Globalti
Legendary Member
Or Nigeria to be precise, where I am on business for two weeks.
I am pleased to report that for the first time in 20 years of travelling in Africa I have a feeling that things may be heading in the right direction. For example here in Lagos the local Government has stopped stealing 100% of the money and is now diverting about 5% of it to worthy causes like knocking down illegal encroachments and tidying up this filthy disease ridden city of 18 million. There are now two airlines operating domestically, Virgin Nigeria and Aero Contractors, which have IATA standard maintenance and probably won't crash. There is a new domestic air terminal. There are plans to widen the disgracefully congested and potholed major road to neighbouring Benin into a super-highway, maybe even with a monorail. Violent crime seems to be down as Police are actually out on the streets demanding cash from motorists, which means they don't need to hire their guns out to criminals at night. The Nigerian Government has been forced to close down dozens and dozens of crooked banks and the remaining few are generally behaving responsibly, gaining international credibility and even enriching their shareholders, who are typically realising 35% on their investments. I haven't seen a corpse in the street for about a year now.
However there is still no public water and electricity comes for only an hour or so a day. Diesel fuel is more expensive by the day and there are massive queues at filling stations. The public telephone network has collapsed and I reckon many millions of pounds worth of copper cable is festooned around the drunkenly leaning telegraph poles. Disease is still rife and beggars pester you at every corner.
So.... business as usual but signs of improvement.
Enjoy your electricity tonight.
I am pleased to report that for the first time in 20 years of travelling in Africa I have a feeling that things may be heading in the right direction. For example here in Lagos the local Government has stopped stealing 100% of the money and is now diverting about 5% of it to worthy causes like knocking down illegal encroachments and tidying up this filthy disease ridden city of 18 million. There are now two airlines operating domestically, Virgin Nigeria and Aero Contractors, which have IATA standard maintenance and probably won't crash. There is a new domestic air terminal. There are plans to widen the disgracefully congested and potholed major road to neighbouring Benin into a super-highway, maybe even with a monorail. Violent crime seems to be down as Police are actually out on the streets demanding cash from motorists, which means they don't need to hire their guns out to criminals at night. The Nigerian Government has been forced to close down dozens and dozens of crooked banks and the remaining few are generally behaving responsibly, gaining international credibility and even enriching their shareholders, who are typically realising 35% on their investments. I haven't seen a corpse in the street for about a year now.
However there is still no public water and electricity comes for only an hour or so a day. Diesel fuel is more expensive by the day and there are massive queues at filling stations. The public telephone network has collapsed and I reckon many millions of pounds worth of copper cable is festooned around the drunkenly leaning telegraph poles. Disease is still rife and beggars pester you at every corner.
So.... business as usual but signs of improvement.
Enjoy your electricity tonight.
