 2009, showed constant decline within the previous five years, indications are that the aggressive policies of the current administration would likely raise the GDP in 2 years.
What all these boil down to is that if you into global business, Nigeria can help produce and deliver your products and services, and Nigeria can help buy and use them.
The most effective way anyone can reach and rally the Nigerian people in this information era is through ingenious Web and mobile technologies. After all, many goods and services are now being delivered wirelessly. These technologies offer businesses effective tools to build a large and strong workforce or customer base. They also offer both Nigerian and foreign public officials or international organizations effective tools to build large and strong grassroots movements, or to expand and solidify their grassroots support.
But there’s a problem that must be tackled head-on.
It is apparent that while the massive adoption of high technologies by Nigerians have its blessings to the country and the international community, it also presents significant challenges to peace loving citizens of Nigeria and the world.
Perhaps the most critical aspect of Nigeria's hi-tech usage is its national security implications. Terrorists and other terrible people have also discovered the Internet and wireless communications.
The Internet and other hi-tech systems truly have significant ramifications on the security of Nigeria at a time when these systems are routinely deployed to make contacts, recruit and mobilize networks of radicals and troublemakers around the world. There is no wonder why the United States of America and many other countries are now investing heavily in understanding and monitoring the reach, uses and power of the new and ever dynamic Internet and mobile technologies.
Dr. Linton Wells, a distinguished research professor at the National Defense University in Washington, DC, sums up the national security challenges posed by the internet and other high technologies:
"This is not just techie-geeky stuff, but serious stuff with national security ramifications."
Indeed, in a globalized environment, Nigeria and other peace-loving nations and organizations must work closely together, with mutual respect for each other, to ensure that international criminals are effectively monitored, so as not to undermine the blessings and opportunities bestowed upon modern society, by modern high technologies to facilitate international commerce and peace.
* Mr. Nwankama Nwankama is an information technology strategist. He is a Nigerian, and resident in Maryland, USA..
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