Hi Nairalanders!

I have grown tired of the mess that is Nigeria and I have been thinking seriously for sometime. I am hoping to find a partner(s) preferably an Economist to work together with on a model to industrialize Nigeria.

I am presently working on a mini article but the model should be the bigger picture. The crux of the model is to involve China in Nigeria the way China involved the USSR in its industrialization.

My motivations and turn offs:

I have gotten tired of Nigerian politics and our bereft politicians. I am no fan of Jonathan or Buhari.
I hate tribalism with passion.
I don't think corruption was/is Nigeria's biggest problem. I quote someone-"you can always take the moral high ground with more money in your pocket...". I think poverty is accountable for upwards of 80% of the social challenges we face. I rather think setting up strong and independent institutions is way better than "fighting corruption".
Africa needs a road map to industrialization. I think Nigeria can provide that.
I try to be one of the most unbiased persons you will find around (when I am biased, I state it though). I can actually take my brother to court if he deserves it.

Ultimately I like this guy...

http://www.economist.com/news/christmas/21568587-shot-killed-song-jiaoren-was-not-heard-around-world-it-might-have-changed

PS: I hope for the life of me that this doesn't come off as being narcissistic.

How do you want people to reach you without name, phone number and email address?



A good idea though, may God help you. Since you can conceive it, your mind will attract the people and resources.





I'm not an economist but wanna be part of the progressive idea.

Paulpaulpaul:
How do you want people to reach you without name, phone number and email address?



A good idea though, may God help you. Since you can conceive it, your mind will attract the people and resources.





I'm not an economist but wanna be part of the progressive idea.

I took it for granted that every nairalander knows how to contact any poster. I have posted my email address before and got banned (I was told not to drag posters off for personal chats) and btw I wouldn't want the charlattans to shoot me an email

Cool you are interested what is your background-academics...

1andonly:


I took it for granted that every nairalander knows how to contact any poster. I have posted my email address before and got banned (I was told not to drag posters off for personal chats) and btw I wouldn't want the charlattans to shoot me an email

Cool you are interested what is your background-academics...

OK, you can state you number in words like: oh eight oh seven five two one . ....

My academic background is Education, English Ed.

Maybe I can initiate some topics for discourse here.

First and foremost we need to rethink our educational system. It encapsulates everything wrong with Nigeria.

I know a couple of people who went to government primary and secondary schools and can't read in English even if their lives depended on it.
How many if any of nairalanders completed their math text book in secondary school? I didn't! I thought it didn't really matter but in retrospection it does.
The problem starts from primary schools and then spills over to every sector of the economy.
Our university education is a joke. We need at least one working universities without all the dross we have if you know what I mean.
Without quality education, forget we can't industrialize because first off we need to copiously import industrial materials and then learn how to manufacture them ourselves.
In Europe, they teach them linear algebra (at least the basics in high school).

...

Maybe you think fighting educational decay is not as important as fighting corruption but consider this first

The Nigerian stock exchange a true reflection of the abilities of our Economic and Financial professionals just has over 5,000 deals per day. In South Africa is north of 60,000. Since the 1930s a special instrument and very important called short selling has been traded in the NYSE but most traders on the Nigerian bourse dunno what it is.

I don't want to digress.

I have advanced my industrialization argument in some circles and the constant question I get is: but Nigeria just has the capacity to generate 5,000+ megawatts and this is my thinking about this...

You do not need any model.
The answers are right there in your face.

1 pour money into technical education. Those degree /diploma mills aka tertiary education in Nigeria are not going to get the country anywhere. You do not need degrees to become a legal practitioner, accountant, journalists, aircraft maintenance engineer, machine tool operator, advanced farmer etc.

2 follow up with technical /engineering hubs and industrial estates. As we speak, an IT hub is growing by the day in yaba without any government help. Where did Nigeria waste money on IT hub ? Abuja, a place with little or no Information technology know-how. The lagos state government is also not doing anything.


3 use government policy to curb conspicuous consumption and reckless importation.

4 Direct funding to those who are already innovating and stop trying to make an entrepreneurs out of those who are not entrepreneurs( SURE-P). There are numerous fashion,engineering and information technology brands in Nigeria already. Support those.

5 Enforce laws


6 Give government contracts to those who are leaders in their field. e.g give shoe contracts to a shoemaker and not some politicians.

7 reduce the size of the government. A government that cannot pay his employees cannot afford those employees in the first instance. Downsize.

8 Something has to be done with the national assembly.


9 Most importantly, the federal government has to be downsized and the country restructured


10 Core infrastructure : Primary roads leading to the centres of production and commerce have to be top quality. Power supply improved. But all this depends on the restructuring of the country

To industrialize OP there has to be reversal of brain drain.

My thinking is always the following

First off, we have a seemingly intractable challenge with power yet we import generators. This is fool hardy. We can't have it both ways if we want to grow. It's either we internalize our own problems or we're just wasting our time.

One of the surest ways to industrialize right now is to "sell our soul to China". I am pretty certain China will be more than willing to do this. Our hope lies in the East and not the West (I know, it's on God! ). You can always opt out later. After all the broke up with the USSR subsequently. Let us invite that company that sells generators to us in China. Say two or three of them and promise them this: We will either ban the importation of generators or set a tariff as high as 2 times what it costs to produce the generator in Nigeria without energy.

Look at it this way, MTN has been recording huge profits regardless of the dire power situation. So that company will surely brake even and more. The price of generator will be high yes but we are buying and selling to ourselves. We are not import unemployment. This is what Korea did with Kia if I am not mistaken. It is called protectionist policy. Let the Chinese firm invest here and sell within since most Chinese firms are government owned this agreement can be reached "after selling our soul " I am kidding anyway.

Nigeria's deficit to GDP is just 2.18% which is a good thing. We can borrow against our expectation and the budget should be 80:20. 80% capital and 20% recurrent. I believe that if we focus on policies along this line, Nigeria will be growing at a rate of about 22% every year for at least 5 years which means we can borrow more money to saturate Nigeria with industries. Industries! Chinese industries all around Nigeria.

China did something along these lines and though I am no communist, I think it should pretty much work if the middle class take over this country. This is a snippet of my thought...

Since only one person has indicated interest, I think I will sign off here.

Cheers!!!

oduastates:
You do not need any model.
The answers are right there in your face.

1 pour money into technical education. Those degree /diploma mills aka tertiary education in Nigeria are not going to get the country anywhere. You do not need degrees to become a legal practitioner, accountant, journalists, aircraft maintenance engineer, machine tool operator, advanced farmer etc.

2 follow up with technical /engineering hubs and industrial estates. As we speak, an IT hub is growing by the day in yaba without any government help. Where did Nigeria waste money on IT hub ? Abuja, a place with little or no Information technology know-how. The lagos state government is also not doing anything.


3 use government policy to curb conspicuous consumption and reckless importation.

4 Direct funding to those who are already innovating and stop trying to make an entrepreneurs out of those who are not entrepreneurs( SURE-P). There are numerous fashion,engineering and information technology brands in Nigeria already. Support those.

5 Enforce laws


6 Give government contracts to those who are leaders in their field. e.g give shoe contracts to a shoemaker and not some politicians.

7 reduce the size of the government. A government that cannot pay his employees cannot afford those employees in the first instance. Downsize.

8 Something has to be done with the national assembly.


9 Most importantly, the federal government has to be downsized and the country restructured


10 Core infrastructure : Primary roads leading to the centres of production and commerce have to be top quality. Power supply improved. But all this depends on the restructuring of the country

This is a model, no? Though scatter gun at best. You think you can implement this without breaking it into detailed parts. In China it was called the Great Leap. You need to be methodological about it and aggressive and it comes with propaganda my brother. You need to make a Nigerian willing to kill anyone that uses a generator not made in Nigeria. Mao was ready to kill for Chinese industrialization, and kill he did- I do not countenance that though. That on its own my brother is a model. Maybe I just called it what any Economist would.

Savvy?

You can hate tribalism all you want but there are genocides happening in this thing you call Nigeria and the way you feel about tribalism isn't changing that. Acting like you can ignore that fact that Nigeria is a powerless, waterless killing field of broken dreams and cheated people and skip straight to industrialization is a joke. The people running factories in Nigeria today are doing it out of the kindness of their hearts, not because it make sense in this zoo of a contraption. If they ran the same factory in SA or Ghana their wealth would be triple what it is today. The current president can't read well. Senators have told me that they have to personally read bills to them because he doesn't understand it when submitting and the legislature if having a hard time passing bills. He has waged war and destroyed the judiciary. Will you be mad enough to set up a factory in a country where law, life and property aren't a sure thing?

Ofodirinwa:
You can hate tribalism all you want but there are genocides happening in this thing you call Nigeria and the way you feel about tribalism isn't changing that. Acting like you can ignore that fact that Nigeria is a powerless, waterless killing field of broken dreams and cheated people and skip straight to industrialization is a joke. The people running factories in Nigeria today are doing it out of the kindness of their hearts, not because it make sense in this zoo of a contraption. If they ran the same factory in SA or Ghana their wealth would be triple what it is today. The current president can't read well. Senators have told me that they have to personally read bills to them because he doesn't understand it when submitting and the legislature if having a hard time passing bills. He has waged war and destroyed the judiciary. Will you be mad enough to set up a factory in a country where law, life and property aren't a sure thing?

...

1andonly:
Hi Nairalanders!

I have grown tired of the mess that is Nigeria and I have been thinking seriously for sometime. I am hoping to find a partner(s) preferably an Economist to work together with on a model to industrialize Nigeria.

I am presently working on a mini article but the model should be the bigger picture. The crux of the model is to involve China in Nigeria the way China involved the USSR in its industrialization.

My motivations and turn offs:

I have gotten tired of Nigerian politics and our bereft politicians. I am no fan of Jonathan or Buhari.
I hate tribalism with passion.
I don't think corruption was/is Nigeria's biggest problem. I quote someone-"you can always take the moral high ground with more money in your pocket...". I think poverty is accountable for upwards of 80% of the social challenges we face. I rather think setting up strong and independent institutions is way better than "fighting corruption".
Africa needs a road map to industrialization. I think Nigeria can provide that.
I try to be one of the most unbiased persons you will find around (when I am biased, I state it though). I can actually take my brother to court if he deserves it.

Ultimately I like this guy...

http://www.economist.com/news/christmas/21568587-shot-killed-song-jiaoren-was-not-heard-around-world-it-might-have-changed

PS: I hope for the life of me that this doesn't come off as being narcissistic.

don't need China. gada 10 million ppl. collect 1, 1 thousand naira monthly and buy gas turbines and build industrial parks off grid

oduastates:
You do not need any model.
The answers are right there in your face.

1 pour money into technical education. Those degree /diploma mills aka tertiary education in Nigeria are not going to get the country anywhere. You do not need degrees to become a legal practitioner, accountant, journalists, aircraft maintenance engineer, machine tool operator, advanced farmer etc.

2 follow up with technical /engineering hubs and industrial estates. As we speak, an IT hub is growing by the day in yaba without any government help. Where did Nigeria waste money on IT hub ? Abuja, a place with little or no Information technology know-how. The lagos state government is also not doing anything.


3 use government policy to curb conspicuous consumption and reckless importation.

4 Direct funding to those who are already innovating and stop trying to make an entrepreneurs out of those who are not entrepreneurs( SURE-P). There are numerous fashion,engineering and information technology brands in Nigeria already. Support those.

5 Enforce laws


6 Give government contracts to those who are leaders in their field. e.g give shoe contracts to a shoemaker and not some politicians.

7 reduce the size of the government. A government that cannot pay his employees cannot afford those employees in the first instance. Downsize.

8 Something has to be done with the national assembly.


9 Most importantly, the federal government has to be downsized and the country restructured


10 Core infrastructure : Primary roads leading to the centres of production and commerce have to be top quality. Power supply improved. But all this depends on the restructuring of the country

voters no go gree you downsize ,there are no leaders in any field only looters. provide jobs and ppl will provide technical training

You said corruption is not our greatest problem... that strong and independent institutions are better alternatives than fighting corruption. But this still begs the question, "who will run these institutions?"

Yes, corruption isn't our biggest problem; but neither is it poverty! Corruption with poverty is only a projection of a much deeper malaise.

Something is seriously wrong with the present Constitution of this country. It is just too wasteful and divisive, for any meaningful development to take root. With the way this country is currently structured, the path to industrialization is a long winding road indeed.

1andonly:
Hi Nairalanders!
I have grown tired of the mess that is Nigeria and I have been thinking seriously for sometime. I am hoping to find a partner(s) preferably an Economist to work together with on a model to industrialize Nigeria.
I am presently working on a mini article but the model should be the bigger picture. The crux of the model is to involve China in Nigeria the way China involved the USSR in its industrialization...

I don't think corruption was/is Nigeria's biggest problem. I quote someone-"you can always take the moral high ground with more money in your pocket...". I think poverty is accountable for upwards of 80% of the social challenges we face. I rather think setting up strong and independent institutions is way better than "fighting corruption"...

Hey guys nice comments but my problem is that we do a lot of pontification myself included.

That was why I needed a model. When we have a plan then we can try to force the matter. My plan generically speaking is to forcefully industrialize and re-educate Nigeria. I have many plans I need other ideologues but not just utopian ideas.

Who says we can't cause the revolution that would set Nigeria on the right path. The youths will support us for sure and most importantly we will have a plan that we will be willing to put our heads on the block for. Does APC have a plan? I daresay no! PDP? a resounding no.

Enough of being arm chair analysts and complaining till the cows come home. I say we do something about it! In Nigeria it doesn't take much to become a legend. There is way too many wrongs in the country. Right one or two and there you go.

We can moan all we want but the status quo will perpetuate if we don't do anything. Nigeria should be flying high. We should be competing with China and the rest of the world. We have the talent, the resources the resilence.

I just can't sit back and watch anymore. I have grown tired. I can't wait for them to go. They never will! The will ruin our collective future. They have no plan. Those that do will never get in.

There must be someone reading this and saying to himself this is exactly my feeling. Yes we need to rally ourselves. Have a plan and take it from there.

Says Lincoln: "The dogmas of the quiet past, are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew and act anew. We must disenthrall ourselves, and then we shall save our country."

Cheers!!!

industrializing Nigeria would start with reorientating the psych of the average Nigerian on the street, the job of the (national orientation centre) we need to drive the patriotic spirit that as been neglected and abandoned.

you can't create an industrialized nation without government policy. is the government willing to partner with the private sector properly? government should be playing a regulatory role... we need the legislators to do something regarding that, legislations like the petroleum industry bill that could address issues with crude oil commodities both upstream and downstream
should be passed into law to stimulate productivity in that area.


you can't industrialized a nation that can't feed itself we need to be self sufficient in Nigeria, regarding this although it seems the present government is trying to encourage agricultural research and development which would enable us perform better nonetheless the agricultural sector should be given a pivotal role. every region has to produce a cash crop for export state by state to enable each state add to the nations foreign exchange, we use to be an agricultural nation before oil and we need to go back to our basis.


encourage foreign direct investment by creating enabling environment for foreign investors we can't grow our nation without foreign hands we need to create an environment that would be conducive for foreigners and their investments


technological hubs should be encourage in every state of the federation thereby enabling inventors and new generation scientist to drive the industrialization process

chiddye:
industrializing Nigeria would start with reorientating the psych of the average Nigerian on the street, the job of the (national orientation centre) we need to drive the patriotic spirit that as been neglected and abandoned.

you can't create an industrialized nation without government policy. is the government willing to partner with the private sector properly? government should be playing a regulatory role... we need the legislators to do something regarding that, legislations like the petroleum industry bill that could address issues with crude oil commodities both upstream and downstream
should be passed into law to stimulate productivity in that area.


you can't industrialized a nation that can't feed itself we need to be self sufficient in Nigeria, regarding this although it seems the present government is trying to encourage agricultural research and development which would enable us perform better nonetheless the agricultural sector should be given a pivotal role. every region has to produce a cash crop for export state by state to enable each state add to the nations foreign exchange, we use to be an agricultural nation before oil and we need to go back to our basis.


encourage foreign direct investment by creating enabling environment for foreign investors we can't grow our nation without foreign hands we need to create an environment that would be conducive for foreigners and their investments


technological hubs should be encourage in every state of the federation thereby enabling inventors and new generation scientist to drive the industrialization process

Once more, these are mere platitudes. I will hazard a guess and say you did not read my last post.

Firstly, we need to force the matter. You can't keep waiting till everything falls into place or till you achieve a middle income of $15,000. No! You might want to look more at China. It is a model that can work. See most of the S.E Asian countries are benefiting from China although the technological advancement started from Japan.

We can keep saying power this power that, this bill and that bill but we have to force this thing on ourselves. Again we can't depend on agriculture rather we will depend on agro allied industries in this forced growth model. Produce it and process it yourself. I say saturate Nigeria with industries FORCEFULLY. That passion you're using to chase Dasuki use it to think and implement ways to force industries into Nigeria.

Truth is I can come up with a million and one reasons why it won't work or the other things we have to put in place for it to work; all that stops the wheel from rolling IMHO. You can't have a perfect scenario but until you start there's no telling whether it will work or not. I am not the wait till the cows come home type. I like having a plan then try to execute or die trying!

Example why wait till 2018 to build a company that manufactures pencils? That year will come and nothing will happen trust me because this is not their plan and folks like me and you will keep pontificating from our ivory towers. But my proposed forced model is invite that Chinese company that sells these pencils to us. Ask them how long it will take to install the facility, negotiate for a faster date and plan on banning importation of any pencil whatsoever into Nigeria the first day that company starts producing pencils.

Why do I think this will work OBJ tried it and it did. Truth again is that most Nigerian governments have had this plan like I think GEJ had this Special Economic Zone thingy-that is very popular in SE Asia and I think Kenya is starting it too but they did not force it.

Once more remember this is a FORCED GROWTH model.

Industrialising nigeria is very easy but nigeria is not a function nation
it is nation where tribalism cronyism are celebrated like oduastates said we need restructuring,or regional system or disintegration,then every resulting body will work out a model

China did it the very hard way. Singapore did it the hard way. Nigeria will also have to do it the hard way. The spike in dollar is an opportunity to industrialise. Companies can begin to set up industries to make those products that we hitherto import, before long we would begin to forget those things same way a child forgets a thing withdrawn from him.

UPDATE ON THE MODEL:

We can produce phones in Nigeria and here's how

Identify a Chinese company that will be ready to partner with us (the assumption here is that all the logistics has been thought through). Negotiate how long it will take to install a capacity to produce at least 10,000 phone every day/week. I know there are more than 50 Chinese companies that will willingly accept this 'generous' offer.

Place a 500% tariff on all phones imported into Nigeria. The tariff will be calculated such that the imported phone will be at least 5 times the price of the home made phone. Like I mentioned earlier this is what South Korea did with Kia.

Truly this has to be supported by citizens who are educated properly so we can steal this Chinese technology in at least 5 years and start exporting to other African countries.

I still maintain that we can't wait for the perfect scenario even if they (Chinese phone company) has to produce the phones running on Nigerian made generators and fuel refined in Nigeria it is a win-win for us.

Remember it is a FORCED GROWTH MODEL.

1andonly:
My thinking is always the following

First off, we have a seemingly intractable challenge with power yet we import generators. This is fool hardy. We can't have it both ways if we want to grow. It's either we internalize our own problems or we're just wasting our time.

One of the surest ways to industrialize right now is to "sell our soul to China". I am pretty certain China will be more than willing to do this. Our hope lies in the East and not the West (I know, it's on God! ). You can always opt out later. After all the broke up with the USSR subsequently. Let us invite that company that sells generators to us in China. Say two or three of them and promise them this: We will either ban the importation of generators or set a tariff as high as 2 times what it costs to produce the generator in Nigeria without energy.

Look at it this way, MTN has been recording huge profits regardless of the dire power situation. So that company will surely brake even and more. The price of generator will be high yes but we are buying and selling to ourselves. We are not import unemployment. This is what Korea did with Kia if I am not mistaken. It is called protectionist policy. Let the Chinese firm invest here and sell within since most Chinese firms are government owned this agreement can be reached "after selling our soul " I am kidding anyway.

Nigeria's deficit to GDP is just 2.18% which is a good thing. We can borrow against our expectation and the budget should be 80:20. 80% capital and 20% recurrent. I believe that if we focus on policies along this line, Nigeria will be growing at a rate of about 22% every year for at least 5 years which means we can borrow more money to saturate Nigeria with industries. Industries! Chinese industries all around Nigeria.

China did something along these lines and though I am no communist, I think it should pretty much work if the middle class take over this country. This is a snippet of my thought...

Since only one person has indicated interest, I think I will sign off here.

Cheers!!!

Lol
Have you ever heard of WTO? there is a limit to which the Nigerian government can implement protectionists policies.

What makes you believe that the Chinese company that makes generator sets will set up a factory in Nigeria simply because we impose tariffs on imported sets? What if the company is Chinese government owned and its main purpose is to create jobs for Chinese people?

Even if the company were not government run and chooses to set up a factory here, the company will have to import almost all the parts it would need to assemble the sets, making the final price of the sets much higher than it is today. Although I am not am economist, I do know that a higher price leads to a decrease in the quantity demanded of a given good. So you are asking a Chinese company to set up shop here to make less profits than it is currently making.

Nigeria has a great economic model, Capitalism. Capitalism has proven over the years to be the surest path to prosperity and sustenance of that prosperity. Nigeria is also a federal democratic state, which is also a good political model. What prevents Nigeria from super growth is simply lack of political will to do what must be done, reduce excessive waste in our system.

Most countries have no income from natural resources such as crude oil. These countries rely solely on taxes finance infrastructure that support industrialization such as power plants and roads. Nigeria collects taxes from its citizens and at the same time gets revenue from oil sales, yet we lack basic infrastructure like pipe borne water because over 80 percent of governments revenue is spent on paying salaries and allowances.

The oil revenue is meant to benefit all Nigerians- alive, dead, yet to be born-, all Nigerians equally, and not a fraction called public and civil servants. This goal can only be achieved through mass infrastructure development. This is the fight, the youths must fight. This is the course you should be battling for.

Nigeria doesn't need any country's money or technical skills. The first power plant built in Nigeria was in the 1920's. The U.S. started mass development of power plants in the 20's. Today, we struggle to produce 4000 megawatts and America is moving head on into the digital age.

trillville:


Lol
Have you ever heard of WTO? there is a limit to which the Nigerian government can implement protectionists policies.

What makes you believe that the Chinese company that makes generator sets will set up a factory in Nigeria simply because we impose tariffs on imported sets? What if the company is Chinese government owned and its main purpose is to create jobs for Chinese people?

Even if the company were not government run and chooses to set up a factory here, the company will have to import almost all the parts it would need to assemble the sets, making the final price of the sets much higher than it is today. Although I am not am economist, I do know that a higher price leads to a decrease in the quantity demanded of a given good. So you are asking a Chinese company to set up shop here to make less profits than it is currently making.

Nigeria has a great economic model, Capitalism. Capitalism has proven over the years to be the surest path to prosperity and sustenance of that prosperity. Nigeria is also a federal democratic state, which is also a good political model. What prevents Nigeria from super growth is simply lack of political will to do what must be done, reduce excessive waste in our system.

Most countries have no income from natural resources such as crude oil. These countries rely solely on taxes finance infrastructure that support industrialization such as power plants and roads. Nigeria collects taxes from its citizens and at the same time gets revenue from oil sales, yet we lack basic infrastructure like pipe borne water because over 80 percent of governments revenue is spent on paying salaries and allowances.

The oil revenue is meant to benefit all Nigerians- alive, dead, yet to be born-, all Nigerians equally, and not a fraction called public and civil servants. This goal can only be achieved through mass infrastructure development. This is the fight, the youths must fight. This is the course you should be battling for.

Nigeria doesn't need any country's money or technical skills. The first power plant built in Nigeria was in the 1920's. The U.S. started mass development of power plants in the 20's. Today, we struggle to produce 4000 megawatts and America is moving head on into the digital age.

If, if and buts were candy and nuts we'd have a great Nigeria!

Pray tell what advantage has being in the WTO conferred on us. A dump ground for used cars from the US, old clothes from the UK and an occasional clanger from Italy. Exporting employment to the West and they return Kobo to us in the name of aid. In the model we only care about what favours Nigeria and possibly China.

I know it like the back of my palms that China will support Nigeria if only in defiance of the West. Why do you think it will not be profitable for them. Surely its a joke! A near monopoly. Lets assume you own a company- in this case you can be a government or an ordinary business man and a government invites you to be the sole producer or nearly, in its country do you really think this will not be profitable? The only issue here will be that of trust. Will Nigeria keep the dogs away from you?

China's demographics are changing as well as her economy. The focus in China is no longer dependent on Exports but they are shifting to a more consumer driven economy. I don't see why this won't work and we can't know without trying which we would somehow and very soon.

I find it a bit outrageous you think we don't need technological transfer. Can you name a non Western country that achieved large scale industrialization without this?

Again, though I respect your arguments, they are mere platitudes. The government should invest in infrastructure which they never will. The government should divide the country which will lead to a war, the government should pass this bill or that bill. The government should build this metro or dredge this river and they won't. The government should get me a wife too . I say these are passive suggestions. We have come to the stage where we have to force things. If we go the way you suggest, trust me there will be never be a speed rail in Lagos in your life time or mine even.

I must tell myself the truth, these things will come eventually but we could be talking about 100 years from now. Again every moment we delay industrialization, we risk losing out in the global scheme of things. In the US and Japan, robots are coming to life and these will mean doing away with the cheap labour. Which will be to our detriment.

Once more we are forcing things here. It's more related to the political will you talked about but it is a middle class revolution!

1andonly:


If, if and buts were candy and nuts we'd have a great Nigeria!

Pray tell what advantage has being in the WTO conferred on us. A dump ground for used cars from the US, old clothes from the UK and an occasional clanger from Italy. Exporting employment to the West and they return Kobo to us in the name of aid. In the model we only care about what favours Nigeria and possibly China.

I know it like the back of my palms that China will support Nigeria if only in defiance of the West. Why do you think it will not be profitable for them. Surely its a joke! A near monopoly. Lets assume you own a company- in this case you can be a government or an ordinary business man and a government invites you to be the sole producer or nearly, in its country do you really think this will not be profitable? The only issue here will be that of trust. Will Nigeria keep the dogs away from you?

China's demographics are changing as well as her economy. The focus in China is no longer dependent on Exports but they are shifting to a more consumer driven economy. I don't see why this won't work and we can't know without trying which we would somehow and very soon.

I find it a bit outrageous you think we don't need technological transfer. Can you name a non Western country that achieved large scale industrialization without this?

Again, though I respect your arguments, they are mere platitudes. The government should invest in infrastructure which they never will. The government should divide the country which will lead to a war, the government should pass this bill or that bill. The government should build this metro or dredge this river and they won't. The government should get me a wife too . I say these are passive suggestions. We have come to the stage where we have to force things. If we go the way you suggest, trust me there will be never be a speed rail in Lagos in your life time or mine even.

I must tell myself the truth, these things will come eventually but we could be talking about 100 years from now. Again every moment we delay industrialization, we risk losing out in the global scheme of things. In the US and Japan, robots are coming to life and these will mean doing away with the cheap labour. Which will be to our detriment.

Once more we are forcing things here. It's more related to the political will you talked about but it is a middle class revolution!

So your plan is to persuade the Chinese to open multiple factories and to stop importation of goods manufactured by such companies. It is well known that monopolies lead to poor quality products and services as producers lack incentives to improve quality. Monopolies also lead to higher priced goods which will further pauperise Nigerians.

Where do you suppose the factories be setup? Are they all going to be In the port cities or would they be located in the hinterland? If there are setup in the port cities such as Lagos, labour cost, a core issue destabilizing China today, will be about the same in Nigeria as it is in China. This will nessecitate higher prices and would promote smuggling. Do you plan on building a Great Wall of Naija to stop smugglers? If the factories are setup in the hinterland, what roads will the factories use in transporting their raw materials and finished goods? Government has a role to play in building infrastructure, and it must play its role for progress to be made.

You made some nice points about China's current policy on changing its economy. Nigeria needs to take advantage of this.

You are also right in stating Nigerians have no time to waste. Hence the youths of this nation need to stand up and demand that resources currently used in paying ineffectual civil and public servants be channeled to infrastructural projects.

1andonly:
Hi Nairalanders!

I have grown tired of the mess that is Nigeria and I have been thinking seriously for sometime. I am hoping to find a partner(s) preferably an Economist to work together with on a model to industrialize Nigeria.

I am presently working on a mini article but the model should be the bigger picture. The crux of the model is to involve China in Nigeria the way China involved the USSR in its industrialization.

My motivations and turn offs:

I have gotten tired of Nigerian politics and our bereft politicians. I am no fan of Jonathan or Buhari.
I hate tribalism with passion.
I don't think corruption was/is Nigeria's biggest problem. I quote someone-"you can always take the moral high ground with more money in your pocket...". I think poverty is accountable for upwards of 80% of the social challenges we face. I rather think setting up strong and independent institutions is way better than "fighting corruption".
Africa needs a road map to industrialization. I think Nigeria can provide that.
I try to be one of the most unbiased persons you will find around (when I am biased, I state it though). I can actually take my brother to court if he deserves it.

Ultimately I like this guy...

http://www.economist.com/news/christmas/21568587-shot-killed-song-jiaoren-was-not-heard-around-world-it-might-have-changed

PS: I hope for the life of me that this doesn't come off as being narcissistic.

emailme

Someone is trying to see us some sh1t from China

Hey, by the way, I totally support your movement.

trillville:


So your plan is to persuade the Chinese to open multiple factories and to stop importation of goods manufactured by such companies. It is well known that monopolies lead to poor quality products and services as producers lack incentives to improve quality. Monopolies also lead to higher priced goods which will further pauperise Nigerians.

Where do you suppose the factories be setup? Are they all going to be In the port cities or would they be located in the hinterland? If there are setup in the port cities such as Lagos, labour cost, a core issue destabilizing China today, will be about the same in Nigeria as it is in China. This will nessecitate higher prices and would promote smuggling. Do you plan on building a Great Wall of Naija to stop smugglers? If the factories are setup in the hinterland, what roads will the factories use in transporting their raw materials and finished goods? Government has a role to play in building infrastructure, and it must play its role for progress to be made.

You made some nice points about China's current policy on changing its economy. Nigeria needs to take advantage of this.

You are also right in stating Nigerians have no time to waste. Hence the youths of this nation need to stand up and demand that resources currently used in paying ineffectual civil and public servants be channeled to infrastructural projects.

Your argument is stimulating me.

I like your first line. I couldn't have scripted it better! This shows we need heads. Intelligent heads. Yes our plan is to flood Nigeria with industries.

1) Higher prices I know but you should factor in growth in employment. We will copiously import the equipments initially and have a well worked plan of being independent in 20 years and btw is it not better than the present status quo?

2) Location of the industries you will have to read our model. I can't give everything away. We factor in politics we're not obtuse. Do you want to come onboard?

3) We will criminalize smuggling. Look at it this way we will use propaganda to show Nigerians that not just smuggling in goods made in other countries but also patronizing non made in Nigeria goods is downright evil. China did it. Hitler did it with his Aryan ideology. So we can do it. We'd get our propaganda machine out. Don't mention it then because I will deny you.

Look at my next post.

Bits and pieces of the model

We intend to take over power at least by 2023 and we will be needing the youths massively. We are still preparing the grand model which will include running for government very soon just to create more awareness, getting into power and keeping it democratically for at least 50 years till Nigeria can stand up to the US This is why you never hear me say the government should do this and that. WE WANT TO DO IT OURSELVES. You guys will be hearing from us very soon.

Our model will not be perfect. It will have many downsides but we will at least gratify our conscience that we did not sit idly by.

Our average age is 30. So we have hot blood coupled with over exuberance.

PS: you will not add much value to this thread if you only come to suggest what the government should do and shouldn't do. Suggesting potential hiccups will be nice so we can incorporate it into this model.

Cheers.

Co proponent of the FORCED GROWTH MODEL.

1andonly:


This is a model, no? Though scatter gun at best. You think you can implement this without breaking it into detailed parts. In China it was called the Great Leap. You need to be methodological about it and aggressive and it comes with propaganda my brother. You need to make a Nigerian willing to kill anyone that uses a generator not made in Nigeria. Mao was ready to kill for Chinese industrialization, and kill he did- I do not countenance that though. That on its own my brother is a model. Maybe I just called it what any Economist would.

Savvy?

great leap was a colossal failure

1andonly:
Maybe I can initiate some topics for discourse here.

First and foremost we need to rethink our educational system. It encapsulates everything wrong with Nigeria.

I know a couple of people who went to government primary and secondary schools and can't read in English even if their lives depended on it.
How many if any of nairalanders completed their math text book in secondary school? I didn't! I thought it didn't really matter but in retrospection it does.
The problem starts from primary schools and then spills over to every sector of the economy.
Our university education is a joke. We need at least one working universities without all the dross we have if you know what I mean.
Without quality education, forget we can't industrialize because first off we need to copiously import industrial materials and then learn how to manufacture them ourselves.
In Europe, they teach them linear algebra (at least the basics in high school).

...

quality doesn't mean formal education