The Federal Republic of Nigeria is one of the most unusual Nation State in the world today. Its history is unusual, its culture is unusual, its people are most unusual, its idiosyncrasy as a Nation State is most unusual as how it has survived and excelled in conditions that will break most nations is still a mystery. Why is Nigeria unique?
* With a population of 177 million there are only 6 countries in the world with more people than Nigeria. For a black country this is unique.
* It is home to the largest Muslim population in Africa and 6th largest in the world.
*It is home to the largest Christian population in Africa and 6th largest in the world.
* It is the 3rd largest democracy in the world after the United States and India.
* With a nominal GDP of $1.1 trillion is has by far Africa’s largest economy and twice the size of its nearest rival South Africa.
* The countries wealth is staggering. To put things into perspective, its oil reserve put at 49 billion barrels is worth $6 trillion in todays estimate.
* It richest black man and woman in the world are Nigerians.
* It has the most telephone users in Afriusemeasured in numbers and per capita with 140 million active lines. In 2001 Nigeria had just 100 thousand active phone users.
* It has Africa’s largest City Lagos with a population of 22 million people. If Lagos was a country it will have the 6th largest economy in Africa. With a GDP of $80 billion its economy is bigger than that of East Africa’s largest economy Kenya.
* It is home to Africa’s biggest engineering project -EKO Atlantic City, a City being built hundreds of miles in the Atlantic from reclaimed land. Dubbed Africa’s very own Dubai it dwaffs South Africa’s very own GUANTRAN (Africa’s first highspeed rail) in sheer scale and complexity.
*Nigeria is home to Africa’s biggest and most extensive Space program. With 5 satelites in orbit Nigeria has more payload in Space than all of Africa combined, and there are plans to launch more Nigeria’s quantum leap in science and technology is staggering.
*Nigeria is without doubt the King of African entertainment. Its movie industry Nollywood is the second largest in world in sheer volume. With an annual turn over in excess of $2 billion it far outstrips that of the entire continent put together.
*Nigeria’s music industry is the most vibrant in Africa. Of the top 10 richest performing artists in Africa seven are Nigerians.
* The countries capital city Abuja built in the 80’s is Africa’s best “purpose built city”.
*Its infrastructure , while still dysmal is improving at break neck speed. Abuja’s HSR (high speed rail) project was touted as being among the top 10 in the world byba Dutch engineering firm. In Lagos and Port Hacourt elevated mono rails are coming on stream. The longest over water bridge in Africa, the 20 kilometer 3RD MAINLAND BRIDGE is soon to be dwaffed by the 4TH MAINLAND BRIDGE nearing completion. Likewise the longest cable car system in Africa is in Calabar, the tourist capital of West Africa.
* It takes a special country to defeat an EBOLA pandemic single handedly while in a state of war. That country is Nigeria.
Taking into account these accolades there is no doubt that Nigeria represents Africa’s best and only true hope of a developed African Superpower. Why then does a huge percentage of Nigerians live in abject poverty one might ask. Why then is Nigeria unable to provide electricity and pipe borne water for its people? Why does an oil rich country like Nigeria import the very crude it produces.
The answer is not as simple as one might think.
For starters in Nigeria’s 50 + year history as an Independent nation 40 of those years have been under military dictatorship. In wasnt until 1999 that democracy was restored after 40 years wasted. In a sense Nigeria’s journey as a democratic and Independent country started 14 years ago. Economic reforms started in 2003. Nigeria’s Space agency (NASDRA) was created in 2005. Political reform started 2011 and Nigeria’s first ever peaceful transfer of power in a democratic election was in 2015.
In just over 14 years Nigeria has made a quantum leap from a backwater sorry state to Africa richest and most powerful economy. Nigeria has been able to achieved a %7 GDP growth rate running on Generators. Nigeria has gone from zero to Africa’s undisputed Space superpower in just under a decade. 40 million Nigerians have been lifted out of poverty and have joined the middle class in just over a decade of reforms. Nigeria has built Africa’s richest entertainment industry in just over a decade.
While international pundits are quick to write off Nigeria no other country in the world has achieved so much in such short period of time despite a harsh political and security climate. Nigeria has survived the Niger Delta Insurgency, political violence, Ebola pandemic and Boko Haram to become Africa’s fastest growing and most democratic country in just over a decade.
One can then imagine what might have been if forty years of Nigeria’s development had not been wasted. One can imagine how powerful and successful Nigeria can become in another forty years of democratic governance. There is little doubt in my miforfort the Nigerian Nation holds the key to Africa’s greatness. If it succeeds Africa will be better off and benefit immensely, if it fails it will drag down a dozen or more countries down with it. The entrepreneurial, dynamic and positive outlook of the Nigerian people gives reason for optimism.


source: https://ourtimeiscome./2015/11/29/an-african-century/

Its an unusual country truly but its usual to its citizens. Suffering and smiling