Hi nairalanders,

I am a nigerian. I spent almost all of my life in Nigeria and just travelled to a developed country of recent. The level of development and civility surprised me despite having read and heard a lot about these developed countries before I left Nigeria.

It then makes me wonder and ask myself what Nigeria will be like in the next five years. I have asked myself this same question over and over again. I am an optimist but I believe in facing reality.

Please dear nigerians, where do you see Nigeria in the next five years? With the current trend of things, what do you think Nigeria will be like in the next five years?

Your comments are highly welcome.

Thanks a lot.

How do u know there will be a nigeria in the next 5 yrs.?

ode remo:

How do u know there will be a nigeria in the next 5 yrs.?

ode remo:

How do u know there will be a nigeria in the next 5 yrs.?

Which kin question be this one now?

@ Ode Remo,

Hmmm! Quite a question!

There is no way for me to say that there will surely be a Nigeria in the next five years. However, from my viewpoint, I am of the opinion that Nigeria is not likely to split within the next five years despite the fact that there will definitely be challenging times ahead of us. This is especially true as most of our politicians care a lot for power. Nonetheless, the pathway to a splitted Nigeria is quite a very tough and unpleasant that most Nigerians would not want a split in spite of the fact that they are tired of the tumults and clashes we experience on a regular basis. The pains of the last civil war has not been totally forgotten - every tribe and family lost something to it.

But let's say that Nigeria remains one for the next five years. What do you envision it to be like?

1. Power supply
2. Better roads
3. Economic development, less dependence on oil revenues
4. Less powerful presidency and federal gov't, more powerful states
5. Good government in every state, less greedy politicians


This is my wishlist. Not sure how much of it will happen, if anything.

But yeah, it is depressing sometimes seeing the disparity between the development levels of other countries and that of Nigeria

DapoBear:

1. Power supply
2. Better roads
3. Economic development, less dependence on oil revenues
4. Less powerful presidency and federal gov't, more powerful states
5. Good government in every state, less greedy politicians

This is my wishlist. Not sure how much of it will happen, if anything.

But yeah, it is depressing sometimes seeing the disparity between the development levels of other countries and that of Nigeria

There has to be major upheaval in the country for the bolded to happen

;DSorry to say More confusion in the next 5 yrs

@ DapoBear, thank u for the comment. I can see that you really want the best for this nation but you seem to state it as if you don't see these ideals becoming realities.

@ asha 80, thanks. I seem to agree with you to some extent but what kind of upheaval are you talking about? I seem to think of it as a change of sorts rather than a revolution.

@ poweredcom, I don't want to sound like an unreasonable idealist but why do you believe that there will be more confusion?

Everybody, what about quality of life of people, education, technological advancement etc.

Thanks.

With the current mentality of Nigerians, I see nothing happening.

@udezue, Nigerians?! That refers to all of us - u, me, nairalanders and everyone of us. But what about you? I mean the mentality thing.

@OP

Check out the standards by which people operate where you travelled to, even if forced. Compare to the standards you knew in Nigeria.

Figure out how far Nigerian standards will approach the ones you are observing in the next 5 years, then you will have your answer.

there definitely would be more than 2000MW of electricity at this rate there should be a minimum of 4000MW!!!

if not I'll . . .

i believe nigeria would be great again       God help us

there are people in dispora ( especially the yorubas) that are coming back to nigeria to implement constant electricity

i have meet and seen alot of yoruba disporans that saying they will be going back to nigeria when they finish

also of them that already have compainies aboard are forming branches in nigeria

i hope other culture like mine and the igbos and others will follow suit and not just forget home

alj harem:


i hope other culture like mine and the igbos and others will follow suit and not just forget home  

what 'culture' are you alhaji?

Dis Guy:

what 'culture' are you alhaji?

kanuri but also other northerners like hausa and fulani

Thanks, is there a large population of Kanuri/Fulanis/Hausas where you are right now?

Dis Guy:

Thanks, is there a large population of Kanuri/Fulanis/Hausas where you are right now?

nice

Privy, I should have said some or better large / sizable population

If Nigeria want to be more advanced in the next five years, Nigeria government needs to increase its investment in education today.

Horus:

If Nigeria want to be more advanced in the next five years, Nigeria government needs to increase its investment in education today.

gbam,, we need more educated people and the excess can be exported as skilled labour to other african countries

koruji:

@OP

Check out the standards by which people operate where you travelled to, even if forced. Compare to the standards you knew in Nigeria.

Figure out how far Nigerian standards will approach the ones you are observing in the next 5 years, then you will have your answer.

So true.
Will Nigerians themselves be willing to change their mentality, attitudes and views?
I've met Nigerians who have said in one way or the other that they would rather Nigeria continue to be the way it is-lawless et al because that way, they don't have to pay taxes et al, and they can make as much money as they want only going abroad for holidays.
If that's they way some people see and want it, then I really do not see a bright future for the country in 5 years.
Menatality has to change and it takes time. A whole generation has to go for new ideas/mentality to START to be implemented and ingrained in the minds of the people.
Privy, maybe, I sincerely with all my heart pray and believe there'll be a change. For it to happen in the next 5 years, no.
Except there is a MIRACLE.

Good points made here. I don't really believe Nigerians want the country to change as much as they claim.

How many Nigerians want to live in a country where they cannot pay off a policeman to look the other way after committing a traffic offence?

How many Nigerians want a country where they cannot pay an airport official to secure a seat on a plane that's already full, in order to attend that all-important meeting in Abuja or Port Harcourt?

How many Nigerians want a country where they actually have to sit through driving tests before getting a drivers' licence, rather than just paying someone to hand them one?

How many Nigerians want a country where they'll be jailed for hitting, or underpaying their house helps?

Or jailed for hiring servants from Togo who have no residence permits?

Or jailed/banned for driving 'over the alchohol limit'?

How many Nigerians want a country where women are so wealthy and independent that they cannot be pushed around any longer by men?

The list goes on and on, and on.

I don't believe we want the country to change as much as we often say we do. We would actually hate the country if it did become like the UK or Germany etc, where all the above apply.

ROSSIKE:

Good points made here. I don't really believe Nigerians want the country to change as much as they claim.

How many Nigerians want to live in a country where they cannot pay off a policeman to look the other way after a traffic infringement?

How many Nigerians want a country where they cannot pay an airport official to secure a seat on a plane that's already full, in order to attend that all-important meeting in Abuja or Port Harcourt?

How many Nigerians want a country where they actually have to sit through driving tests before getting a drivers' licence, rather than just paying someone to hand them one?

How many Nigerians want a country where they'll be jailed for hitting, or underpaying their house helps?

Or jailed for hiring servants from Togo who have no residence permits?

Or jailed/banned for driving 'over the alchohol limit'?

How many Nigerians want a country where women are so wealthy and independent that they cannot be pushed around any longer by men?

The list goes on and on, and on.

I don't believe we want the country to change as much as we often say we do. We would actually hate the country if it did become like the UK or Germany etc, where all the above apply.

I agree with all that you have posted except the bolded one, Nigerian women are free and independent just like any other women out there in advance countries, the problem with our women is that they want extra-ordinary "help" and when they don't get it, they scream marginalization. Have you thought for once why women tend to get the main jobs (WHITE COLLAR JOBS) even with lesser qualification than their male counterpart? if women weren't given a chance or avenue to operate, would such be happening?

One more thing, there are countries where their women don't have much FREEDOM like that of our women here in Nigeria, yet the country is doing well and their women are more WEALTHY, KNOWN, INFLUENTIAL and FINANCIALLY buoyant than their counterparts here in Nigeria. (countries like UAE, QATAR, KSA, China, IRAN, EGYPT e.t.c). So if i were you, i wouldn't include the bolded.


@topic

  Alot can change within 5 years if Nigerians see the country as theirs, their neighbor as their brothers/sisters, their colleague as their brothers/sisters, their co-passenger as their brothers/sisters.

I see power getting more stable

Access to water improving, more good roads, more good hospitals, more good and clean environment, good business environment.

If Lagos transformed at the pace it is right now within 2/3years, then the whole country is likely to achieve all that i have listed above if we take and treat the country as OURS.

Only unity can bring the development we truly need. Unity and development goes hand in hand.

Hi my fellow Nigerians

Two weeks ago I had a discussion with a friend of mine. I told him we spend about 2/3 of our budget on overhead cost (in other words on the government) The budget for 2010 is about N4.6 trillion. Only N1.7trillion is claimed to be used directly on developing the country! The remainder is used on overhead. My friend was shocked. I had the same discussion with someone else and was told I was crying wolf in vain!

Last week the CBN gov. discovered that a quarter of the budget is used on Senators alone. As far as I am concerned about half of the budget is used on rulers in political offices and only 1/6 on civil servants! (This hasn't part hasn't been verified yet) Anyhow you look at this, it's really unfair. Two thirds of the budget used on less than 2% of the country and the remaining third on the whole country (of course including the 2%). It's saddening. At least there is some hope.

I am quite impressed to hear that GDP per capita is familiar economic term. I won't bother trying to emphasize how little our GDP is when compared to our population. But guess what, having a large population isn't supposed to be a curse, and the solution certainly isn't killing every other person!

The solution is quite simple in words, it could be simpler in action if we can utilize our limited resources on what's really important. For our GDP per capita to increase, we have to produce more, and we also have to engage more people in the production process. We need to turn our population to human resources. It is important at this point to know that the production process does not end until the product is in the hands of the consumers. It's not entirely an easy process, it requires more than textbook economics. I can't write all the solutions here (some crazy lying politicians might steal it to use in their manifesto), but there's definitely a way out of this mess we are in.

Here are a few of my humble suggestions (believe me there are more)

1. The highest paid government official should earn 2.5 times the minimum wage

2. Senators should live in their constituencies, permanently. Their end of month take home pay should be no more than twice the minimum wage. A basic salary and allowances equal to the minimum wage.

3. Aspiring Senators must have laptops before they can contest. If they don't have then their constituencies should provide one for them. Meetings will be held via internet enabled video conferencing.

4. Governors must be based permanently in their states. They should not spend but invest their state budgetary allocations. To invest means to spend money on assets and not liabilities. Assets rarely reduce in value. This means by the end of the year the state should have earned more than it received thereby making more money for increased investing and raising the standards of living.

5. There should be mass employment on the part of the government. At least 5 million people should be employed over the space of 3 months initially so that over 60 million will be employed in the space of 2 years.

We have to find a way of making these suggestions laws. That is the real challenge. If they can be done then politics won't be a lucrative business anymore and we'd stop having square pegs in round holes!

We have to make these suggestions laws, that is going to be a step in the right direction. I don't think senators will want to help. Correct me if I'm wrong, I think we have to do this ourselves.

I'm very open to your comments, additions et al

2. Senators should live in their constituencies, permanently. Their end of month take home pay should be no more than twice the minimum wage. A basic salary and allowances equal to the minimum wage.

I totally agree with this point, and they should hold constituency meeting every two weeks atleast!!

I've always said majority of the senators from the worst part of Nigeria don't appear to live or visit their village/communities- they just dash Sheraton Abuja money all year round

Simple arithmetic will help.

You should do +/-5years. Look back 5years ago where were we, and then simply you can imagine the next 5 years.

"I didn't know I was poor untill I was told I was poor"

@Poster, we can dream all we want but in five years, Nigeria will get exactly what Nigerians wants and desires for. No matter what wonderful list we create, at the end of the day, the true Will of the people decides what fate lies ahead for Nigeria.

Privy, I should have said some or better large / sizable population

Thanks for the correction cos I don' definitely share the mentality and i believe certain Nigerians don't too.

If Nigeria want to be more advanced in the next five years, Nigeria government needs to increase its investment in education today.

Who is Nigeria?

Check out the standards by which people operate where you travelled to, even if forced. Compare to the standards you knew in Nigeria.

Figure out how far Nigerian standards will approach the ones you are observing in the next 5 years, then you will have your answer.

These standards are unarguably high and far from what obtains in Nigeria but the mechanisms by which they are attained are within our reach. For instance, talk about technology, some of our educated people can fit into the most advanced technology based organization. I know a lecturer here who is a Nigerian, holds a doctorate of engineering with experience and expertise in intelligent systems and sensors. He is highly regarded by everyone in his department including people from advanced countries. There is also an army of professionals at home and abroad who have the required knowledge and expertise to build any system be it economic, business or whatever.

If that's they way some people see and want it, then I really do not see a bright future for the country in 5 years.
Menatality has to change and it takes time. A whole generation has to go for new ideas/mentality to START to be implemented and ingrained in the minds of the people.
Privy, maybe, I sincerely with all my heart pray and believe there'll be a change. For it to happen in the next 5 years, no.
Except there is a MIRACLE.

Even if a new generation were born their culture, thought and pattern would definitely influenced by the society in which they are born. In this case the existing (let's say corrupt) Nigerian society but come to think of it. The problem has been for a long time and most of us on NairaLand can be called "new generation" in comparison to those earlier generation. However, the question you asked earlier is quite an important one that requires deep thought -

Will Nigerians themselves be willing to change their mentality, attitudes and views?

But will you? I think like you observed, a big part of Nigeria's problem can be traced to Nigerians - you, me, NairaLanders, our people. We will get ahead if we look ahead and move ahead.

How many Nigerians want to live in a country where they cannot pay off a policeman to look the other way after a traffic infringement?

How many Nigerians want a country where they cannot pay an airport official to secure a seat on a plane that's already full, in order to attend that all-important meeting in Abuja or Port Harcourt?

How many Nigerians want a country where they actually have to sit through driving tests before getting a drivers' licence, rather than just paying someone to hand them one?

How many Nigerians want a country where they'll be jailed for hitting, or underpaying their house helps?

Or jailed for hiring servants from Togo who have no residence permits?

Or jailed/banned for driving 'over the alchohol limit'?

How many Nigerians want a country where women are so wealthy and independent that they cannot be pushed around any longer by men?

The list goes on and on, and on.

I don't believe we want the country to change as much as we often say we do. We would actually hate the country if it did become like the UK or Germany etc, where all the above apply.

Great questions indeed! But would you want it? Cos I would! And would they really hate it if we get to such a stage? I sincerely doubt it in light of what we stand to gain from achieving such a feat. On the other hand, a lot of Nigerians troop to those countries to live there and even a bigger percentage of those that have not gone there wish or actively seek an opportunity to. What about that? and look at these questions:
How many Nigerians want to experience the horrors of accidents on our roads or lose family because of it just because policemen(and other traffic officials) looked the other way? (I had some experience myself. Specifically on the expressway. Look at Lagos Ibadan Express way and ask the people that live in Ibafo, Mowe, Berger etc)
How many Nigerians would wish to miss his/her flight because his/her seat has been usurped by a corrupt government or moneybag?
How many Nigerians want to be in the shoes of those house-helps you described?
How many Nigerians would want to be victims of human trafficking, becoming slaves in a free world to earn money they can neither spend nor own?
How many Nigerians want to lose a husband, wife, girlfriend, boyfriend or child to death caused by a drunk driver, an unqualified driver or because an auto technician just wants to make some money?
How many Nigerian women want remain second-class citizens of their homeland all their lives?

Alot can change within 5 years if Nigerians see the country as theirs, their neighbor as their brothers/sisters, their colleague as their brothers/sisters, their co-passenger as their brothers/sisters.

If Lagos transformed at the pace it is right now within 2/3years, then the whole country is likely to achieve all that i have listed above if we take and treat the country as OURS.

I agree with you on this though i differ to an extent on the women rights thing. Yes I guess the problem may not be Nigeria but Nigerians. We all have a role to play in this.

@ maro23, Thank you for those statements. I wish these suggestions are already reality but I strongly share your conviction that we Nigerians can push it to become a reality that will stand. But I differ on the point below

There should be mass employment on the part of the government. At least 5 million people should be employed over the space of 3 months initially so that over 60 million will be employed in the space of 2 years.

The government should endeavor to provide jobs for its citizenry but focusing on so-called "provision of jobs for as many people as possible" by government appears to be a pursuit of Utopia as the system of government is not socialism but democratic capitalism. With the current system, we have in Nigeria, I believe that a majority of those changes can be implemented if Nigerians (professionals, artisans et al) decide to seek the better way.

Simple arithmetic will help.

You should do +/-5years. Look back 5years ago where were we, and then simply you can imagine the next 5 years.

"I didn't know I was poor untill I was told I was poor"

Can you be more explicit?

@Poster, we can dream all we want but in five years, Nigeria will get exactly what Nigerians wants and desires for. No matter what wonderful list we create, at the end of the day, the true Will of the people decides what fate lies ahead for Nigeria.

Kobojunkie, So what is the will of Nigerians? What is your own will? It takes more than just having a will. I think it requires us to look at what each one of us does in this direction. We may do well to ask ourselves this question: If the will of Nigerians will decide the future of NIgeria, what is my will for Nigeria and how does it affect Nigeria's future?

Privy:

Kobojunkie, So what is the will of Nigerians? What is your own will? It takes more than just having a will. I think it requires us to look at what each one of us does in this direction. We may do well to ask ourselves this question: If the will of Nigerians will decide the future of NIgeria, what is my will for Nigeria and how does it affect Nigeria's future?

Our will determines out action. If I am resolved to have things remain as they are, that is what will likely happen. If people have no drive to change things, then 5 years from now, Nigeria is likely to remain in the state it is today.
5/10 years ago, the people proclaimed they were ready for change but the same people did nothing but act in a manner that allowed the status quo to continue. So, like many have said, not until Nigerians resolve to change their own selves, and ultimately desire change, will we move forward. We have almost always had the resources, manpower, skills and intelligence needed to move Nigeria from third world living to developed/advanced nation status. What is left is for the people, in the majority, to actually want this change.

maro23:


2. Senators should live in their constituencies, permanently. Their end of month take home pay should be no more than twice the minimum wage. A basic salary and allowances equal to the minimum wage.

4. Governors must be based permanently in their states. They should not spend but invest their state budgetary allocations. To invest means to spend money on assets and not liabilities. Assets rarely reduce in value. This means by the end of the year the state should have earned more than it received thereby making more money for increased investing and raising the standards of living.

5. There should be mass employment on the part of the government. At least 5 million people should be employed over the space of 3 months initially so that over 60 million will be employed in the space of 2 years.

Real good ideas!, i dont think it is possible to make their pay 2.5 or 2 times the minimum wage though. but that will make the office very unattractive which we need!,

apart from govt employing, the private sector should be made to grow to create more jobs also. .