Monday, January 25, 2010

Project Management for Nigeria

Production of useful goods and services in Nigeria is about zero. The GDP still hinges almost entirely on the export of crude. What economic activities, by state, should we be engaged in, and how are we doing?
My suggestions:

Energy in Enugu, the coal city. Independent Power Production should be allowed to flourish.

Roads in Lagos (the current governor Fashola made rapid progress, but now has all but stalled. Has the money dried up? Is he tied up in political knots? What would it take to complete these road construction projects and move on to the next phase?) . Town planning should also be important in Lagos. Megacity is what they're calling it. Well, make it happen - trains, free trade zones, public spaces, cultural centers...good enough for the future.

Tourism in Cross Rivers. Tinapa and Carnival are huge success stories. Make them bigger successes.

In Adamawa, it's time to fix the bloody Gombe-Yola road, so that you can save hours in transport of people and goods to Yola. Also, grow synergies between American University in Nigeria (the Atiku school, we know that Atiku's net contribution to Nigeria - I'll be quiet) and the Federal University of Technology in Yola. Currently, nobody's doing this, and both schools have weaknesses and potential.

In Ekiti, the so-called Fountain of Knowledge, put everything that will make it the education leader. Start with a flood of internet access.

Tourism in Bauchi is centered around Yankari, the upgraded and under-utilized games reserve resort. Promote Yankari and grow tourism beyond Yankari.

Kano has the potential to represent everything Hausa - in culture and entertainment.

In Plateau State, Jos has become the center of pop in Northern Nigeria. It's time to take action on the deadly riots that occasionally pop up in this fabulously beautiful city. When this happens, Jos will easily regain its place as the expatriate heaven it once was.

Osun state has everything: Ife culture, Osogbo arts, universities, waterfalls and rocks, ...

Abuja, if Nigeria ever got serious about the law, could house developments in constitutional law and civil society organization.

Port Harcourt, ...

More later. I met a woman last week that runs a company that has been taking over and upgrading power plants in Nigeria. As a result, power generation is at a higher, but still low, level. We can chip away at our problems - one city, one state, or one sector at a time.

1 comment:

t said...

In the news today:
Source
Rail project to create 4,000 jobs

By Segun Balogun

January 25, 2010 01:03AM
Print print Email email Share Share


The Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, on Wednesday said that the Lagos Rail Mass Transit Project, Blue Line, (from Okokomaiko to Marina) will engage at least four thousand Nigerians during the construction process.

Mr. Fashola made the disclosure at the CCEC Rail Construction Yard (in the premises of the Nigerian Railway Corporation), Ebute Metta. The governor was there to find out how prepared the contractors were for the commencement of construction of the light rail project. He also said that some Nigerians working in the London underground train system were willing to come home and run rail service in their country.

“Sooner than later, when it is completed it will make public transportation faster, safer and more efficient and from then on it will be an improved and increased quality of life on how people are transported as well as goods and services,” Mr. Fashola said.

He expressed hope that very soon in collaboration with the federal government, the state can get permission to also use part of the existing railway corridor to start the Red Line that will link Iddo to Agbado to Ijoko in Ogun State...

LIKE THEY HEARD ME.

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