Nigerian Business Blog

African, not as dry as it appears on the surface

admin — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 13:39:43 +0000

Scientists say the continent of Africa is sitting on a vast reservoir of groundwater.

They argue that the total volume of water in aquifers underground is 100 times the amount found on the surface.

The team have produced the most detailed map yet of the scale and potential of this hidden resource.

Writing in the journal Environmental Research Letters, they stress that large scale drilling might not be the best way of increasing water supplies.

Across Africa more than 300 million people are said not to have access to safe drinking water.

Demand for water is set to grow markedly in coming decades due to population growth and the need for irrigation to grow crops.

Freshwater rivers and lakes are subject to seasonal floods and droughts that can limit their availability for people and for agriculture. At present only 5% of arable land is irrigated.
full story: bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-17775211

James Ibori jailed for 13 years by UK court

admin — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 22:33:19 +0000

A former London DIY store cashier who became governor of an oil-rich Nigerian state has been jailed for 13 years for fraud totalling nearly £50m ($77m).

James Ibori, former governor of Delta state, admitted 10 counts of conspiracy to defraud and money laundering.

Southwark Crown Court was told the amount he stole from the people of Delta state was “unquantified”.

Ibori, who evaded capture in Nigeria after a mob of supporters attacked police, was arrested in Dubai in 2010.

He was extradited to the UK, where he was prosecuted based on evidence from the Metropolitan Police.

One of the counts Ibori admitted related to a $37m (£23m) fraud pertaining to the sale of Delta State’s share in Nigerian privatised phone company company V Mobile.

He was governor of Delta State between May 1999 and May 2007.

Sasha Wass, QC, prosecuting, told the court Ibori “deliberately and systematically” defrauded the people he was elected to represent.

The court heard he came to the UK in the 1980s and worked as a cashier at a Wickes DIY store in Ruislip, north west London.

He was convicted in 1991 of stealing from the store but then returned to Nigeria and began his climb up the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) network.

source/full story: bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-17739388

Web builder, test your own web yourself

musodique — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 19:33:18 +0000

The two strongest reasons for testing your web pages with an html testing and validation program, link checker, and anchor checker prior to making them available to the www community are:

Your web pages may contain html tag errors or nonstandard tags that would cause them to display improperly on your targeted browser.

Your web pages may not contain either required or optional html tags that are important to search engines or spiders in the future. Without proper usage of the tags that crawlers search on, your pages may not be listed in future indexes and jump pages: therefore, it won’t be easy for participant to find your web.

If you haven’t created your page on a strict html, syntax-checking authoring system, submit it to one of the online html syntax validation systems or use one or more of the programs found at the following sites.
After you get the report from one of the syntax checkers, revise your web page if necessary. Most of these syntax checkers check for the html 2.0 DTD and html 3.2 DTD. So any tags you use that don’t conform may be marked as errors. If you want to continue to use tags that are specific for certain browsers, do it knowing that your page may not look the way you expect on other browser.
You can check the following links to find html validation checkers, link tester, form tester, syntax checkers, anchor checkers and lots more: http://www.yahoo.com/computers_and_internet/information_and_documentation/data_formats/html/validation_checkers/.

INEC OFFICIAL ARRESTED OVER MISSING BALLOT PAPERS

musodique — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 14:42:30 +0000

First of all, it was postponement of the election. Now it is the missing ballot papers. Tell me Nigerians, what you think about this? Nigeria is meant to be the best country today, but because our political sector is corrupt, therefore there is no possible way of getting our political sector back to the normal standard because most of the upcoming politicians all think of the national cake they get and not to get the social and financial economic stable.

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman Prof. Attahiru Jega recovered yesterday from the shock of the elections cancellation to begin the seemingly complex but necessary task of finding out how it all went haywire.

He ordered the arrest of one of the INEC officer in Osun state. It was found out that some of the ballot paper was burnt but there was no proof. The Osun state officer was arrested for the withholding of some ballot papers which led to one of the reasons the election was postponed.

Some Nigerians are trying to build up the country while some others just because of a little token are trying to breakdown the county. This in some people’s view is worse than terrorist suicide bombing. Due to all this intermittent corruption of officers and citizen, Nigeria is already kept in the black book of some companies. The best way to stop this is by putting an end to this is to relieve the burden of political corruption first.

POLITICS IN NIGERIA 2011

musodique — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 20:37:59 +0000

A lot of things can be said about the delay of the national assembly’s election. Even though Nigerians take it to be the reduction in rigging rate, but the real literally meaning is the increase in default politics which is the increase in corruption.

Now that the national assembly knows that there is going to be a good and fair election due to the new system of election, they have to figure out another way of getting their wants and going for their next term.I know this is what led to the postponement of the election.

Talking to some of our correspondence their view were quite the same with mine. Ridwan spoke on the fact that Nigeria has always been a corrupt country and that the good ones in Nigeria are always afraid of been outspoken due to the fact that they get assassinated. This fact scares the good Nigerian and when they keep quiet for quite long, they become corrupt also.

There are those who believe that a delay would improve the ability of incumbents to rig the elections. For these people, the prospect of a delay will be unpalatable. That the Commission’s chairman, Attahiru Jega, waited until now to announce that more preparation time is needed can equally be viewed with suspicion. After all, he did not just learn that a period of less than 4 months is too short to plan and conduct national elections. There are others who assert that the legislative delays, the rushed timetable and other factors are all a grand scheme to lengthen Jonathan’s stay in office. The theories know no bounds.

2011 election

This fact scares the good Nigerian and when they keep quiet for quite long, they become corrupt also.There are those who believe that a delay would improve the ability of incumbents to rig the elections. For these people, the prospect of a delay will be unpalatable. The theories know no bounds

Lamido Aminu Sanusi Wins Central Banker of the year

admin — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 06:53:12 +0000

Nigeria is frequently cited as one of the most corrupt countries in the world, but its central banker has won two international banking awards.

Mallam Lamido Aminu Sanusi has been named as the Central Bank Governor of 2010 for both the African continent and the entire world, by the prestigious Banker Magazine.

The editor of the magazine, Brian Caplen, says that few candidate names generate an overall consensus on judging panels, and yet, when it came to finding the best global central bank governor of the year, Mr Sanusi was chosen unanimously.

The 49-year-old was appointed head of the Bank of Nigeria in June 2009.

He has been praised for salvaging a crumbling Nigerian financial sector, including implementing reforms that have put Africa’s most promising market back on the map for global investors.

The magazine’s country representative, Kunle Ogedengbe, stresses that Mr Sanusi embarked on a radical anti-corruption campaign aimed at saving 24 banks on the brink of collapse.

He also pressed for the managers involved in the most blatant cases of corruption to be charged, and, in the case of two senior bankers, convicted.

“The reforms initiated by Mr Sanusi have been necessary to sanitise the banking industry,” Mr Ogedengbe says.

“Had these reforms not been initiated, Nigeria would have entered into another round of banking distress.”

source/full story: bbc

PRESIDENCY IN NIGERIA

toyin — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 16:19:08 +0000

(A game of Chess)
A new President must be elected come May 2011.

Ten months to election, only the old and spent have shown
interest for Aso Rock. The incumbent and the Almighty Maradona.
HISORY.
Britain ruled over Nigeria till 1st October 1960 when she got her independence,

Jan 1960 Prime Minister Abubarkar Tafawa Balewa took over from Britain.
16th January 1960 Nnamdi Azikwe became the Governor General. Just like Lord Lugard.

Jan 1963. Nigeria became a full Republic. Absolute in self control.

Jan. 1966. Johnson Aguyi Irosi wipe out civilian rule in a coup d Etat.

July. 1966. Yakubu Gowon led counter attack deposed Aguyi Irosi.

1975. General Murtala Mohammed deposed Yakubu Gowon.

1976. Gen. Murtala killed by Buka Dimka in a failed coupd Etat.

1976. Gen Olusegun Obasanjo took over from Gen. Murtala.Mohammed.

Oct. 1979 Gen. Obasanjo Handed over to Alhaji Shehu Shagari.

1979-83.Alaji Shehu Shagari reigned. August 1983 Gen. Muhammadu Buhari deposed Shehu Shagari.

Aug. 1983-93 Gen. I.B. Babangida ruled. He annulled Hope 93. Destroyed M.K.O. Abiola!s mandate.

1993. Ernest Shonekan and the interim government.

1993~98. General Sanni Abacha ( the maximum ruler ) reigned.

1998. Abdulsalam Abubarka reigned. He handed over to Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo.(Rtd)

May 1999~2007. Olusegun Obasanjo reigned.

May 2007~2010 President Umar Yaadua reigned till death.

May 2010. President Goodluck Jonathan, the Vice took over till date.

THE AFTERMATH.
The rotation of the Presidency within a circle has stemmed the Socio~Political,,Religio~Economic progress of Nigeria.

WHAT NEXT. Come 2010, Nigeria want a credible government truly elected not selected. We are tired of
MEDIOCRES.

Online Business in Nigeria

toyin — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 16:12:45 +0000

ONLINE BUSINESS IN NIGERIA
Yahoo..Yahoo. Is a common term used to describe any one on line in respective of what He or She was up to.
What is the meaning of Yahoo? Yahoo is simply define is an internet provider mostly used by Nigerians.
Online business is simply ecommerce. The new vogue.
Few years back the trend was to rent. a shop., stock it ,source for customers and make money.
The Seminar Era : The general downward trend of the economy globally made people switched to online business. To catch them young, seminars was used to lure able ones to the net. With its advantages over
The offline, men trooped there and were MILKED. For thousands next to nothing was achieved.
The Era of free seminars. Deacon Austin Azubuike is the father of free online seminars. On 20th march 2010 he launched it at Ikeja White house. Since then others have copied. Him.
The truth. Most organisers lost the purpose of organising the seminars simply because of greed and time too
Short for what they preached. At the end of the day mere 5% of participants gained.

Niger Delta Ex- Militants

misi — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 21:29:20 +0000

Wednesday 8th July 2010,witnessed another militant attack. This time not on the creek nor on any of the Delta region. It was on the highway. Between Abaji and Gwagwalanda just about 60km.to Abuja from Lokoja area, the road was completely bloced by the 2nd batch of the Niger Delta ex-militants. Numbering over One thousand the weird looking militants brought total confusion on the peoples of the area. From dawn till 2p.m. they enjoyed absolute control of the highway. Military personnel were deployed and with tact were able to dislodged the ex-militant. There was no life lost. PRELUDE:Between 1967 abd 1970,the region suffered Civil war that took all the Federal might to curb. The war made the rather docile population to be militarily at alert. Overnight Arms and Amunitions littered the region and they later became a force to be recorn with. Under President Olusegen Obasanjo, many petrolium pipelines were vandalised and next to nothing was achieved. This might have prompted former President Musa Yaadua to give general amnesty to all Militants. THE PRESIDENTIAL AMNESTY COMMITTTEE. It was set up to reconcile the militants and find a lasting solution to the regional problem. As a result 20192 repentant NigerDelta militants were enlisted. They laid down the arms and surrendered before the 4th October deadline. They were sent in batches to Obubra Camp in Cross River State. Those who surendered late formed the 2nd batch and were not included in the immediate rehabilitation and empowerment. The death of President Umar Yaadua might have contributed to the delay. Thinking that they might have been forgotten they took the law into their hands. The minister of state Niger Delta,affairs Samuel Ode stated that the prevailing political change-over couple with the official beurocracy accounted for the delay. The ex-militants are however demanding for the remover of thespecial Adviser to(Amnesty)the president Mr Timi Alabe immediate removal.

Nigeria cancels South Korea oil deal

admin — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 17:34:42 +0000

Nigeria has cancelled an oil exploration deal signed in 2006 with a South Korean consortium, says the Korea National Oil Corporation (KNOC).

Nigeria alleged that the consortium failed to make agreed payments, KNOC said.

The two offshore blocks were estimated to hold some two billion barrels of crude oil in total.

The move is a blow to Seoul’s efforts to raise its reserves, as South Korea imports all of its oil.

Lawsuit

“The South Korean consortium is studying various measures against the Nigerian government’s unilateral cancellation of the exploration rights,” KNOC said.

“Through close consultations with the [Seoul] government, we are working on various countermeasures which may include a lawsuit.”

The consortium is led by KNOC. Other members include Daewoo Shipbuilding and Korea Electric Power.

It paid $9m in cash and offered a letter of credit to pay another $231m, in order to cover their 60% interest in oil blocks OPL321 and OPL323, which are based in deep water in the Gulf of Guinea.

The deal was signed with Africa’s top oil producer in March 2006 when South Korea’s then president Roh Moo-hyun visited Nigeria.

In return for the exploration rights, South Korea had planned to build a 1,200-km (745-mile) gas pipeline from the southern delta to the capital Abuja and provide 2,250 megawatts of power generation.

source: bbc