Problems and Solutions of Management in Nigeria

Okwuagbala Uzochukwu Mike P writes about challenges, youth, metallurgy, and insurance. Search his books on Amazon using his name.

By Darwinek (Own work), licensed under CC-BY-SA-3.0

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What Are the Problems Facing Nigeria Today?

Nigeria has many problems. They include but are not limited to the following:

Corruption
Crime and terrorism (specifically Boko Haram insurgency)
Unemployment
Education and university systems
The environment
Infrastructure
Gender-based discrimination
Road accidents
The economy

It would be impossible to thoroughly examine all of these issues in just one article, so think of this as an introduction.

Nigeria's Biggest Problem Is Corruption

Corruption is at the root of many of Nigeria's problems. Corruption takes many forms and infiltrates all political institutions and economic sectors. It is so sad to hear that the government, which is set up to build the country and fight any form of corruption, is now stealing from her own people.

Chapter II, section 15, subsection 5 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria states thus: The State shall abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of power. But is this State really adhering to this instruction? The government personnel who are constituted to abolish corruption are careless about what is expected of them. Also, the non-governing citizens who are also expected to be free from corruption are also found guilty. Abuse of power is observed in almost all the government arms of the federation.

The current ruling government is not performing its functions as promised, and officials are too busy filling their pockets instead of governing effectively. In 2013, Transparency International deemed Nigeria one of the most corrupt nations in the world, ranking as 144th in Corruption Perception Index out of the 177 countries measured. Mathematically, it shows that Nigeria was the 33rd most corrupt country in 2013.

In 2012, a Gallup poll found that 94% of Nigerians thought corruption was widespread in their government. The spoils of political corruption—billions of US dollars—are stashed in foreign bank accounts. The Abacha administration in the 1990s notoriously looted upwards of $3 billion. Since then, government institutions like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and former President Goodluck Jonathan have vowed to eradicate corruption. Even so, as recently as 2013, the Central Bank of Nigeria reported the 76% of the country's crude oil revenue intended for the Bank was unaccounted for.

The most recently released data on the level of corruption in Nigeria shows improvement when compared to that of 2013 and other years. In 2014, Nigeria is ranked 136th out of 174 surveyed countries in terms of corruption. This implies that Nigeria is the 38th most corrupt nation in 2014. The result was published by Transparency International on Wednesday, December 3, 2014. The result shows that former President Goodluck Jonathan's administration was making an impact by bringing down the corruption level in Nigeria.

The current president, Mohammed Buhari, is making his own effort to bring corruption in the country to a minimal level. This caused a few who looted in the past regime to bring back some of the money they embezzled.

Corruption in Elections

Election-rigging is not unheard of in Nigeria. The citizens of Nigeria are tired of coming out to cast their votes on election day only to feel their votes haven't been counted. A Foreign Affairs investigation of the 2007 elections counted around 700 election-related violent acts in the year leading up to the elections, including two assassinations. International observers in 2007 reported the rampant theft of ballot boxes, and while the situation improved in 2011, ballot-rigging was still rampant. During elections, Nigerians and international watchdog groups tell stories of thugs hired by candidates to hijack the ballot boxes and intimidate voters. Many of these thugs are disaffected and unemployed youth.

Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) on October 2, 2014, reported that the European Union (EU) committed 15 million euros (€15,000,000) in the country's 2015 election. How will the money be utilized? Will the money be used solely for what it is meant for? Only God knows whether those who are ruling the election body will use it for what it was made for or embezzle it, as corruption in the country is experienced more in the public sector.

Corruption and Gender Discrimination

Corruption doesn't only exist in government; it is pervasive in society. For example, what happens in some companies with male CEOs when a woman applies for a job? Unless they already know them, some of the CEOs demand special, sometimes sexual, favors from young women seeking employment, and at times they do not even hire them in the end. Those at the top adopt an attitude of "if I do not already know you, I'm not going to hire you," and they exploit their power—this is just one illustration. Those who do not have connections to top officials or executives remain jobless, even if they're university graduates with top marks. Gender and education will be discussed later, but this is a concrete example of how systemic corruption perpetuates a host of problems in Nigeria.

Journalism and Corruption

The press is hamstrung in its efforts to report corruption and election-rigging. Some have been paid off by the governments they report on, a practice that produces weak news and must be stopped. In 2013, the Committee to Protect Journalists, an American NGO which evaluates press freedom around the world, added Nigeria to their impunity list—a list of countries where journalists are routinely harassed and murdered with little to no recourse.

Election Reform

Though President Muhamed Buhari's administration is working hard to see that election-rigging in Nigeria is eliminated, much more needs to be done. Seminars should be organized for Nigerian youths to be taught the dangers of working as thugs for politicians. This is where the importance of youth empowerment comes into play. Television channels in the country should be used to educate the nation about corruption and how to stop it. Political candidates found guilty of election-rigging should be punished more frequently and harshly. If convicting corrupt politicians becomes normal, then others will learn, and with time, election-rigging in Nigeria can be made a thing of the past.

Business and Consumer Goods

It is true that Nigeria is blessed with crude oil (petroleum), but the question is, how correct are the volumes that are exported out of the country? For instance, an executive at one oil servicing company in the country may export about 1000 barrels of crude oil from the country and went back and gave a report to the government that he exported 500 barrels. What happens to the remaining 500? The money goes into his personal account—corruption in the higher order.

Corruption is also rampant among Nigerian business workers. How many people have bought any electronic product with a particular capacity and had the product give him or her the result that's written on it? In Nigeria, many of those who deal in electronics buy products of lower capacity and use their own manufactured stickers to hide the capacity on the products. For instance, a businessman may buy a Tiger generator of 4.5hp (horsepower), change the sticker to pass it off as 6.5hp, and sell it at a higher price. In other business sectors, some sell inferior products to customers to make more of a profit. There have been many cases of misunderstanding in the country's marketplaces between sellers and buyers because of inferior products sold to the buyers.

"Logo of Boko Haram" by ArnoldPlaton - Own work. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0.

Wikimedia Commons

Boko Haram and Terrorism in Nigeria

Terrorist attacks are on the rise in Nigeria; specifically, the activities of Boko Haram have increased over the past year. Terrorism is a big challenge for the country. Bombings, kidnappings, and other violent acts of Boko Haram prevent many Nigerians from feeling safe. The Global Peace Index in 2016 ranked Nigeria as the fourth country in the world with the highest number of "international conflict deaths." According to the 2018 Global Terrorism Index report, Nigeria maintained the third position in terrorism for that year.

Crime and Problems of Public Safety

The Nigerian crime problem gives many citizens in this country sleepless nights. In many places, people feel they can no longer walk around their own neighborhoods unharmed. Public safety is the most fundamental responsibility of any state, and Nigeria has failed in this regard.

The Arrest of Evans, the Famous Kidnapper

Kidnapping has turned into a business in the country. The one that took place in June 2017 shocked citizens around the country. On June 10, 2017, Chukwudi Onuamadike, aged 36, popularly known as Evans, was arrested by a police group in Lagos state of Nigeria. He hails from Umudim Village, Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State. Evans is described as the most notorious, high profile kidnapper—and the richest in Nigeria.

According to Vanguard news, Evans confessed the highest ransom he collected was $1 million from somebody living in Festac, Lagos state. The Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, disclosed that the kidnapper collected about $6 million as ransom from his kidnapping business. Evan has houses in Nigeria and Ghana, and he made his fortune from kidnapping. The arrest of Evans the kidnapper is the biggest kidnapping news in Nigeria in 2017.

Please bear with a personal anecdote on the subject. I have a friend by the name of Sampson C. On 13 June 2013, Sampson was heading to a night vigil at Onitsha in Anambra when a group of young men stopped him. They took everything he had on him. He pleaded with them saying, "Collect everything you want, but give me my wallet back because I have some important documents in it." The young men refused and took the documents which were of no use to them. This situation is pitiable, and it's a typical example of rampant petty crime in Nigeria.

As of 2004, Nigeria has a high murder rate: 17.7 homicides per every 100,000 people. Mugging and piracy are endemic. An overall increase in crime against foreigners, in particular, led the US State Department to consider the situation in Nigeria as "critical" in 2013. People around the world cannot even browse the internet without fear of being scammed by Nigerians looking to make money overnight. These people who dupe victims through the internet are called Yahoo boys or G guys. Instead of Nigerian police officers fighting against these young men by arresting them and bringing them to face the law, they strike deals with them by collecting large monetary bribes from them and allowing them to continue with their criminal activities. There are many 'dirty' police officers in Nigeria.

One cause of Nigerian crime is the drug trade, in which organized criminal groups in Nigeria are heavily involved. According to the American FBI, ethnic Nigerians in India, Pakistan, and Thailand provide Nigerian gangs with easy access to 90% of the world's heroin supply.

Why Is There So Much Crime in Nigeria?

People engage in illegal and unethical activities when they are frustrated with legitimate options. Lack of opportunity makes them indulge in criminal acts, and their actions make the whole nation look bad. Instead of allowing persistent unemployment to continue, the government should increase security in the country and hire youth as security agents.

Kidnapping activity in Nigeria is growing as fast as the grass on a riverside. This has come to the extent of kidnapping the country's kids to be released on ransom. The Lawanson Road, Itire abode of the Orekoyas—whose three children were kidnapped by a housemaid 24 hours after she was first employed—became a Mecca of sorts of following news of their discovery (Vanguard News, April 16, 2015). This was a kidnapping incident that took place in the Lagos state of Nigeria, whereby a housemaid kidnapped 3 children and demanded fifteen million naira as a ransom (N15 million). After payment of the ransom, the children were released in a building's construction site.

Unemployment in Nigeria

Unemployment is a hot issue in Nigeria, and many people are frustrated with widespread joblessness. Unemployment in Nigeria is like a disease for which the cure is not yet discovered. According to official statistics, 24% of Nigerians are unemployed. These numbers are worse for young people. Official Nigerian statistics say 38% of those under 24 are unemployed, but the World Bank estimates this number to be closer to 80%. In March 2014, 16 people were killed in stampedes when 500,000 desperate job-seekers rushed to apply for under 5,000 vacancies at the Nigeria Immigration Service.

Students at tertiary educational institutions often graduate into joblessness and low morale. There is a great challenge in Nigeria's education. Many Nigerian graduates have not learned good skills during their studies. They were busy reading textbooks without learning the practical application. They apply for jobs for which they aren't hired because they lack skills. Graduates often must stay in their parents' homes for a long time and experience mounting frustration and pessimism. This negativity is one of the major root causes of crime among young people in Nigeria; they turn to unscrupulous activities because there is nothing else to occupy their time or generate income. Each year, 200,000 students graduate from universities, but many fail to find a job, and some will seek out less-than-honorable means of supporting themselves.

Encouraging the acquisition of skills will go a long way in solving Nigeria's unemployment challenge. Both the government and the individuals should work hand in hand to reduce unemployment.

Another alternative to solving the unemployment issue in Nigeria is through self-discovery. Embracing the opportunities offered by the internet is a welcomed idea in solving Nigeria's unemployment problem. Among them include application design and online publication. Online publication helps people develop writing skills. Nigerians can write on many different online platforms. Many forums do not require any money to start, and the management directs the writers on how to get paid.

Nigerian primary school enrollment by state. By ClosingTime (Own work), licensed by CC-BY-SA-3.0

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Problems in Nigeria's Educational System and Universities

There is also a lot of corruption in the Nigerian educational system, particularly universities. Lecturers are known to collect money from students in exchange for good grades. Some say they have to bribe university administrators in order to have their exam results compiled and submitted to the (required) National Youth Service Corps.

Lack of Political and Internal Oversight

In August 2014, Nigeria's own Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) reported that corruption was endemic to Nigerian universities, due to continual failure to make violators accountable for their actions. The Chairman of the ICPC's University System Study Review, Professor Olu Aina, said there was a lack of "political will" to deal with corruption violations, few internal checks and balances in universities to prevent corruption, and little external oversight of corrupt practices.

Beyond political corruption, the Nigerian education system suffers in other ways. It compares poorly not only to those of developed Western nations but also to other African countries like Ghana and South Africa. In 1997 and 2000, federal government expenditure on education was below 10% of the overall budget. The money appropriated to the education sector in the 2013 budget was ₦426.53 billion, which amounts to only 8.67% of the total budget (₦4.92 trillion). The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recommends that the education sector accounts for 26% of national budgets in order to impact national development.

The universities and higher institutions in the country are not in good shape. The departments that are supposed to be taught technically and practically so that graduates will be useful to firms. But in reality, their graduates are lacking in skills, and this makes them contribute less to the societal development of the country. Many firms have appealed to the federal government to make the necessary tools available to enable the students that specialize in an area that's employable in society. Etiwa Vocational Training Limited, a Lagos-based firm specializing in developing skilled workers, has called on the federal and state governments to pay more attention to technical education in the country (Eric Dumo 2017).

Drop-Out Rates

What's the proportion of Nigerian students who quit school? According to a Channels Television Station report on 9th September 2014, over 10.5 million Nigerian children are out of school. This shows the illiteracy level of the country. According to the guest on Channels Television who gave the statistics, he stated that the problem of Boko Haram in Nigeria today is because they were not in schools when they were young. He went further to say that they were fed with wrong information, and because of that missing knowledge, they lacked wisdom. A high proportion of uneducated people in the population is a problem for the country because many people lack wisdom that they would have gained if they went to school (Boko Haram).

Education is the bedrock of development. But unfortunately, education in Nigeria is intercepted with myriads of problems (Lucky & Omofonmwan 2007).

Inadequate Infrastructure in Nigeria

Mismanagement in the Electricity Sector

Infrastructure may seem a trivial issue following other problems like Boko Haram, but how can a country make progress without a reliable power supply? The power sector is corrupt and mismanaged, and many workers in the electricity sector are not equipped with the proper skills or training. Domestic production suffers under these conditions, but many foreign companies also find it difficult to conduct business in Nigeria because of frequent power failures. This problem keeps Nigeria a third world country year after year.

Embezzlement Affects Road, Water, and Rail Systems

What is there to say on the state of Nigerian road networks? Business suffers without a dependable road system. Corruption and the embezzlement of public funds keep roadways in disrepair. In 2011, the World Bank reported that only 67% of paved roads and 33% of unpaved roads were in good or fair condition. Between 2001 and 2006, only $50 million of the needed $240 million were allocated for road maintenance.

Similar issues of inadequacy and corruption can be seen in water resources and railways. Nigeria needs to tackle the challenge its infrastructure problems by providing the proper funding and cracking down on the embezzlement of public funds earmarked for infrastructure. Any engineer or contractor that fails to do his work well should be taken to task.

Nigeria needs more power and better roads. The workers in these sectors should be paid well, and those with good skills and strong ethics should be rewarded. Citizens should carry out a peaceful movement, telling the government how important the power supply is to the country.

Environmental and Public Health Issues in Nigeria

The environmental and health standards of Nigeria are in a bad state. In 2013, Amnesty International reported that Nigeria experiences hundreds of oil spills per year in the Niger Delta, largely due to pipe erosion, sabotage, and neglect by oil companies. Oil spills weaken the microorganisms and the soil nutrients, and this weakening harms communities that fish and farm the Delta as well as the overall economy. Littered waste is scattered all over the roads and streets in Nigeria. Improperly disposed garbage contributes to the spread of disease.

Brain Drain Only Worsens Nigeria's Public Health

The health system in Nigeria does not adequately serve the population. The average Nigerian life expectancy is 38.3, according to the World Health Report, one of the lower national life expectancies in sub-Saharan Africa. Infant mortality has been on the rise since the 1990s, and the maternal mortality rate is one of the highest in the world. The Nigerian health system is poorly funded, and this lack of resources creates a "brain drain": talented doctors and nurses find jobs in developed countries, leaving Nigerian hospitals in the hands of their less-talented colleagues. Within Nigeria, good doctors are disproportionally concentrated in cities, leaving rural areas under-served.

2014 Ebola Outbreak

In 2014, there is a health challenge in the country resulted by Ebola virus. This disease entered the country through an official from Liberia, Patrick Sawyer. The doctors in the country were doing as much as they could to stem the spread of the disease. At the initial stage, when the disease was contracted by few Nigerians, there came a rumor that the disease can be cured by table salt. Many citizens of the country dissolved some salts in water and drank it, and some took baths with it. This led to the death of about 18, while many others hospitalized, which is more than what had been killed by the virus. The statistics of people who have been killed by the virus as of on 17th September 2014 were 7, with 15 infected, recorded in the Lagos state of Nigeria. African Development Bank (ADB) issued one million dollars to Nigeria in September 2014 to assist in the fight against Ebola virus.

The government needs to play a bigger role in providing proper waste disposal systems and better healthcare, particularly in neglected rural areas. Environmentally sustainable disposal practices, like recycling, should be adopted. Those who vandalize oil pipelines should be pursued more aggressively and punished for causing oil spills. Bush burning must be limited so that the micro-organisms that promote crops output can thrive. Hospitals need better funding. The state must take steps to keep qualified young doctors in the country, perhaps by giving them more important roles in public health administration.

A classroom of midwives at the Jigawa State School of Midwifery in northern Nigeria. In 2012, the British Government launched Women for Health to support female health workers in Nigeria.

Wikimedia Commons

Nigerian Women's Issues

Many people in Nigeria still believe that only men should be in positions of power. There are many causes of gender inequality in Nigeria. Some archaic traditions and customs do not permit women to occupy top professions or political offices. As a result, women in Nigeria face discrimination and violence. Unemployment in Nigeria affects women more compared to men. This is due to the fact that some women are neglected due to their sex and weaknesses. Because of this, the wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience Jonathan, and other women in the country stepped up to empower Nigerian women to the best of their capacities.

Chapter II Section 17 (1)(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria states, "The state social order is founded on ideals of Freedom, Equality, and Justice". That is to say that the Constitution of the country has given every citizen, both male and female, equal rights to participate in any political and non-political activities. In the same chapter Section 15 (2), it quotes, "Accordingly, national integration shall be actively encouraged, whilst discrimination on the grounds of place of origin, sex, religion, status, ethnic or linguistic association or ties shall be prohibited". This line of the Constitution points at multiple factors, including sex. It demands that no philosophy or belief should prevent women from participating in important roles in the country.

As of 2011, there are only 32 women (out of 469 members) in the national parliament. Women's status in Nigeria is improving in some ways, though. In 2011, President Jonathan appointed a cabinet made of 33% women, something unheard of previously. With women's participation in politics and elections slowly increasing, we may see more female candidates for office in the future. The old customs and beliefs about women's roles need to be updated.

Civic Pride and Patriotism in Nigeria

Nigeria suffers from a deficit of civic pride and collective responsibility. Wealthy Nigerians do little to use what they have to help the masses. Instead, they transfer their money to foreign banks rather than making it useful for the nation. When these wealthy men want to go on holiday, they travel to the United States or Canada, and many migrate to the developed world rather than spend their money in Nigeria.

Citizens should cherish the goods manufactured in Nigeria, and wealthy Nigerians should invest their money in the local industry to encourage development. With this, more jobs will be created for the masses. Economic freedom should be encouraged in the country for better business growth.

This lack of civic engagement has real economic consequences. The masses do not purchase the goods manufactured in Nigeria because they believe they are inferior. Instead, they spend money on goods created in Europe, which doesn't benefit businesses or ordinary workers in Nigeria. When the local industry is discouraged, the Nigerian government spends more on imported goods. Even as an exporter of crude oil, Nigeria imports its refined oil from other countries.

Road Accidents: A Growing Problem in Nigeria

Road accidents are another trending challenge in Nigeria. Many citizens of Nigeria have lost their lives in road accidents. Before, it was air accidents by flights that were an issue in the country, until the federal government looked into it and had the problem tackled.

So many have their future shattered and others have lost focus because of careless accidents by road in the country. At around 3 p.m on Sunday, 31 May 2015, brake failure on a tanker carrying petroleum products killed not less than 80 people at Upper Iweka, Onitsha Anambra state of Nigeria. Over 20 university undergraduates from the University of Nigeria Nsukka died in a road accident that occurred on Tuesday, June 2, 2015. These students were the hope of their parents, who had been training them for years to succeed in university. These instances are just a few of many road accidents that take place in the country. The statistics for lives being lost in Nigeria in road accidents every year are very high.

The government of Nigeria should implement and enforce laws that guide the drivers who occupy the roads. This should include monitoring every transportation company to make sure that they have qualified automobile engineers that check their cars before they embark on any transportation. Also, the time through which the vehicles run on the highways should be taken care of. Nigeria has lost a lot of lives through tankers transporting highly inflammable liquids, and we do not want more of that tragic experience any longer. Cars that travel by road should be "healthy" enough to prevent the loss of lives.

The Economy

The economic state of Nigeria has really had a downturn. The state of buying and selling in the country is poor and not encouraging at all. The earnings of the country per year have reduced, affecting the citizens of the country negatively.

Inflation is a big problem in the country. Inflation is the rate at which the general level of prices for goods and services is rising and, consequently, the purchasing power of currency is falling. The salaries earned by workers can no longer buy tangible items from markets. It is a threat to the lives of many people, and that is one of the reasons why many workers are demanding an increase in their salaries.

Nigeria's Inflation Rate

Nigeria's annual inflation rate increased to 11.23 percent in August of 2018 from 11.14 percent in July, above market expectations of 11.11 percent. It was the first rise in the inflation rate since its decline starting in January 2017, when it reached a 12-year high of 18.7 percent (Trading Economics 2018).

Nigeria Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate from 2010 to 2018.

Trading Economics

Nigeria's GDP

In terms of Gross Domestic Product of Nigeria, the rate of growth has been sluggish in recent years. The gross domestic product (GDP) is one of the primary indicators used to gauge the health of a country's economy.

Also, over the course of a few months, the GDP has also reduced. It reduced by -13.98 percent in the first quarter of 2016. Also, in the first quarter of the year 2018, the GDP of the country reduced by -13.4.

The Way Forward: Youth Can Transform Nigeria

The only way Nigeria can solve its many problems is by giving its youth more opportunities to participate in the government, economy, and society. Young people are the prime beneficiaries of school improvement, and the percentage of youth in higher learning institutions is currently very high. If young people were in charge, the educational system in Nigeria would not be in its current state, and unemployment would be reduced.

At the same time, young people shouldn't wait for good things to come to them; they need to take individual initiative. Youth empowerment and initiative will improve life for all Nigerians. Nigerian government officials and other elites need to share power with the country's youth and listen to young peoples' ideas for how to better the country. The young men and women of Nigeria are tomorrow's elders and, if included, could transform Nigeria. Without the energy of youth, society will decay and perish.

In addition to minimizing corruption in the country, Nigerians should cultivate the habit of being patient. Many indulge in corrupt practices is because they are impatient and want to make quick money. In developed countries of the world like the United States, many Nigerians are locked up in the prisons and some have been killed because of their corrupt practices.

Conclusion

Many said there is no way Nigeria will become better because of the multitude of challenges the country faces. Even some Nigerians in the diaspora have concluded that nothing good can come out from the country again. What is your view on this?

We've discussed the major challenges that Nigeria is facing. These challenges are many, though not all of them were fully detailed here. However, this article also supplies some of the possible solutions to address those challenges. I believe that the situation of the country will get better if these solutions are put into action by both the government and the citizens of Nigeria. Nigeria is our country, and we can build it with combined effort. Let there be peace, and may you be an agent of peace.

References

C Uneke, A Ogbonna, A Ezeoha, P Oyibo, F Onwe, and B Ngwu (2007), The Nigeria Health Sector and Human Resource Challenges, Vol.8(1), The Internet Journal of Health Publication.

Ejeviome E.O (2011), The Challenges of realizing Nigeria's Vision 20:2020, p. 3.
Emma Nnadozie (2017), How I got my victims, made billions from them – Evans, retrieved September 10, 2017, Vanguard Media Limited, Nigeria.

Eric Dumo (2017), Invest more in technical education, firm urges govt, retrieved March 23, 2017, Punch Newspaper.

Idris Alao (2013), Does Nigerian Education System Prepare Students for the Work Environment, retrieved August 3, 2013, Naija Writers Coach Publication.
Investopedia (2015), Inflation, publication of investopedia, 114 West 41st Street
New York, NY 10036, USA.

ISHOLA BALOGUN and EBUN SESSOU (2012), As Boko Haram's attack increases, Death Toll rises, retrieved August 1, 2013, Vanguard Online news Publication.
John Owen (2019), Imo Bomb Blast: Government makes promises as Police gives Reasons for Explosion, published by Daily Post news, Lagos, Nigeria
Johnbosco Agbakwuru (2018), Dapchi Girls abduction: Unlike Jonathan, I acted fast – Buhari, Vanguard Online News Publication.
Lucky O. O & Omofonmwan S.I (2007), Educational System in Nigeria: Problems and Prospects, published by Research Gate, Berlin, Germany

Mahmoud Sarki Saleh M and Madori (2013), Education: problems and challenges in Nigeria, what to be done?, retrieved August 2, 2013, Daily Trust Publication.

Nigerian Television Authority (2014), European Union (EU) Commits 15 Million Euros in Nigerian's 2015 election.
Trading Economics (2018), Nigeria GDP Growth Rate, publication of IECONOMICS INC New York, United States of America.

Transparency International (2013), Corruption Perceptions Index 2013, retrieved January 3, 2014.
Transparency International (2014), Corruption Perceptions Index 2014, retrieved April 17, 2015.

This content reflects the personal opinions of the author. It is accurate and true to the best of the author's knowledge and should not be substituted for impartial fact or advice in legal, political, or personal matters.

Questions & Answers

Question: What are the solutions to these Nigerian problems?

Answer: The solutions are explained which include:

(1) Youth empowerment

(2) Observing road traffic rules to prevent road accidents. Avoiding being drunk before driving.

(3) Selfless service by our Nigerian politicians.

(4) Job creation by both government and individuals

(5) Reducing importation of some foreign-made products

(6) Reducing corrupt practices by both government and individuals

(7) Proper exploration of our natural resources to create jobs

(8) Integration of practical knowledge in our Nigeria tertiary institutions

(9) Moral practice by Nigerians and a good sense of reasoning. This will help reduce insurgency in the country and kidnapping. A morally sound individual cannot find it interesting to destroy lives and properties.

Question: How can Nigeria develop in terms of economic, political, and technology?

Answer: First, the question will be answered through individual keywords.

Economic Development

For there to be economic development in Nigeria, there should be economic empowerment by both government and individuals. There should be free seminar organization by successful businessmen and women as well as the government. This will create awareness and impact on becoming good entrepreneurs in the country.

Also, the government should look into agriculture to boost the economy of the country and stop giving almost all the attention to crude oil. If Nigeria becomes economical solid in Agriculture, the revenue of the country will increase gradually. Oil from Palm nut if properly explored for example will help grow the economy of the country.

Political Development

For Nigeria to develop politically, the first culture to practice is sincerity. When members of individual political parties are sincere in their dealings, Nigeria will be as good as the United States of America.

A sincere political system cannot use the money for public development solely on personal need. Also, a sincere political candidate will know when he is weak health and age wise and leave power to more healthier and capable hands.

When political parties are sincere, they will select credible candidates for political positions and not based on how much bribe they receive from their candidates. The same applies to the led. If the voters vote sincerely, the system will be better.

Technological Development

A wise person learns new things from people that more experienced than he or she. In the same way, if Nigeria wants technological development, they should invite and pay experts that will teach the citizens in technical skill development.

Nigeria media sector should contribute to development in this area by informing citizens on sites they can develop their selves technological free of charge or by paying a small amount of money.

Question: Please expand on the explanation of the issue of gender discrimination in Nigeria?

Answer: I may not give you total explanation in gender discrimination in Nigeria as a country but I, Okwuagbala Uzochukwu Mike, will give you my own point base on my understanding.

In politics, we see fewer number of women than men. Sometimes their fellow women who are electorates find it difficult to vote for their fellow women who compete for political positions. This is because they feel that their fellow women are weak.

In families that do not have enough money to sponsor their children for university education, they choose sponsoring the male gender to the female gender.

Question: How can we solve the political, social and economic problems in Nigeria?

Answer: Solution to Political Problem in Nigeria

- Involving reputable international body during election and summation of election results.

- The citizens voting the right candidate instead of voting because they were bribed.

- Design of sophisticated software that automatically reports election results to United nations office once any voter votes rather than waiting for local results. This will reduce rigging during election.

- Selfless service by our politicians. That is having the needs of the masses at heart instead of selfish interest.

How we can Solve Social and Economic Problems

- Proper use of the mineral resources given to the country by nature. We do not need to wait for the government anymore for this to be done. There are rich businessmen and women in the country that can invest and utilize these resources.

- Moral practice is another way. When we value the lives of our neighbours, the killings in the country will reduce.

- Job creation and employment growth. Poverty and joblessness is the mother of all crimes. If enough jobs are created, people will be at peace and there will be economic growth and social order in the country.

Question: How can Nigerians inadequate manpower in the hospital be solved?

Answer: There are many ways Nigeria inadequate manpower in the hospital can be solved:

(1) Adequate Payment of Workers

There are many health specialists in this country that are ready to work in Nigerian hospitals and make things better in that sector. The problem is that many do not find working in the hospitals in the country encouraging because the payment is not encouraging. Many hospitals own by government and individuals do not pay their workers well.

(2) Employing more Workers

It is not as if there aren't many health workers in the country that are ready to work in hospitals. The problem is that many are not employed. If the government and private individuals can employ more workers in their hospitals, there will be adequate manpower.

(3) Individual Support and Patriotic role

In developed countries like in United States of America and Canada, there are well to do individuals that have taken the responsibility of paying salaries of some workers in some companies. This serves as a way of giving back to the society that made them. If our rich citizens can take the responsibility of paying the salaries of some workers in some hospitals in Nigeria, there will be adequate manpower in the system.

Question: What are the solutions to insecurities?

Answer: The solutions to insecurities in Nigeria are as follow:

1. Proper government organization of security team

2. Sincerity among the security officers in the country

3. Selfless service by security officers

4. Supply of the necessary equipments needed for security job.

Question: Why can't other countries help the problems in Nigeria?

Answer: It is not as if other countries cannot help in solving the problems in Nigeria. Many have helped as individuals and as a group to provide solutions but the truth is that both our individuals and governments do not want to adhere.

For example, about 5 months ago, Microsoft opened African Development Centre in Lagos state to help Nigerians develop in ICT. This is to bridge the gap between theory learning and practical knowledge.

Also, some scholarships have been given to Nigerians by foreign institutions. International bodies have in one way or the other contributed their ideas in solving Nigeria issues.

But above all, know that our country is our country and we are expected to solve our issues. Do not expect other countries to give you 100% solution because they have their own issues to think about and solve.

Question: How can we solve the problem of road accidents in Nigeria?

Answer: 1. Obeying traffic rules

2. Having the necessary equipment on the person driving or riding

3. Avoiding over speeding

4. Going for training before driving

Question: What solutions are to be given to the family of those who lost their life's in the last presidential election?

Answer: The family should console themselves and know that nothing lasts forever. They should understand that no country is totally free from social crises. Also, many successful countries today have those that made expensive sacrifices for the betterment of their own countries.

Question: How can we reduce corruption in Nigeria?

Answer: There are many approaches that can be applied to reduce the challenge of corruption in Nigeria. The ways are:

(1) Poverty reduction

(2) Reducing the money paid to the senators. This will create avenue for the government to invest effectively in the country.

(3) Sincerity among our politicians and leaders.

(4) Proper work by Corruption fighting bodies

(5) Sincere orientation on the citizens to vote rightly and not vote because of bribe given to them.

Please you can still read my article on "CORRUPTION IN NIGERIA: REVIEW, CAUSES, EFFECTS, AND SOLUTIONS" for more points. You can search for it using Google.

Question: Can you asses the workability of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria in respect/terms of it's protection of life and property as well as the challenges in this area?

Answer: The constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria states that it is the duty of the government to protect the lives and properties of the citizens but has failed to keep to this. There are ways the government has failed the people which makes that section of the constitution not working or fulfill the promises.

(1) Poor control of the Killings in Nigeria

Over the past five years, there has been bloodshed in Nigeria which has resulted to lost of lives in the country. The Federal Government of Nigeria has not provided solid solution to put an end to this. The members of Boko Haram has been killing citizens and destroying the properties of Nigeria living mainly in the northern part of the country. This is an evidence that the part of the constitution on the government of the country in protection of lives and properties of the citizens is not working.

(2) The inability of the Federal Government to put infrastructures in place to protect Lives and Properties of her Citizens

There are many weak infrastructures in Nigeria that need to be fixed by the government of Nigeria to save lives. Many road accidents in Nigeria that have claimed a lot of lives of the citizens of Nigeria would not have happened if the roads are well fixed. It is because our Federal Government failed to fix federal roads that make some of these accidents happen. They do not fulfill their function to protect lives and properties of the people through this channel.

There are many other ways the Federal Government of Nigeria has failed in the protection of lives and properties of the citizens.

Question: How can Nigeria develop in term of injustice and lack of peace?

Answer: It all boils down to sincerity. If all are sincere in their dealing, there will be development in those areas.

Question: Now, what will the youth do to move the aged from politics in Nigeria?

Answer: Thanks first of all for asking the question. There are things we the youths of Nigeria can do to move the aged from politics.

(1) Getting involved in Politics

If the youths see politics as what is good for them to get involved in, they will occupy space in political parties. Their involvement will motivate others to join as well.

(2) Voting the young during Election

Many youths are the reason why the old or the aged still rule our country today. If we as youths sincerely vote young leaders into political positions, the old will not have any space. We the youths should not be deceived by the bribes given to us by the aged to get elected into political offices.

Question: What is Nigeria most current socio-economic challenge?

Answer: In my own point of view, Nigeria most current social-economic challenge is insecurity. The challenge has attracted the attention of both local and international press companies. There is no three months interval that you do not hear of people's death mainly by Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria. The challenge is big.

Question: How can we resolve insurgencies and insecurities in Nigeria?

Answer: There are many ways the problem of insurgencies and insecurities can be resolved in Nigeria.

(1) Respect for Human Lives

Many people in Nigeria both our political leaders and the other citizens do not respect and value lives. If a reasonable human values the life of his neighbors, I do not see the reason while he should kill them.

Also, if our political leaders value the life of the people they lead, there is no way they will gamble with the life of the citizens. Nobody will cause social disorder in society if they really value the lives of the people.

(2) Avoiding religious Blindness

Have you ever seen a sick woman whose children want to take her to the hospital for medical treatment for her to be fine and she refused saying that her problem is spiritual and holy oil from her place of worship will heal her? She keeps dying due to her religious blindness until the issue gets worse. That's is how religious blindness has caused much harm to people.

In the same line, one of the major reasons for insurgencies and insecurities in Nigeria is because of religious blindness. Many Nigerians are blind to religion to the extent of killing their fellow citizens because of the wrong teaching by their religion.

(3) Job Creation

An idol man is the workshop of the devil. Many minds which are not busy with good things end up becoming threats to society. The people become criminals and kidnappers and become a threat to society. The government and individuals should create jobs to reduce this.

(4) Education Promotion

There should be a proper promotion of education in Nigeria. When a large number of citizens are educated, they will not practice some things that can lead to insecurity in the country.

Question: How can Nigerians stop increasing the collection of tax from the poor?

Answer: The increase in tax collection from the poor people in our society is not a good one. Taxpaying is not just meant for the poor but for every citizen of the country both the rich and the average.

From my own point of view, a poor person is someone who lives with an amount lesser than $1.90 in a day.

The solution or how to stop increasing tax collection from these poor people is sincerity among the tax collectors and the government. Our government should be sincere and stop increasing tax collection from these poor people. Also, the tax collectors on their own should be sincere in their dealings as they find out the people are poor. They do not need to tax such people.

Question: How can Nigeria's problematic religion climate improve?

Answer: The fact is that Nigeria is made up of many religious people who do not think before they act. Their are some practices or teachings which people do not need to take no matter how deep they are in that religion.

To answer your question, my view on how Nigeria religion problematic climate can improve are as follow:

Analysis on some religious teaching by members

Be you a Christian, Muslim, or traditionalist, you have to think and analyze some of the teachings given to you by your religion. It is not everything you are taught that you have to practice. Some of the teachings may be wrong and therefore you do not need to adhere to them. If your religion teaches you that any who is not part of you in the same religion is an infidel and therefore you can punish and fight such person and your God will be happy, that is a wrong teaching. So, you do not need to take it. If it tells you that you can even kill such fellow, you have to analyze and know that killing of a fellow human is wrong.

Peace Promotion

This is another way to improve Nigeria religion problematic climate. All Nigerians should see one another as one and promote peace. Religion leaders should teach their people peace and not disunity. Government of the country should also create arms that will enforce peace among religions in the country.

Job Creation

It is only the jobless that can go on and keep believing that suicide attack on a religion or group of another religion people will take him to the so called heaven he has not seen. When these young youths from another religion are having jobs and are busy with their jobs, there is no how they will be happy to die for any weak religion teaching. Somebody that is happy living his life will not like to die like that. Rich men sometimes do not consider some irrational teachings from any religion group.

Not Crossing Boundary

Irrespective of the region any belong to, do not cross boundary. If you are a Christian and you find yourself in a Muslim community, do not cross your boundary. The same should apply to Islams. If you are told not to preach at the front of their mosque as a Christian, just respect yourself and make the necessary adjustment. Attitude of this kind has caused fight between two religions in Nigeria.

Problems and Solutions of Management in Nigeria

Source: https://soapboxie.com/world-politics/challenges-in-Nigeria-and-solutions