Why is nigeria important

The economy of Lagos State alone is currently larger than that of any of our West African neighbours and quite a few other African nations in some cases combined. Demand from Lagos alone already fuels economic activity in other parts of the continent There were reports of a factory shutting down in Ghana a while back because their class of products were banned from importation into Nigeria, the Ghanaian market alone was not sufficient. Nigerians like to point out that few other nations have the capacity to and have indeed intervened repeatedly with force when necessary to stop violent conflict in other countries - this is fact.

Hate us or love us, if Nigeria sneezes, Africa will get a cold but does all this mean that without Nigeria, Africa cannot make the much longed for progress? I do not think so. While our thieving leaders are satisfied to point out with misplaced pride how we have consistently failed to reach our full potential, some of our neighbours are quietly strengthening their institutions. Progress will be made, but it will ultimately be limited by how much progress Nigeria makes. Nigeria has the potential to be the anchor that pulls Africa down, slow her down, or to join other nations to help Africa fly.

Individually and as a Nation,Nigeria has been helpful and very importance to the continent of Africa,I as a person have given a great help to some African brothers from Ghana,Liberia etc and so do other Nigerians.

This is individuals then,As a Nation of Nigeria,she has immensly helped to quench fire that burned for many years like in South Africa during the appetite and Liberia war including the coup de ta in guinea,this are to mention but a few.

To say something is important it must have at least certain features or characteristics that constitute the importance and the relevance. What is it about Nigeria that is important to Africa? Nigerians can't even agree about the anatomy of our country, so how can how can we begin to claim that our country is important to Africa? I agree with Akpan, indeed Nigeria's importance is often overstated because for instance come to Southern Africa, yes, we have great respect for Nigeria but in terms of influence I am not convinced.

In Botswana for example in determining our policies we rely very much on the needs of our people and ultimately on the good management of our resourses, we also depend on our neighbours and the regional groupings. Perhaps if we had more socio economic, cultural, trade and other links as a continent we would be in a better position to influence each other and work closer together as Africans. Lets not leave it all to the African Union.

People often complain that Nigerians are loud and arrogant. It is not our fault if our confidence shines over what some may refer to as timidity - we are what we are, and like it or not we ARE and the world has to live with us.

I should also add that we are not unaware of our shortcomings, as I am certain you will find in the comments of some Nigerians in this forum.

We are our own biggest critics. Permit me to respond to some of the comments here. The Nigerian government banned the importation of a certain class of goods from anywhere in the world, unfortunately there were Ghanaian factories that had factored the Nigerian market into their business plans that were affected. A similar argument is currently made by Ghanaians with respect to the new rules that threatens to force out small Nigerian business men in Ghana, because they fall under the umbrella of "foreigners".

You should look around your country, trust me - Ghana is not surviving without Nigeria. How exactly? Liberia is a wonderful country that has had more than its fair share of problems. But really, if you are trying to downplay Nigeria's contributions in Africa, Liberia is really not the way to go - at all, their president may still have bodyguards from the Nigerian secret service.

Fact is most African countries have histories that command respect - Ghana for instance, South-Africa as well. I wish you would mention what country you are from. You say we are only important for our squandered oil revenue - for all I know, you could be from a country that Nigerian soldiers have died fighting for, or that benefits from our technical aid core scheme that sends Nigerian professionals to African and Caribbean nations that request them for assistance.

You can say that Africa's future is not fully dependent on Nigeria, that is a FACT, but to imply that we approximately good for nothing is simply rude. Nigeria has done a lot for a lot of African nations, without asking anything in return. The least you can do is acknowledge that. George Oyeho: At the risk of coming across as arrogant, I must disagree - all countries are not equal on the continent.

How many people out there can point out the Comoros Islands on a map, or Seychelles. No offence to these nations, as important as they are, because all countries are important to a degree, they are nowhere as relevant on the continent as many other nations. Tek: Ethiopia is making quiet progress I do not understand why people want to avoid facts. Some of the comments here amount to flagrant denial of facts.

It's almost like saying China is not important to the world. China's influence on the world economy is undeniable and whether we like it or not it is fueled by their demand for all sorts of things from all over the world and their ability to manufacture cheaply. One of the failures African nations is the failure to trade more with each other - can you imagine, to what extent factories in Cameroon or Ghana could grow if they had added demand from a prosperous Nigeria just a few hours drive away.

I feel very strongly about this issue, because I love my country as confused as she is, but I am also a practical person. African nations will progress without Nigeria, but the process could be accelerated by a prosperous Nigeria or hampered by a chaotic Nigeria. If Nigeria finally gets her act together, we all stand to benefit.

No doubt, Nigeria is giant in Africa, though the country is facing incredible disturbances that recast its economy to shamble one. Aberration and mismanagement under the leadership of corruption force this fortunate nation, which have been blessed with human and natural resources to remain in the shadow of poverty and starvation. What exactly did Nigeria 'do' to liberate South Africa? As far as I recall the frontline states were indeed in the frontline of the liberation of South Africa.

I will say that Nigerians are very enterprising but generally they lead Africa in all the wrong things. Nigeria is centrally important to Africa. It has a huge population and one of the most important economies in the continent, not least because of it's huge mineral resource. Africa has every chance of being able to look back at the second half of this or the next century and say 'this was our century' as the British and other European countries did in the 19th Century, the American's in the 20th century and the Indian's and Chinese will in this century.

But for that opportunity to be realised Africa will need to substantially change the way it is governed. Nigeria has been a very corrupt in recent years, so much so that it has almost come to defined the word. It has been so bad that Virgin Airways do not accept credit cards for duty free goods on flights to Nigeria from the UK too much fraud. The good news is that many very talented Nigerians, both men and women, who have been educated in the world's best universities and had highly successful careers in some of the worlds most revered organisations, both governmental and commercial, are returning with the specific intention of bringing their knowledge home changing how Nigeria is run.

I believe the cream will float to the top and form an important part of a movement across Africa that will mean future generations understand what good governance is and demand nothing less. I don't agree with everything President Obama has to say but I agree with him on this.

So he was right to have said that if all is well in Nigeria with time all will be well else where. Cameroon is Africa in miniature and pace setter: If you should know how Africa is doing and if success is near or far, check with Cameroon.

Nigerian could be populous but not the most important. Nigeria, Africa's most populated nation most get it house in order to be able to influence policies in other African countries despite its oil wealth and and over-population. The importance of Nigeria or any other country for that matter is always debatable.

The answer is not far fetched if you think of what a destabilized Nigeria would mean to the continent as whole in economic and population sense. Always showing poverty and decay but never the nice and modernized cities across the continent. I recently returned from a business trip to India and I had a shock of my live from the level of poverty- most areas worse than picture shown above.

I'm talking about New Delhi, Agra, and business district of Gurgaon. I took thousands of pictures if BBC would like them free of charge. All we ask for is fairness in portraying African countries. There are bad and good areas in most countries including developed ones.

They restore our President almost twice after he was overthrown by rebel forces. Although, other countries are now claiming that their intervention in Sierra Leone helped end one of the world most barbaric civil war but I think Nigeria should take credit for that. Nigeria still continues to support Sierra Leone in its post war reconstruction phase. If the world did not recognize that, we in Sierra Leone appreciate them.

A friend in need is a friend in deed. Let any country on the continent that has matched, can match the sacrifice that Nigeria as a nation has made in Africa stand up. You name one now and produce your facts or forever keep your peace. As a nation Nigeria have single handedly directly influenced the the chain of events militarily, economically and politically. The country have threatened to use force and successfully reversed unconstitutional moves by armed factions in Togo, Sao Tome and Equatorial Guinea.

Institutions from high court judges to industries across the continent even in Botswana are populated by Nigerian professionals. A strong elite force was sent into Angola to hold the capital Luanda against Racist South Africa onslaught shortly after the Portuguese were driven out during that country's independence war.

The economy of nigeria dwarfs that of the entire West Africa. Where else is the proof of the country's importance to Africa. These are facts. What do you mean President? Which else nation is not important for African continent? As to me, every African nation is very important for Africa.

Because if purposefully and effectively developed, every country is full of human beings, a very vital and critical resource for any development. As to me Africans, for sure, will all prevail. President, for me the country that might not prevail is not any African country, but it is America U. A , as long as it does not take immediate corrections on its political and economic systems.

Do you know why? Don't look at today's mightiness of your country, because, this planet has witnessed so many Mighty powers in the past that were later on changed in to dusts.

So, there is no rule of exceptions that guarantees the U. A to be immune from such historical fate. As a matter of fact the world is observing a highly troubled US economy and an emerging mighty power,like china.

So, I don't accept Mr. Obama's comment on the African countries like that. Sorry to say that , you western countries don't have the slightest knowledge about this Blacks part of the world. So, you should take very much care when you try to say something about this very huge as the same time very mysterious continent. Once again every one should know that we all Africans will prevail,with no doubt. These kind of discussion topics only promote xenophobia. BBC should dessit from promoting this kind of dialogue, and instead focus debate on issues that really promote african unity and development.

Nigeria is very important to Africa at least as a big lesson to other countries of Africa on corruption and its evil effects on the growing generations and the general society of a country. Nigeria is also a big lesson to African countries that found oil on their territory at least they will use Nigeria to learn that a badly managed blessing can turn arrount and become a course. At the material level, Nigeria may not have much to offer Africa, largely because of its current poverty of governance.

However, Africa owes much to Nigeria for preserving African culture against Western invasion during the colonial times. Today, what passes for pride in African mode of dressing, for example, is what Nigeria has preserved, as exemplified by African movies from Nollywood, now regarded as one of the top three in the world [with Bollywood of India and Hollywood of USA].

In my view, to have rescued Africa from Western cultural imperialism is bigger and more endearing than transient economic development advantages. Think about that! There is a need for us to drop the blinkers imposed by jingoism. I'm no fan of Obama's but I doubt that he meant to make people feel that their countries were unimportant. So all this talk about my Ghana, my Cameroon or my Ethiopia are unnecessary. Nigeria is a patchwork of distinctive regions, including deserts, plains, swamps, mountains, and steamy jungles.

It has one of the largest river systems in the world, including the Niger Delta, the third largest delta on Earth.

Much of Nigeria is covered with plains and savannas. These tropical grasslands spread out as far as the eye can see and are interrupted here and there by trees and shrubs. The southwestern plains are home to the Yoruba people, who have lived there for thousands of years.

There are at least languages spoken in Nigeria and possibly more than Music and art spring from strong tribal roots and are prevalent throughout society. At least 60 percent of Nigerians live below the poverty line, existing on less than a dollar a day.

Unfair distribution of the country's oil wealth, as well as political, ethnic, and religious conflicts have put a strain on Nigerian society. High on Nigeria's southern mountains, the slopes are covered by thick rain forest. Green plants grow everywhere, broken by flashes of color from flowers, fruits, birds , and butterflies. This is the home of rare western lowland gorillas, once thought to be extinct in Nigeria. On the other hand, an unstable, stagnant and conflict-driven Nigeria will be a threat to regional and global stability.

One of the highlights was an impressive gathering of CEOs from many of the largest U. Importantly, investor interest in Nigeria and across Africa today includes not just oil and mining companies looking to develop and export natural resources, but infrastructure , technology, consumer goods, agribusiness, and manufacturing companies that can sustain growth, create jobs, and improve livelihoods.

The United States is the largest foreign investor in Nigeria, with many U. It is vital that this investment interest not be undermined by the spread of violence and instability.

The culture of corruption is entrenched in Nigeria. Taking it on should be a top priority for the winner. Nigeria has shown that it can act. An example is reforming the system to provide farmers with agricultural input. Today, the private sector distributes fertilizer to farmers, with the government only providing a subsidy. It has created a national database of more than 10 million smallholder farmers to ensure they receive the needed supplies. This is far from being enough, but it is an important step forward.

Nigeria has the potential to be a key exporter of agricultural produce. It has over 84 million hectares of arable land — larger than the size of Turkey — but only 40 percent of it is currently cultivated. It has abundant rainfall and a labor force that can increase agriculture production. With continued reforms and infusion of domestic and foreign investment, this sector can grow to feed Nigerians and the wider world. The country has shown its potential to nurture a growing entrepreneurial class.

The emergence of Nollywood, a booming billion dollar film industry, has been made possible by a combination of new digital technologies and a culture of entrepreneurship. Investing in infrastructure energy, transport , irrigation, and telecoms to grow other sectors requires peace and stability.

The way Nigeria swiftly contained Ebola through state, federal, and international cooperation is another sign of the country's potential to be a key regional and international player. Nigeria also plays a decisive role as a leader in peacekeeping across Africa.

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