c++_crazy:
u just exhibited what I wrote

am a nigerian! What is your point sir?

This topic has been included in the results for google search on "most influential country in Africa" even as it not yet up to a hundred views presenlty.

Nairaland is the bomb.

Abbey2sam: I learnt that the white southies run tinz over there,
We run tinz here by ourselves in naija

I know economically wise,they are above nigeria and maybe infrastructures too.

ur right bruvv dey r ntin widout d whites

Oops! I forgot to add.

Militarily: Nigeria is more willing to use her military power to solve issues across the continent, but South Africa has the stronger military force in terms of technology, platforms, etc (happily, Nigeria has woken up to the need to have more and better platforms and a strong domestic military industrial base).

Economically: I forgot to add Debeers/Anglo-American and the Dangote Group to my list of companies.

souldust: @toskarity i think you are misinformed about issues in Nigeria. Contrary to your view, most nigerians have food to eat. You probably based your point on the idea that we all live below a dolar per day. But let me let you know that in the urban centres, fewer people live below a dollar per day and in rural areas, one dollar can buy you three sqaure meals.

If we are that poor as you have claimed, why then are consumer companies making more profit here in Naija than in any other country? Dont tell me it is our population. Becos population doesnt buy comodities. It is money we use to secure goods and services

so if companies are making more profit here in Naija, then it is becos we have more people who can afford those comodities
than anywhere else on the continent.

Another foolish thread to make someone feel better about his or her status quo.

Btw, if you had all this answer why act as a teacher; asking what you already have answers to?

Boredom

I would say Nigeria is more influencial on the continent. Militarily speaking, we have made more impression in peacekeeping in Africa tha SA. Take a look @ Liberia, Somalia and presently, Mali. Nigeria has always been at the forefront of peacekeeping. Politically speaking, Nigeria has more influence in the AU than SA. We have also influenced politics in Togo(when Eyadema died), Sao Tome(when there was a coup there), even SA(during the apartheid period). Culturally, we also have more influence. This is evident by our entertainment industry. Nollywood has gone far. This is proven during the twitter war between Nigerians and Kenyans (in East Africa) when they mentioned a number of our actors. I doubt if any Nigerian knows any SA actor/musician. Economically, i don't know who's more influential.

souldust: ok let me be a bit more specific.
When i said infuence, i mean cultural influence which include the presence of your material and non material culture in other countries, political influence which includes having a hand in other country's poitical land scape, economic influence which is not only how big and developed your economy is but also how connected other countries economy is to yours so that when there is say...a closing of the border or austerity measure, the other countries are affected. And last of all, military influence which is not just the number of your service men or the number of the big weapons you have, but how strategically important your military is in the peace and security of the continent

cultural influence- nigeria
economic influence- SA
military influence- nigeria
political influence- nigeria

Which one una dy here dy kill una sef,,they go pay una money? Dose pple that are saying SA is more secure nd develop dan nigeria,,i just wana ask u guys a question,,who make SA to be developed? D white or d main SA? Why do they hv guns in their home 4 protection If SA is so secure?

modextus: ur right bruvv dey r ntin widout d whites

Absolutely nothing. How are we sure it is not even their whites are the ones representing them on nairaland

misterh: I would say Nigeria is more influencial on the continent. Militarily speaking, we have made more impression in peacekeeping in Africa tha SA. Take a look @ Liberia, Somalia and presently, Mali. Nigeria has always been at the forefront of peacekeeping. Politically speaking, Nigeria has more influence in the AU than SA. We have also influenced politics in Togo(when Eyadema died), Sao Tome(when there was a coup there), even SA(during the apartheid period). Culturally, we also have more influence. This is evident by our entertainment industry. Nollywood has gone far. This is proven during the twitter war between Nigerians and Kenyans (in East Africa) when they mentioned a number of our actors. I doubt if any Nigerian knows any SA actor/musician. Economically, i don't know who's more influential.

I agree with most of what you wrote, apart from the AU part. Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma (Jacob Zuma's ex-wife) is the current Chairperson of the AU Commission, despite Nigeria's strong opposition to her candidacy.

What do u understand by being influential (mr Man)

Tolexander: this doesn't make the point at all.
If 1rand =18[/b]naira as you said, then
1rand should be equal to 10.0632yen.
Has that made south africa better than Japan?
Moreover, [b]1rand=17.1205naira not 18naira.

1Libya dinar = 7.2018rand.
By your 1st assertion, i guess libya should be the best country in africa.

The question stated that which of the 2 countries is influential to africa!

INTERNAL WRANGLINGS,TRIBALISM,BORN TO RULE SYNDROME, DOGS SITTING IN MANGERS,REFUSAL TO PRACTISE TRUE FEDERALISM,CONSERVATIVES RULING,ETC,HAVE RENDERED US SO MINUTE AND INSIGNIFICANT AND WITHOUT RESPECT IN AFRICA. AT THE SAME TIME,WHENEVER NIGERIA TAKES A MERE STEP AGAINST CERTAIN OVER DISGUSTING ACTIONS FROM OTHERS AFRICAN COUNTRIES,THE EFFECT IS ALWAY RIPPLE AND THEY WOULD SUBTLELY COME BEGGING.THERE ARE SOME COMPANIES,S.A. COMPANIES LIKE MTN,DSTV AND KRONES, A GERMAN FIRM THOUGH, WITH THEIR AFRICAN HQTR IN S.A. THAT GENERATE AHUGE CHUNK OF THEIR REVENUE FROM THE NIGERIAN MARKETS INSPITE OF THE FACT THAT THEY'VE GOT BRANCHES IN OTHER AFRICAN COUNTRIES AS WELL. ATIMES REVENUE GENERATED FROM NIGERIA ARE USED TO OFFSET COSTS, IN THEIR OPERATIONS ELSEWHERE IN AFRICA AND PERHARPS BEYOND. EVERY COUNTRY IN AFRICA ESPECIALLY OUR W'AFRICAN NEIGHBORS AND MOST ESPECIALLY SOUTH AFRICA KNOWS THAT NIGERIA IS MORE INFLUENTIAL IN AFRICA THAN ANY OTHER AFRICAN NATION.TRUE FED WILL REALLY HELP US OR ELSE WE SPLIT

phecs: What do u understand by being influential (mr Man)

don't ask me any question that isn't relevant.
I quoted the guy and made him understand one of is points is no point.

You are free to quote me and make your points not asking me question.

I am Nigerian, but South is more Influential

Bad net now,damm!

I hope we're not guilty of falacy of hasty generalisation, or misuse of induction and deduction. We have to focus on the international activities and recognition of these two countries, because influence goes beyond wealth. Let us not be misinformed to think that there are no beggars in SA. Infact the majority of the elites are white. I believe on issues such as this, it is important to compare and contrast friendly and objectively, not based on pre-conceived knowledge but on verifiable facts. Therefore, I can't rigidly say NGR is influencial than SA. Both coutries are influencial but I think NGR to a great extent is more Indluencial than SA.

AAC: In terms of cultural, political, and military influence in africa, Nigeria comes 1st.

I'll give infrastructural and technology development to South Africa.

However, I wonder y africans always bother abt such things.
Canada doesnt compete with US. Neither does France with UK.
Africa unite and grow up.

Interesting deduction however please note that there is NO indication that Africa will ever unite.

Kwame Nkrumah, Thomas Sankara, Mandela and numerous visionary leader have tried to no avail to unite Africa. Ideas such as a common currency/(even within West Africa) were jumped upon by foreign interests who saw between the lines and used institutions such as the IMF and World Bank to dissuade us from embarking on such initiatives.

Some of these leaders were even 'executed'.

That was then.

Now that Africa's raw materials are the focus of such giants as China for their current and future dependence on energy

don't bank on it happening

and that is all before the continental back stabbing, greed, lack of direction from leaders, lack of meritocracy etc

Though I don't fancy BBC reports but see this http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-11429067

foolish question,op.how does this help 2 solve africa's problems?every country,big or small is influential in its own way.attend a meeting of african leaders and see how leaders of 'small' countries lambast those of 'big' countries.most of u r naive

souldust: i want good analysis pls. Not sentiments based on blind patriotism, share ignorance, self hate and fraustration.

I am asking this question because reading so many articles on different websites lately, i have come to see that people of these two countries believe that they are the most powerful country on the continent and as such, should be the mouth piece of the continent. While this mentality has declined greatly among Nigerians, it is growing among South Africans.

Interesting question poster. To answer your question you need certain indices or statistics to back up any claim to be 'influential' as a country. Indices such as

1. Gross National Product of both countries
2. Gross Domestic Product of both countries
3. Level of literacy in both countries
4. Level of poverty, maternal deaths, under 5 deaths etc
5. capacity to create wealth AND create an environment for jobs
6. How the country is viewed by most countries
7. Their standing in AU and all other relevant international bodies

Eze Promoe: There are so many aspects in which you can compare the influence of these two countries. Which are:

Infrastructure: South Africa

Economy: South Africa

Establishments (owned by locals): Nigeria

Wealth (acquired by locals): Nigeria

Military: Nigeria

Politics: Nigeria

Entertainment: Nigeria

Culturally: Nigeria

Tourism: South Africa

Celebrities (of all genres) : Nigeria

Please note that, the question isn't 'who's better than the other' but 'who's more influential than the other'. By right, criterias like infrastructure are not suppose to appear on my list but i have to do that just to be fair to South Africans.
Your infrastructures do not in any way affect other African countries.

YOU MISSED OUT MIGRATION FROM OTHER AFRICAN COUNTRIES DUE TO OPPORTUNITIES...................

Fuelish: foolish question,op.how does this help 2 solve africa's problems?every country,big or small is influential in its own way.attend a meeting of african leaders and see how leaders of 'small' countries lambast those of 'big' countries.most of u r naive

The only foolish person on this thread is the self styled 'Fuelish'.

If you have nothing pertinent to add to the discourse.....I suggest online Scrabble to while away your time.

sweetcheecks:

Another foolish thread to make someone feel better about his or her status quo.

those who suffer acute inferiority complex always make silly comparisons so they can feel better with their inadequacies.crap

souldust: @toskarity i think you are misinformed about issues in Nigeria. Contrary to your view, most nigerians have food to eat. You probably based your point on the idea that we all live below a dolar per day. But let me let you know that in the urban centres, fewer people live below a dollar per day and in rural areas, one dollar can buy you three sqaure meals.

If we are that poor as you have claimed, why then are consumer companies making more profit here in Naija than in any other country? Dont tell me it is our population. Becos population doesnt buy comodities. It is money we use to secure goods and services

so if companies are making more profit here in Naija, then it is becos we have more people who can afford those comodities than anywhere else on the continent.

lovely analysis

South Africa is a member of BRICS
Nigeria a member of OPEC
Someone should do the comparison

The BRIC countries comprise Brazil,Russia, India,and China. South Africa, therefore, is not a member of BRIC. In terms of comparism Nigeria has a large market and this makes it more influential than SA, while SA has a cost advantage when it comes to technology and infrastructures development. Considering the rate at which both economies are growing, Nigeria has potential to overtake SA as Africa super power in some years to come.

Fuelish: those who suffer acute inferiority complex always make silly comparisons so they can feel better with their inadequacies.crap

u mean like gaynians (aka nigerian wanabes) stupiid goat

idike: South Africa is a member of BRICS
Nigeria a member of OPEC
Someone should do the comparison

The BRIC countries comprise Brazil,Russia, India,and China. South Africa, therefore, is not a member of BRIC. In terms of comparism Nigeria has a large market an this makes it more influential than SA, while SA has a cost advantage when it comes technology and infrastructures. Considering the rate at which both economies are growing, Nigeria has potential to overtake SA as Africa super power in some years to come.

nigeria is currently the member of mints ...google that

ladeski:
The only foolish person on this thread is the self styled 'Fuelish'.
If you have nothing pertin

with people like u,is it any wonder nigeria is now a dustbin country,competing with somalia etc for 'influence?'

Pls Just go to YOUTUBE and type Psquare and Flavour African Tour and see which country is more influencial ;
(*Pls if you dont like this story write your own*)

Eze Promoe: There are so many aspects in which you can compare the influence of these two countries. Which are:

Infrastructure: South Africa

Economy: South Africa

Establishments (owned by locals): Nigeria

Wealth (acquired by locals): Nigeria

Military: Nigeria

Politics: Nigeria

Entertainment: Nigeria

Culturally: Nigeria

Tourism: South Africa

Celebrities (of all genres) : Nigeria

Please note that, the question isn't 'who's better than the other' but 'who's more influential than the other'. By right, criterias like infrastructure are not suppose to appear on my list but i have to do that just to be fair to South Africans.
Your infrastructures do not in any way affect other African countries.

another lovely analysis