Fortune109:
Nigeria is still the largest economy in Africa

Nigeria has the largest oil reserve in Africa

Nigeria has the largest population in Africa


With those three factors Nigeria has more leverage over South Africa...

Largest economy means more international businesses will have more presence in Nigeria than South africa. Which gives Nigeria more ability to influence those businesses and their home governments over an issue between Nigeria and South Africa.

Largest oil reserve in Africa means Nigeria still has a very important bargaining power than South Africa in the international Arena. As a member of Opec, Nigeria would be taken more seriously internationally as whatever action an Opec member takes affects the price of Oil all over the world. This makes Nigeria more important than South Africa in Africa.

Largest Population means more market for any product. Whatever the western nations produce has more market in Nigeria's 200 million population then a smaller 40 million South African population. China for instance will listen to Nigeria first in Africa before any nation. Compare the amount Nigerians spend in importing goods all over the world with how much South Africa spend doing same. Businesses simply take consumers with more purchasing power more seriously.


There are other areas but with these three major aspects, Nigeria still comfortably calls the shot in Africa...

its not just about having the largest population, but how many percentage of this population is educated for higher productivity. if you have a large population but non productive, then its a huge liability and a drain on our resources. If the population of nigeria was just 20 million, then even if it is 2 million that respresents 10percent of this population is productive, then we will have a vibrant economy couple with our huge natural resources. But you can agree with me that out of over 200 million people in this country, less than 10 percent are truly productive, as a result of bad governace over the years. Then how can that small percentage couple with our resources that have been endless looted by wicked leaders support our population hence our economy. So a higher population with a portion being productive translates into lower standards of living. I'm afraid south africa has the upper hand and bragging rights here. we should just hide in shame, instead of trying to justify or rationalize or argue.

ibbo:
its not just about having the largest population, but how many percentage of this population is educated for higher productivity. if you have a large population but non productive, then its a huge liability and a drain on our resources. If the population of nigeria was just 20 million, then even if it is 2 million that respresents 10percent of this population is productive, then we will have a vibrant economy couple with our huge natural resources. But you can agree with me that out of over 200 million people in this country, less than 10 percent are truly productive, as a result of bad governace over the years. Then how can that small percentage couple with our resources that have been endless looted by wicked leaders support our population hence our economy. So a higher population with a portion being productive translates into lower standards of living. I'm afraid south africa has the upper hand and bragging rights here. we should just hide in shame, instead of trying to justify or rationalize or argue.

That's why most Nigerians fail in exams...


Even if we compare Nigeria's economy and SA economy, Nigeria is still the largest economy in Africa. But that is not what matters in this situation now.


It is not about what our economy runs on, or which country is more beautiful or has more per capital income, it is about who needs who most between South Africa and Nigeria economically.

It is as simple as...

They have investments here which we can sanction and it will affect their economy; the last time Nigeria slammed a billion dollars fine on MTN the South African stock market was affected.

Tell me what South Africa can do to Nigeria that will affect us economically apart from attacking Nigerians in their country.

Princedapace:



Bro, first, I wasn't insulting u okay. If the question sounded impolite my apology.

Now, back to the topic. Like I said earlier, no one will see where he earns large sum and treat it anyhow. There are some countries SA won't try that shit they did to Nigerians with. Why? They know their trade deal.

SA will lose nothing much if they have a face off with Nigeria except some strategic countries are involved. I don't want to say much about international companies coming to nigeria for business more than SA.
Check out the images I uploaded so far. SA has countries where they make much of their income and they can't try this shit with them. There was a document I read, I just couldn't find it. Nigeria was among the very least countries SA considers as a strategic business partner due to earning derived from Nigerian market compared to other markets where they make money. From the SA govt actions, u will notice that they are willing to let go of the little percentage they get from Nigeria. Their companies have over 90% Nigerian staff and have done several machinery investments. There are agreements entered before they could do those investments.

I also want u to check the last image about foreign direct investment. Investors are heading to SA and it will continue to be so until Nigeria's crises and poor purchasing power is worked on. I asked u a simple question, how many Nigerians earn over 3 million per year? How many Nigerians can afford new items? This is the reason black market is popular here. It is same reason second hand used items are popular. The purchasing power is weak. Canada has small population but there is a reason the economy keep growing and for those of us into online business, there is a reason ad to those countries are higher. It is purchasing power. We have poor purchasing power in Nigeria coupled with endless crises.

I have explained what the issue is to you before but let me just put it in simple forms, that may help perhaps.


How would you answer these questions in an exam Hall?

1* Evaluate the economies of South Africa and Nigeria


2* Who needs who most between South Africa and Nigeria economically?



Now, while what's on ground is about the later, you keep expending your energy on the first...

Hmmm!!

Princedapace:



Bro, first, I wasn't insulting u okay. If the question sounded impolite my apology.

Now, back to the topic. Like I said earlier, no one will see where he earns large sum and treat it anyhow. There are some countries SA won't try that shit they did to Nigerians with. Why? They know their trade deal.

SA will lose nothing much if they have a face off with Nigeria except some strategic countries are involved. I don't want to say much about international companies coming to nigeria for business more than SA.
Check out the images I uploaded so far. SA has countries where they make much of their income and they can't try this shit with them. There was a document I read, I just couldn't find it. Nigeria was among the very least countries SA considers as a strategic business partner due to earning derived from Nigerian market compared to other markets where they make money. From the SA govt actions, u will notice that they are willing to let go of the little percentage they get from Nigeria. Their companies have over 90% Nigerian staff and have done several machinery investments. There are agreements entered before they could do those investments.

I also want u to check the last image about foreign direct investment. Investors are heading to SA and it will continue to be so until Nigeria's crises and poor purchasing power is worked on. I asked u a simple question, how many Nigerians earn over 3 million per year? How many Nigerians can afford new items? This is the reason black market is popular here. It is same reason second hand used items are popular. The purchasing power is weak. Canada has small population but there is a reason the economy keep growing and for those of us into online business, there is a reason ad to those countries are higher. It is purchasing power. We have poor purchasing power in Nigeria coupled with endless crises.

SA will lose nothing you say?

Fortune109:


I have explained what the issue is to you before but let me just put it in simple forms, that may help perhaps.


How would you answer these questions in an exam Hall?

1* Evaluate the economies of South Africa and Nigeria


2* Who needs who most between South Africa and Nigeria economically?



Now, while what's on ground is about the later, you keep expending your energy on the first...

Hmmm!!

And I am telling u that SA is willing to let go of that benefit u talk about because it has mere little percentage to them. And thier companies here employ our citizens.

Princedapace:


And I am telling u that SA is willing to let go of that benefit u talk about because it has mere little percentage to them. And thier companies here employ our citizens.

We can simply nationalise their companies here and our citizens continue to enjoy their works. They have nothing they can hold us to ransome with economically. They can only attack our citizens in their country like barbarians.

Fortune109:


We can simply nationalise their companies here and our citizens continue to enjoy their works. They have nothing they can hold us to ransome with economically. They can only attack our citizens in their country like barbarians.

If it is that easy, every country would be dining same bro. It doesn't work that way bro. And majority of ur politicians have investments they stashed away in SA.

Princedapace:

If it is that easy, every country would be dining same bro. It doesn't work that way bro. And majority of ur politicians have investments they stashed away in SA.

Anything can happen in a breakdown situation...those stolen wealths aren't captured by any records in the first place

meavox:
WHY NIGERIA CANNOT AFFORD A STAND-OFF WITH SOUTH AFRICA - by Gimba Kakanda
Al-Jazeera, Opinion
9 Sept 2019


Today Abuja addresses Pretoria from a position of weakness.

Since the images and videos of the maiming and killing of black foreigners in South Africa began to emerge on various social media platforms last week, Nigeria has been an emotionally frayed place. Tens of thousands of Nigerians live in South African cities and in recent years, they have become frequent targets of xenophobic attacks.

This time, anger in Nigeria boiled over and young Nigerians took to the streets protesting South African aggression and unleashing some of their own on South African-owned businesses.

The Nigerian government felt pressured to act and subsequently recalled its ambassador from Pretoria and announced it was pulling out of the World Economic Forum meeting on Africa which was held in Cape Town. While some Nigerians welcomed the move, others thought it was not enough and called on their government to intervene and rescue its citizens.

Examples abound of powerful countries going to great lengths to protect and repatriate their citizens who have faced danger abroad.

But Nigeria is not one of them. Indeed, in the past, the country has stood its ground on a number of occasions when defending its national interests. In the 1960s, for example, Nigeria had a face-off with France over the latter's continuous tests of nuclear weapons in the Sahara desert. The government of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa acted decisively, breaking diplomatic relations with Paris, expelling the French ambassador and imposing a full embargo on French goods.

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Nigeria led the international effort to isolate and pressure the apartheid regime in South Africa. It threatened economic action against Western powers for refusing to sanction the regime and supported the national liberation movements in Southern Africa, including the African Nation Congress (ANC), with millions of dollars annually.

In the 1990s, the country, under the leadership of military ruler Sani Abacha, defied international sanctions and welcomed a visit by Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. It also directly intervened in the Liberian civil war, dispatching Nigerian troops to fight.

Most of the reactions to the violent attacks on Nigerians and other Africans in South Africa reflect a yearning for Abacha-style diplomacy. But as recent developments in its relations with the United States demonstrated, Nigeria can no longer wield such diplomatic power. Last month, the Nigerian government was spectacularly quick to react to the US's reciprocal rise in visa fees by reducing the charge for Americans applying for a visa to enter the country. And last year President Muhammadu Buhari decided to "keep quiet" on President Donald Trump's alleged "s***hole" remark about African nations.

At present, it is clear Nigeria does not have the military, the intelligence capability or the diplomatic clout to pursue a serious escalation against even a regional power, such as South Africa.

This diplomatic "standoff" with Pretoria has exposed the weakness Abuja has masked in parading itself as a self-styled "Giant of Africa". South Africa used to be a bully that Nigeria could restrain through its support for proxies inside the country and its neighbourhood. But since the end apartheid, this relationship has evolved into a regional competition, which Pretoria is winning.

After the sanctions and international isolation were lifted, South Africa quickly became the continent's more favoured ally of developed economies and foreign investors. Pretoria emerged as the recipient of the largest share of foreign direct investment in sub-Saharan Africa and in 2011 joined the BRIC countries in an economic pact formed to challenge the domination of Western economic policy.

It is also an important trading partner that Nigeria cannot afford to lose. South African businesses have major investments in the country, including the DSTV cable service, MTN telecom, the Shoprite supermarket chain and others. Nigeria exports $3.83bn worth of goods, mostly oil and oil products, to South Africa. By contrast, it imports just $514.3m of South African products, which accounts for less than one percent of total South African exports.

The more contrasting feature of the two economies, and which again highlights Nigeria's weakness is that while Abuja levers around a commodity-dependent economy, Pretoria has built a highly-diversified economy with a superior industrial structure. In other words, Nigeria needs South Africa economically, much more than South Africa needs Nigeria.

Nigeria's geopolitical power has also waned in recent years, while South Africa has remained a major regional power. Abuja has been battling with a rebellion in the north for years and has struggled to put a stop to flares of tribal violence regularly killing dozens of people. In its neighbourhood, Nigeria continues to feel largely insecure, surrounded by Francophone countries whose allegiances to France threaten the commitment of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to stability and non-aggression in the region.

The Nigerian government has also been unable to muster enough influence in the West to become a trusted partner. In 2014, the Obama administration, for example, blocked the sale of arms to the Nigerian military. The Trump administration decided to proceed with it but under heavy conditions which Nigerian officials have deemed "unacceptable". Western reluctance to sell weapons to Abuja has pressed it to seek arms on the black market. South Africa has embarrassed it twice in recent years by intercepting large arms shipment bound for Nigeria.

In this sense, the Nigerian government cannot do anything about the violence against its citizens in South Africa beyond making a few symbolic diplomatic moves and bringing up once again the Nigerian role in liberating South Africans from its white oppressors. It is clear that in doing so it is addressing Pretoria from the position of weakness.

Indeed, using persistent references to sub-Saharan African commonality and solidarity as a result of shared history, race and geography is not an effective foreign policy tool.

The idea of One Africa is a farce taken too far, and successive Nigerian elites have pandered to this fantasy to the detriment of national interests. The legacy of this pan-African misadventure is a geopolitically weak Nigeria which cannot stand up to for itself and for its citizens

This very much has to do with mismanagement of the economy. The redemption Nigeria needs is one that moves the country away from dependence on oil exports, foreign imports and interventions and towards diversification and industrialisation. We cannot afford to glorify the idea of producing pencils in the age of artificial intelligence any more.

Only if the country becomes materially secure and industrially productive will it be able to regain its soft power and international clout and stand up to the old bullies in its neighbourhood.


Source:
https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/nigeria-nigerians-xenophobic-attacks-south-africa-190908200649204.html

informative. Well written.