I. Cultural Analysis

The data suggested in the cultural analysis include information that helps the marketer make market planning decisions. However, its application extends beyond product and market analysis to being an important source of information for someone interested in understanding business customs and other important cultural features of the country.

The information in this analysis must be more than a collection of facts. Whoever is responsible for the preparation of this material should attempt to interpret the meaning of cultural information. That is, how does the information help in understanding the effect on the market? For example, the fact that almost all the populations of Italy and Mexico are Catholic is an interesting statistic but not nearly as useful as understanding the effect of Catholicism on values, beliefs, and other aspects of market behavior. Furthermore, even though both countries are predominantly Catholic, the influence of their individual and unique interpretation and practice of Catholicism can result in important differences in market behavior.

Guideline

I. Introduction

NIGERIA

II. Brief discussion of the country’s relevant history

Nigeria (pronounced /naɪˈdʒɪəriə/), officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is

a federal constitutional republic comprising thirty-six states and its Federal Capital

Territory, Abuja. The three largest and most influential ethnic groups in Nigeria are

the Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba. In terms of religion Nigeria is roughly split half and half between

Muslims and Christians with a very small minority who practice traditional religion.

The people of Nigeria have an extensive history. Archaeological evidence shows that human

habitation of the area dates back to at least 9000 BC. The area around the Benue and Cross

River is thought to be the original homeland of the Bantu migrants who spread across most

of central and southern Africa in waves between the 1st millennium BC and the 2nd millennium.

The name Nigeria was taken from the Niger River running through the country. This name was

coined by Flora Shaw, the future wife of Baron Lugard, a British colonial administrator, in the

late 19th century.

Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa, the eighth most populous country in the world,

and the most populous country in the world in which the majority of the population is black. It is

listed among the "Next Eleven" economies, and is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations.

The economy of Nigeria is one of the fastest growing in the world, with the International

Monetary Fund projecting a growth of 9% in 2008 and 8.3% in 2009. It is the third largest

economy in Africa, it is also the largest exporter of oil in Africa[11] and is a regional power that is

also the hegemon in West Africa.

III. Geographical setting

A. Location

The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in the north. Its coast in the south lies on the Gulf of Guinea on the Atlantic Ocean.

B. Climate

The climate of Nigeria is tropical, so it is hot all year round with two seasons: wet and dry. The wet season extends from April to October, the wettest month being June and the wettest area being the east coast. Between November and March the weather is dry and very hot. The hot Harmattan wind from the Sahara sweeps across the northeastern areas.

C. Topography

The topography of Nigeria consists of plains in the north and south interrupted by plateaus and hills in the centre of the country. The Sokoto Plains lie in the northwestern corner of the country, while the Borno Plains in the northeastern corner extend as far as the Lake Chad basin. The Lake Chad basin and the coastal areas, including the Niger River delta and the western parts of the Sokoto region in the far northwest, are underlain by soft, geologically young sedimentary rocks.

Gently undulating plains, which become waterlogged during the rainy season, are found in these areas. The characteristic landforms of the plateaus are high plains with broad, shallow valleys dotted with numerous hills or isolated mountains, called inselbergs; the underlying rocks are crystalline, although sandstones appear in river areas. The Jos Plateau rises almost in the centre of the country; it consists of extensive lava surfaces dotted with numerous extinct volcanoes.

Other eroded surfaces, such as the Udi-Nsukka escarpment (see Udi-Nsukka Plateau), rise abruptly above the plains at elevations of at least 1,000 feet (300 metres). The most mountainous

area is along the southeastern border with Cameroon, where the Cameroon Highlands rise to the highest points in the country, Chappal Waddi (7,936 feet [2,419 metres]) in the Gotel Mountains and Mount Dimlang (6,699 feet [2,042 metres]) in the Shebshi Mountains.

IV. Social institutions

A. Family

Extended families are still the norm and are in fact the backbone of the social system. Grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles, sisters, brothers and in-laws all work as a unit through life.

Family relationships are guided by hierarchy and seniority. Social standing and recognition is achieved through extended families. Similarly a family's honour is influenced by the actions of its members. Individuals turn to members of the extended family for financial aid and guidance, and the family is expected to provide for the welfare of every member. Although the role of the extended family is diminishing somewhat in urban areas, there remains a strong tradition of mutual caring and responsibility among the members.

Family is extremely important to most Nigerians. The nuclear family in a Nigerian home consists of the father, his wife (or wives in

polygamous homes), and their children. The extended family consists of all the relatives. Nigerians believe in having plenty of children, and usually really close together in age.

This is decreasing though because of the economics. Most extended Nigerian families are called "uncle, aunt, cousin, mother, father,

grandmother" (depending on age, and gender of course). Some of these terms are very loosely used. Your mom's brother, her cousin, her second cousin, their cousin, would all be called your 'uncle'.

In most families, there is a strong family bond, and the phrase "blood is thicker than water" has a deep meaning.

In the Yoruba culture, women are usually known by the name of their firstborn child. So, most people would call my mother "mama-Bunmi".

In many cultures, for a variety of reasons, a child is named on the 8th day (the birth-day is the 1st day, so the 8th day is exactly a week later) of their life. A whole 'naming ceremony' usually accompanies this.

Though this is also changing, most men are raised with the expectation that someday they will have a wife (or wives) to take care of them, and most women are raised with the expectation that someday they will have a husband and children to take care of. So, the standards for raising them can differ in some households.

In most neighborhoods, the neighbors take a part in taking care of a child. A lot of people feel like they were 'raised by the neighborhood'.

B.Education

Primary Education

Primary education begins at the age of six for the majority of Nigerians. Students spend six years

in primary school and graduate with a school-leaving certificate. Subjects taught at the primary

level include mathematics, English language, Islamic knowledge studies, Bible knowledge,

science and one of the three main native ethnic groups (Hausa-Fulani, Yoruba, and Igbo). Private

schools would also offer computer, science, French, and art. Primary school students are required

to take a Common Entrance Examination to qualify for admission into the Federal and State

Government schools. The UBE came as a replacement for Nigeria’s universal primary education

scheme of the 6-3-3-4 system of primary education. The 9-3-4 system of education was designed

in conformity with the MDGs and education for all (EFA) (Kayode, 2006). The UBE involves 6

years of primary School and 3 years of junior secondary school, culminating in 9 years of

uninterrupted schooling, and transition from one class to another is automatic but assessed

through continuous assessment. This scheme is monitored by the universal basic education

commission (UBEC), and has made it free and a right of every child. Therefore, the UBEC law

section 15 defines UBE as early childhood care and education. The law stipulates a 9-year formal

schooling, adult literacy and non-formal education, skill acquisition programmes and the

education of special groups such as nomads and migrants, girl child and women, Al-majiri, street

children and disabled group (Aderinoye, 2007).

Secondary education

Students spend six years in Secondary School that is 3 years of JSS(Junior Secondary School),

and 3 years of SSS(Senior Secondary School). By Senior Secondary School Class 2 (SS2),

students are taking the GCE O’Levels exam, which is not mandatory, but most students take it to

prepare for the Senior Secondary School Exam. The Senior Secondary School Exam is taken in

the last year of high school (SS3). Private organizations, the State government or the Federal

government manages secondary schools in Nigeria.

The Federal Republic of Nigeria is made up of thirty-six States and the Federal Capital Territory.

There are about two Federal Government Colleges in each state. These schools are funded and

managed directly by the Federal Government through the Ministry of Education. Teachers and

staff are Federal Government employees. Teachers at the Federal Government schools possess a

Bachelors degree in Education or in a particular subject area, such as, Mathematics, Physics etc.

These schools are supposed to be model schools carrying and maintaining the ideals of

secondary education for Nigerian students. Admission is based on merit, determined by the

National Common Entrance Examination taken by all final year elementary school pupils.

Tuition and fees are very low, approximately one hundred dollars ($100.00), because funding

comes from the Federal Government.

State owned secondary schools are funded by each state government and are not comparable to

the Federal government colleges. Although education is supposed to be free in the majority of

the state owned institutions, students are required to purchase books and uniforms costing them

an average of two hundred dollars ($200.00). Teachers in State owned institutions usually have a

National Certificate of Education or a Bachelors Degree. Often these schools are understaffed

due to low state budgets, lack of incentives and irregularities in payment of staff salaries.

Private secondary schools in Nigeria tend to be quite expensive with average annual fees

averaging from One to Two thousand dollars ($1000.00 - $2000.00). These schools have smaller

classes (approximately ten to fifteen students per class), modern equipment and a better

environment. Teachers in these institutions all possess at least a Bachelors in a specific course

area and are sent for workshops or short term programs on a regular basis.

Promotional examinations

With the introduction of 9-3-4 system of education in Nigeria, students are required to enter

secondary school after spending a minimum of nine years of Primary Education and passed a

prescribed National Entrance Examination. The students must spend a minimum period of six

years in Secondary School. During this period, students are expected to spend three years in

Junior Secondary School and three year in Senior Secondary School.

The General Certificate of Education Examination (GCE) was replaced by the Senior Secondary

Certificate Examination (SSCE). The SSCE is conducted at the end of the Secondary School

studies in May/June. The GCE is conducted in October/November as a supplement for those

students who did not get the required credits from their SSCE results. The standards of the two

examinations are basically the same. A body called West African Examination Council (WAEC)

conducts both the SSCE and GCE. A maximum of nine and a minimum of seven subjects are

registered for the examination by each student with Mathematics and English Language taking as

compulsory.[1]

A maximum of nine grades are assigned to each subject from: A1, A2, A3 or A1, B2, B3, B4,

(Equivalent to Distinctions Grade); C4, C5, C6, or B4, B5, B6, (Equivalent to Credit Grade); P7,

P8 or D7, D8, E (Just Pass Grade); F9 (Fail Grade). Credit grades and above is considered

academically adequate for entry into any University in Nigeria. In some study programs, many of

the universities may require higher grades to get admission.[1]

The Federal Government policy on education is adhered to by all secondary schools in Nigeria.

Six years of elementary school is followed by six years of secondary school. Senior Secondary

school consists of the SS I, SS 2, and SS 3 which is equivalent to the 10th, 11th and 12th Grade.

The Senior Secondary School Examination (SSCE) is taken at the end of the SS 3. The West

African Examination Council (WAEC) administers both exams. Three to six months after a

student has taken the SSCE examination, they are issued an Official transcript from their

institution. This transcript is valid for one year, after which an Official transcript from the West

African Examination Council is issued. National Examination Council is another examination

body in Nigeria Senior Secondary School Examination (SSCE)in June/July. The body also

administer General Certificate of Education Examination (GCE)in December/January. The

students often take both WAEC and NECO examinations in SSS 3.

Higher education

The government has majority control of university education. The Federal Government of

Nigeria has adopted education as an instrument for national development.

In addition to the number of universities, there are 13 Federal and 14 State owned Polytechnic

Colleges respectively. These were established to train technical, middle-level manpower. Some

of the colleges are beginning to award degrees.

English Language is the medium of instruction. The Academic Year is from October to

September.

First year entry requirements into most universities in Nigeria include: Minimum of SSCE/GCE

Ordinary Level Credits at maximum of two sittings; Minimum cut-off marks in Joint Admission

and Matriculation Board Entrance Examination (JAMB) of 200 and above out of a maximum of

400 marks are required. Candidates with minimum of Merit Pass in National Certificate of

Education (NCE), National Diploma (ND) and other Advanced Level Certificates minimum

qualifications with minimum of 5 O/L Credits are given direct entry admission into the

appropriate undergraduate degree programs.

Duration of undergraduate programs in Nigerian Universities depends largely on the program of

study. For example: Social Sciences /Humanity related courses 4 Years (two semester sessions

per year), Engineering/Technology related courses 5 Years (two semester sessions per year),

Pharmacy 5 Years (two semester sessions per year), Medicine (Vet/ Human) 6 Years (Have

longer sessions), Law 5 Years (two semester sessions per year).

Nigeria Universities are generally grouped into:

First Generation Universities

Five of these Universities were established between 1948 and 1965, following the

recommendation of Ashby Commission set up by the British Colonial Government to study the

needs for university education for Nigeria. These universities are fully funded by the Federal

Government. They were established primarily to meet the manpower needs of Nigeria and set

basic standards for university education in the country. These universities have continued to play

their roles for manpower developments and provisions of standards, which have helped to guide

the subsequent establishments of other generations and states universities in Nigeria.

Second Generation Universities

With the increasing population of qualified students for university education in Nigeria and the

growing needs for scientific and technological developments, setting up more universities

became imperative. Between 1970 and 1985, 12 additional universities were established and

located in various parts of the country.

Third Generation Universities

The need to establish Universities to address special areas of Technological and Agricultural

demand prompted the setting up of 10 additional Universities between 1985 and 1999.

State Universities

Pressures from qualified students from each state who could not readily get admissions to any of

the Federal Universities continue to mount on States Governments. It became imperative and

urgent for some State Governments to invest in the establishments of Universities.

Private Universities

In recognition of the need to encourage private participation in the provision of university

education, the Federal Government established a law 1993, allowing private sectors to establish

universities following guidelines prescribed by the Government.

2. Literacy rates

Nigeria’s Literacy rate is 57.1% of total population 110,532,242 (Males:67.3%, Females:47.3%)

B. Political system

A Brief Historical Background of Nigeria---

Historical evidences indicate that during 11th century, the vast land of Nigeria was inhabited by different tribesman and later this diversification culminated into the formation and rise of popular kingdoms. Most importantly, the northeastern part of Nigeria was ruled over by Borno, the Hausa city-state kingdoms of Katsina, Kano, Zaria, and Gobir in the northern-central Nigeria, the Yoruba city-states/kingdoms of Ife, Oyo, and Ijebu in southwestern Nigeria, the southern kingdom of Benin, and the Igbo communities of eastern Nigeria were all placed under different reigns at different times. From the second half of 19th century to 20th century the British took over the administrative, political and military charges of the country thereby leading to great political upheaval. Finally, after years of hard struggle the country achieved independence in the year 1st October 1960.

 Nigeria in present day is a Federal Republic modelled after the United States, with executive power exercised by the president and with influences from the Westminster System model in the composition and management of the upper and lower houses of the bicameral legislature. However, the President of Nigeria is both head of state and head of government, and of a multi-party system. Nigerian politics takes place within a framework of a federal, presidential, representative democratic republic, whereby Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of the legislature, the House of Representatives and the Senate. Together the two chambers make up the law-making body in Nigeria called the National Assembly. The highest judiciary arm of government in Nigeria is the Supreme Court of Nigeria. Nigeria also practices Baron de Montesquieu's theory of the separation of powers. The National Assembly serves as a watchdog to the excesses of the executive arm of government.

LEGAL SYSTEM

The law of Nigeria is based on the rule of law and the independence of the Judiciary, and also on

the British common law system—because of the long history of British colonial influence. The

legal system is therefore similar to the common law systems used in England and Wales and in

other Commonwealth countries. The constitutional framework for the legal system is provided

by the Constitution of Nigeria.

There are however, four distinct systems of law in Nigeria:

English Law, which is derived from its colonial past with Britain;

Common law, (case law development since colonial independence);

Customary law, which is derived from indigenous traditional norms and practices;

and Sharia law, used only in the predominantly Hausa and Muslim north of the country.

Like the United States, there is a Judicial branch with a Supreme Court which is regarded as the

highest court of the land.

EXECUTIVE BRANCH

The president is elected by the people. He is both the chief of state and head of government and

heads the Federal Executive Council, or cabinet.The executive branch is divided into Federal

Ministries, headed by a minister appointed by the President, who must include at least one

member of each of the 36 states in his cabinet. The President's appointments are confirmed by

the Senate of Nigeria. In some cases a Federal minister is responsible for more than one ministry

(e.g. Environment and Housing may be combined), and a minister may be assisted by one or

more ministers of State. Each ministry also has a Permanent Secretary, who is a senior civil

servant.

The ministries are responsible for various parastatals (government-owned corporations) such as

universities (Education), National Broadcasting Commission (Information) and Nigerian

National Petroleum Corp (Petroleum). Other parastatals are the responsibility of the Office of the

Presidency, such as the Independent National Electoral Commission, the Economic and

Financial Crimes Commission and the Federal Civil Service Commission.

Personal Income Tax Rates

Chargeable Profit    % Tax on BandCummulativeCharge Profit

Cummulative Tax

First 30,000.00 5.00% 1,500.00 30,000.00 1,500.00

Next 30,000.00 10.00% 3,000.00 60,000.00 4,500.00

Next 50,000.00 15.00% 7,500.00 110,000.00 12,000.00

Next 50,000.00 20.00% 10,000.00 160,000.00 22,000.00

Over 160,000.00 25.00%      

Minimum TaxThe Employment Income on which minimum tax is due is still N30,000.00

Personal Relief’s (S.33)

Personal Allowance N5,000 plus 20% Earned income

Children Allowance N2,500 per child (Limited to 4 children)

Dependent Relative Allowance N2,000(max for 2)

Life Assurance Relief (LAR) Allowances are given in respect of premium paid by the taxpayer on policies taken out of the life taxpayer.

Business customs and practices

Nigeria has a slightly laid-back business culture and it pays to be patient and take prior appointments. Nigerians expect to have close relationships with trading partners and so it is important not to rush or push things. Business visitors should be well dressed and a tie (for men!) is a must. If you are visiting government officials, (and you'll have to sooner or later since they are everywhere) a formal suit is de rigueur. Casual attire is considered synonymous with a similar attitude, so remember you intend doing serious business here! Both men and women are advised to wear conservative, but lightweight (think summer heat!) business suits. It even helps to carry an umbrella to avoid getting caught in the usually `unexpected' but frequent showers. The umbrella also helps to ward off the passing assailant/rogue that abound in certain localities!

English is the official language of Nigeria and most Nigerians are comfortable with it but do avoid using slang or idioms that are not suited to the culture there. Be clear and make yourself understood. Greet people graciously. Handshakes are the most appropriate way and remember to address Nigerians by their titles and honorifics. Nigerians love being greeted and would honour you if you offer respectful greetings. It is an offence in their society to pass an elderly person without greeting them. When you are in Nigeria be your polite best!

Early breakfast meets are out. Business starts here only after breakfast. Do not use telephones to discuss details. Once you get here, make local appointments in person or use hand delivered notes. Be punctual, even though they lack this quality themselves, they will respect you for it. Besides, the insane traffic and teeming and indisciplined pedestrian crowd in Lagos will certainly delay you. Do inform your Nigerian counterpart what time you expect to reach him and if he's coming in to meet you tell him till when you will be available. He will generally arrive just as you've given up hope of seeing him. In Nigeria, important business is conducted at face-to-face meetings. On the first meeting with a business contact, be patient and expect almost interminable greetings. The conversation might veer to the personal, as Nigerians like to know with whom they are doing business. Make sure you bring several packs of business cards as you'll find people, to whom you have given cards, queuing up to get another one because they'd have lost the first one. If you need to write, a block of company letterheads is advisable because, like us, they were a British colony and they like to get everything down on paper after a meeting. Be prepared for several follow up meetings. To close important deals you must contact top management, lower management might like to give you the impression that they can take momentous decisions. They can't.

It's a good idea to stock up on money as banks take ages to convert traveller's cheques. Credit cards can be used only at a few places, notably hotels and some of the better restaurants. On the other hand since the majority of business travellers do this they are a natural prey for the friendly neighbourhood mugger. If you are `doing' lunch with a business acquaintance, make sure you always use your right hand (or both hands) to pass and accept dishes. The left hand is taboo, and is rarely used for interpersonal transaction. Left-handers are especially advised to practice the use of the `right' hand. Check out objection to drinking and smoking before you light up or tip a glass. Foreigners do get away with most things but it makes good business sense to be discreet. Remember to tip 10-15% at restaurants and parking lots.

Religion and aesthetics

Several religions in Nigeria exist, helping to accentuate regional and ethnic distinctions.

All religions represented in Nigeria were practiced in every major city in 1990. However, Islam

dominated the north and held strong numbers in the South Western, Yoruba part of the

country. Protestantism and local syncretic Christianity are also in evidence in Yoruba areas,

while Catholicism dominates the Igbo and closely related areas. Both Protestantism and

Catholicism dominated in the Ibibio, Annang, and the Efik kiosa lands. The 1963 census

indicated that 47 percent of Nigerians were Muslim, 35 percent Christian, and 18 percent

members of local indigenous congregations. If accurate, this indicated a sharp increase since

1953 in the number of Christians (up 13 percent); a slight decline among those professing

indigenous beliefs, compared with 20 percent; and only a modest (4 percent) rise of Muslims.

There has been growth in the Christ Apostolic Church (the first Aladura Movement in Nigeria)

and the Aladura Church, an indigenous Christian sect that was especially strong in the Yoruba

areas, and of evangelical churches in general, spilling over into adjacent and southern areas of

the middle belt.

In general, however, the country should be seen as having a dominant Muslim north, a mixed

Christian and Muslim Southwest and Middle belt, a non-Muslim, primarily Christian South East

and South-South, with each as a minority faith in the other's region. In terms of Nigeria`s major

ethnic groups religious affiliations,the Hausa ethnic group in the North is 95% Muslims and 5%

Christians,the West which is the Yoruba tribe is 60% Christians and 30% Muslim with 10%

going to adherents of other African religions while the Igbos in the East and the Ijaws in the

South are 99% Christians(Catholics). The Middle Belt of Nigeria contains the largest number of

minority ethnic groups in Nigeria and they are mostly Christians and members of traditional

religions with few Muslim converts.

Islam is one of the religions practiced in West Africa. Nigeria has one of the

largest Muslim populations in West Africa,50.4% of Nigeria's population [18]. Islam was

introduced to northern Nigeria as early as the eleventh century and was well established in the

major capitals of the region by the sixteenth century, spreading into the countryside and toward

the middle belt uplands. Shehu Usman dan Fodio established a government in Northern Nigeria

based on Islam before the advent of Colonialism. The British Colonial Government therefore

established indirect rule in Northern Nigeria based on the structure of this

government. Islam also came to South Western Yoruba-speaking areas during the time of Mansa

Musa's Mali Empire. The Yoruba colloquially referred to Islam as "Esin-Mali" or some will say

"Esin-Mole", which means religion from Mali. Muslims in Nigerian practice the Maliki school

of jurisprudence and are mostly Sunni Muslims, The Shia Muslims of Nigeria are primarily

located in the Sokoto State.[19][20]

Nigerian Islam has become heterogenous with the springing up of many islamic sects.The

notable examples are the Izala movement,[21][22] the Shiite movement and many local Islamic

sects that have limited expansion.This new sects are opposed to the traditional Nigerian Islamic

teachings of the Sufi brotherhood and are gradually alienating themselves from the main Islamic

body.

c.Aesthetics

The music of Nigeria includes many kinds of Folk and popular music, some of which are known

worldwide. Styles of folk music are related to the multitudes of ethnic groups in the country,

each with their own techniques, instruments, and songs. Little is known about the country's

music history prior to European contact, although bronze carvings dating back to the 16th and

17th centuries have been found depicting musicians and their instruments. Nigeria has been

called "the heart of African music" because of its role in the development of West

African highlife and palm-wine music, which fuses native rhythms with techniques imported

from the Congo for the development of several popular styles that were unique to Nigeria,

like apala, fuji, jùjú, highlife, and Yo-pop. Subsequently, Nigerian musicians created their own

styles of United States hip hop musicand Jamaican reggae. Nigeria's musical output has achieved

international acclaim not only in the fields of folk and popular music, [2] but alsoWestern art

music written by composers such as Fela Sowande. Polyrhythms, in which two or more separate

beats are played simultaneously, are a part of much of traditional African music; [3] Nigeria is no

exception. The African hemiola style, based on the asymmetric rhythm pattern[4] is an important

rhythmic technique throughout the continent. Nigerian music also uses ostinato rhythms, in

which a rhythmic pattern is repeated despite changes in metre. Nigeria has some of the most

advanced recording studio technology in Africa, and provides robust commercial opportunities

for music performers. Ronnie Graham, an historian who specialises in West Africa, has

attributed the success of the Nigerian music industry to the country's culture—its "thirst for

aesthetic and material success and a voracious appetite for life, love and music, [and] a huge

domestic market, big enough to sustain artists who sing in regional languages and experiment

with indigenous styles". However, political corruption and rampant music piracy in Nigeria has

hampered the industry's growth.

Traditional instruments

Although percussion instruments are omnipresent, Nigeria's traditional music uses a number of

diverse instruments. Many, such as the xylophone, are an integral part of music acrossWest

Africa, while others are imports from the Muslims of the Maghreb, or from Southern or East

Africa; other instruments have arrived from Europe or the Americas. Brass instruments and

woodwinds were early imports that played a vital role in the development of Nigerian music,

while the later importation of electric guitars spurred the popularisation of jùjú music. Apart

from all the mentioned above the other various types of music are theatrical music, children’s

music, Yoruba, Igbo, Housa, Folk music and many more.

Living conditions

Nigeria leisure and sport bespeaks a very important part of the Nigeria culture. The various sports and activities practiced in Nigeria have promoted it to make a mark in the international field. Among the Nigeria sports, soccer is widely played. Besides tennis, baseball, basketball and chess are also played along with other sports. 

Nigeria Sports and Activities

 Some of the sports played in Nigeria are football, boxing, baseball, basketball, cricket, golf, volleyball, shooting, swimming. Even cycling, weight lifting, wrestling, rowing, lawn tennis, badminton and athletics are also practiced. The Nigeria soccer is world renowned and is counted among the ten best soccer teams of the world. The Nigeria soccer team is Africa's best soccer team. Nigeria has won the World Cup in 1985 in China and ranked second in Canada in the year1987. On other occasions, the Nigeria soccer team brought home a bronze medal winning the Junior World Cup competition in 1985, held in Soviet Union. 

In boxing, Nigeria has proved its excellence time and again. The three boxing world champions are Bash Ali, Dick Tiger and Hogan Kid Bassey. In athletics, Nigeria earned Olympic medals in various field events, long jump and track events. Nigeria has been persistently showing its skills in mastering the global sports. watching, going for safari rides are some of the leisure activities in Nigeria. The national parks are an abode of varied wildlife, which are worth visiting. 

Movies in Nigeria

The Nigerian movie industry, also known as Nollywood, is the 2nd largest film industry in the world. They have produced unforgettable classics such as Osuofia in London (1 and 2), One Dollar, and The Master, to name a few. Though this is a $250 million industry that is rapidly expanding and renowned, the quality of these movies, for the most part, has remained the same. Despite the VCD format (not DVD, but VCD, which is basically a CD with video files on it), over-exaggerative acting, and predictable plots, we can’t get enough of “Naija home videos”. If you’ve never watched one before, the following will show you what you should expect.So you go to your local African Food Mart, (or if you’re in Nigeria, any market, salon, street corner, cyber cafe, etc.) to purchase home videos. How do you decide which one to get? Do you rely on the synopsis of the movie on the back cover? Yeah right! The title might help you, but all that you will find on the cover of a Nigerian movie are pictures of the major characters with their best (or worst) expressions from the movie.

1. Anyway, you buy the VCD—but wait!! Make sure you inquire about parts 2 and 3. Nigerian movies CANNOT fit in 2 VCDs. Mind you, these are not sequels to Part 1. They are the same movie, just broken up into 6 VCDs. If you don’t ask for the other parts, you will be highly pissed

when the movie ends in mid-sentence and a screen pops up saying “TO GOD BE THE GLORY”!

1. Right when you pop in the VCD, you might just want to turn your volume way down for the first, say 15 minutes, of the video. Why? Previews. For some reason, the previews to other movies are the LOUDEST part of the VCD. Be prepared to hear the fastest-talking Nigerian in the world screaming over annoying 80s computer-generated sounds, fake guns and bombs blasting, car crashes, and other random scenes from the movies. When the previews are over, make sure you turn your volume up, no, WAY UP, because you won’t be able to hear any of the conversations in the movie if you don’t. Be prepared to adjust your volume accordingly THROUGHOUT the movie, too.

2. If you get lost during the movie, don’t worry. All the lyrics to the background music explain what is going on: “She is in love with 2 men; Obinna and Mahmoud. She’s Torn Between Two Loves (this happens to be the title of the movie too); she doesn’t know what to do.”

3. If there is a main character, 9 times out of 10, he is always talking about shipping containers or going overseas for business. However, by the end of the movie, you still don’t know exactly what he did or what he was even shipping.

4. If there is a hospital scene, you will only see one nurse, one doctor, and the person in a regular bed (no hospital bed with rails) and one IV (drip). The person could have been in a serious car wreck or shot up 50 times and will still manage to survive on that one drip!

5. Nigerian movie makers fail to maintain a sense of consistency when it comes to the hair and make-up department.  As the movie begins, the main character “Ife” will have long, black, silky hair.  The next morning, however, Ife will have a full head of micro-braids.  Later that evening, her braids have magically disappeared and Ife is now sporting a short, maroon bob.The more i dey age, the more i dey love my native nollywood movies. No be because the thing dey entertain, but na cus this thing just no dey move with time, dem just dey do dez 80’s kine things. This the kin movie wer i fit act for, if peson go collect naira pass, i fit come chop my own dolla

Crime

Nigeria is home to a substantial network of organized crime, active especially in drug trafficking. Nigerian

criminal groups are heavily involved in drug trafficking, shipping heroin from Asian countries to Europe

and America; and cocaine from South America to Europe and South Africa. The various

Nigerian Confraternities or "campus cults" are active in both organized crime and in political violence as

well as providing a network of corruption within Nigeria. As confraternities have extensive connections

with political and military figures, they offer excellent alumni networking opportunities. The Supreme

Vikings Confraternity, for example, boasts that twelve members of the Rivers State House of

Assembly are cult members.[106] On lower levels of society, there are the "area boys", organized gangs

mostly active in Lagos who specialize in mugging and small-scale drug dealing. According to official

statistics, gang violence in Lagos resulted in 273 civilians and 84 policemen killed in the period of August

2000 to May 2001. Internationally, Nigeria is infamous for a crime dubbed 419, a type of advance fee

fraud (named after Section 419 of the Nigerian Penal Code) along with the "Nigerian scam", a form of

confidence trick practiced by individuals and criminal syndicates. In 2003, the Nigerian Economic and

Financial Crimes Commission (or EFCC) was created to combat this and other forms of organized

financial crime.

Healthcare

Nigeria has been reorganizing its health system since the Bamako Initiative of 1987 formally

promoted community-based methods of increasing accessibility of drugs and health care services

to the population, in part by implementing user fees. The new strategy dramatically increased

accessibility through community-based healthcare reform, resulting in more efficient and

equitable provision of services. A comprehensive approach strategy was extended to all areas of

health care, with subsequent improvement in the health care indicators and improvement in

health care efficiency and cost.

The Nigerian health care system is continuously faced with a shortage of doctors known as 'brain

drain' due to the fact that many highly skilled Nigerian doctors emigrate to North America and

Europe. In 1995, it was estimated that 21,000 Nigerian doctors were practicing in the United

States alone, which about the same as the number of doctors working in the Nigerian public

service. Retaining these expensively trained professionals has been identified as one of the goals

of the government

Language

The number of languages currently estimated and catalogued in Nigeria is 521. This number

includes 510 living languages, two second languages without native speakers and nine extinct

languages. In some areas of Nigeria, ethnic groups speak more than one language. The official

language of Nigeria, English, was chosen to facilitate the cultural and linguistic unity of the

country. The choice of English as the official language was partially related to the fact that a part

of the Nigerian population spoke English as a result of British colonizationthat ended in 1960.

The major languages spoken in Nigeria represent three major families of African languages – the

majority areNiger-Congo languages, such as Yoruba, Igbo, the Hausa language is Afro-Asiatic;

and Kanuri, spoken in the northeast, primarily Borno State, is a member of the Nilo-Saharan

family. Even though most ethnic groups prefer to communicate in their own languages, English,

being the official language, is widely used for education, business transactions and for official

purposes. English as a first language, however, remains an exclusive preserve of a small minority

of the country's urban elite, and it is not spoken at all in some rural areas. With the majority of

Nigeria's populace in the rural areas, the major languages of communication in the country

remain indigenous languages. Some of the largest of these, notably Yoruba and Igbo, have

derived standardized languages from a number of different dialects and are widely spoken by

those ethnic groups. Nigerian Pidgin English, often known simply as 'Pidgin' or 'Broken' (Broken

English), is also a popular lingua franca, though with varying regional influences on dialect

and slang. The pidgin English or Nigerian English is widely spoken within the Niger

Delta Regions, predominately in Warri, Sapele, Port Harcourt, Agenebode, Ewu, and Benin City

VIII. Executive summary

After completing all of the other sections, prepare a two-page (maximum length) summary of the major points and place it at the front of the report. The purpose of an executive summary is to give the reader a brief glance at the critical points of your report. Those aspects of the culture a reader should know to do business in the country but would not be expected to know or would find different based on his or her SRC should be included in this summary.

IX. Sources of information

www.Wikipedia.com

www.stuffnigeriapeoplelike.com

X. Appendixes

II. Economic Analysis

The reader may find the data collected for the economic analysis guideline are more straightforward than for the cultural analysis guideline. There are two broad categories of information in this guideline: general economic data that serve as a basis for an evaluation of the economic soundness of a country, and information on channels of distribution and media availability. As mentioned earlier, the guideline focuses only on broad categories of data and must be adapted to particular company and product needs.

Population

Nigeria Is the most populous country in Africa and the tenth in the world. These include the major demographic features as obtained from two major sources, viz.: the 1991 census and the PRB's Worfd Population Data Sheet. Obviously, tile population of Nigeria is large, which makes it a "giant" relative to the other African countries. The large population implies a large market for goods and. services as well as a large pool of human resources for development. However, the impact of population on development depends not only on the absolute size but also on its quality. Population growth rate is influenced by the interplay of the three main demographic processes of fertility, mortality and migration. The relatively low mortality of about 13 to 14 per 1000 (crude death rate) and a declining infant mortality rate, as well as the increasing life expectancy in tile population, all suggest higher survival chances and therefore, a swell in the size of future population. The major factor responsible for the rapid increase in the population of the country is the relatively high fertility level as portrayed by a total fertility rate of about 6.0 live-births per woman in the1990s.The approximate population of Nigeria as on june 2010 is 154,729,000.

Distribution of population

Mitigations

There is a large volume of internal migration in the country induced by scarcity of land, impoverished soil, declining crop yields, poor harvests and soilf erosion, among others. The acquisition of some level of education or skill is also an important factor that prompts migration. Internal migration takes different fomis and patterns, but the most sig nificant is the movement

from rural areas to urban centres. Rural-urban migration is responsible for the depopulation of some rural area's and the influx of people into towns and cities. In the face of biting economic crunch and polit ical uncertainty, Nigeria has also, in the last one decade or so, witnessed increased level of emigra tion. This is responsible for the rather worrisome phenomenon of "brain-drain" for which the country has come to be associated with. International migration, particularly in the West African region, has also become intensified in the context of the emerging Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The rapid rate of increase in the population of large urban centres through migration has been of great concern to successive governments in the country since the second half of the 1950s.

The urban centres of Lagos, Port Harcourt, Warri, Jos, Kaduna and Kano have grown very fast. Abuja, the Federal Capital City and some of the new State capitals have also. experienced phenomenal growth as aresult of migration. Rapid urban growth has resulted in problems of urban congestion or over crowding, poor housing, poor environmental sanita tion, unemployment, crimes and other social vices which have come to characterise Nigeria's large urban centres. The western part of the country, inhabited by the Yoruba who have established the cultural tradition of living in large population concentrations, is more urbanised than other parts of the country. However, their large cities such as lbadan, Oshogbo, Ondo, Abeokuta and llorin are largely traditional and pre industrial in features with, at best, a mixture of the modern and the

old.

Ethnic groups

Nigeria has more than 250 ethnic groups, with varying languages and customs, creating a

country of rich ethnic diversity. The largest ethnic groups are the Fulani/Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo,

accounting for 68% of population,(Quote Source) while theEdo, Ijaw, Kanuri, Ibibio,

Ebira Nupe and Tiv comprise 27%; (Quote Source?) other minorities make up the remaining 7

percent. The middle belt of Nigeria is known for its diversity of ethnic groups, including the

Pyem, Goemai, and Kofyar. The official population count of each of Nigeria's ethnicities has

always remained controversial and disputed as members of different ethnic groups believe the

census is rigged to give a particular group (usually believed to be northern groups) numerical

superiority.

There are small minorities of British, American, East Indian, Chinese (est. 50,000),

white Zimbabwean, Japanese, Greek, Syrian and Lebanese immigrants in Nigeria. Immigrants

also include those from other West African or East Africannations. These minorities mostly

reside in major cities such as Lagos and Abuja, or in the Niger Delta as employees for the major

oil companies. A number of Cubans settled in Nigeria as political refugees following the Cuban

Revolution.

In the middle of the nineteenth century, a number of ex-slaves of Afro-Cuban and Afro-

Brazilian descent and emigrants from Sierra Leone established communities in Lagos and other

regions of Nigeria. Many ex-slaves came to Nigeria following the emancipation of slaves in

the Americas. Many of the immigrants, sometimes called Saros (immigrants from Sierra Leone)

and Amaro (ex-slaves from Brazil), later became prominent merchants and missionaries in these

cities.

Economic statistics and activity (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ni.html)

Oil-rich Nigeria, long hobbled by political instability, corruption, inadequate infrastructure, and poor macroeconomic management, has undertaken several reforms over the past decade. Nigeria's former military rulers failed to diversify the economy away from its overdependence on the capital-intensive oil sector, which provides 95% of foreign exchange earnings and about 80% of budgetary revenues. Following the signing of an IMF stand-by agreement in August 2000, Nigeria received a debt-restructuring deal from the Paris Club and a $1 billion credit from the IMF, both contingent on economic reforms. Nigeria pulled out of its IMF program in April 2002, after failing to meet spending and exchange rate targets, making it ineligible for additional debt forgiveness from the Paris Club. Since 2008 the government has begun showing the political will to implement the market-oriented reforms urged by the IMF, such as to modernize the banking system, to curb inflation by blocking excessive wage demands, and to resolve regional disputes over the distribution of earnings from the oil industry. In 2003, the government began deregulating fuel prices, announced the privatization of the country's four oil refineries, and instituted the National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy, a domestically designed and run program modeled on the IMF's Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility for fiscal and monetary management. In November 2005, Abuja won Paris Club approval for a debt-relief deal that eliminated $18 billion of debt in exchange for $12 billion in payments - a total package worth $30 billion of Nigeria's total $37 billion external debt. The deal subjects Nigeria to stringent IMF reviews. Based largely on increased oil exports and high global crude

prices, GDP rose strongly in 2007-09. President YAR'ADUA has pledged to continue the economic reforms of his predecessor with emphasis on infrastructure improvements. Infrastructure is the main impediment to growth. The government is working toward developing stronger public-private partnerships for electricity and roads.

Gross domestic product (GNP or GDP)

$2,300 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 182

$2,200 (2008 est.), $2,100 (2007 est.)

note: data are in 2009 US dollars

GDP composite by sector

Agriculture: 33.1%Industry: 33.8%Services: 33.1% (2009 est.)

2. Rate of growth (real GNP or GDP)

6.1% (2009 est.), country comparison to the world: 17

5.3% (2008 est.)

6.4% (2007 est.)

Labor force by occupation

Agriculture: 70%Industry: 10%Services: 20% (1999 est.)

Minerals and resources

The country is one of the one of the world’s richest in minerals. The marble ,clay , tantalite, Clay,   Tentalite, Cassiterite Gold (partially investigated), Lead /Zinc (Traces), Dolomite, Kaolin, Bentonite, Gypsium,  Magnesite etc are few examples of rich minerals found in Nigeria.

Surface transportation

Decaying infrastructure is one of the deficiencies that nigeria’s National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy (NEEDS) seeks to address. The government has begun to repair the country’s poorly maintained road network. Because Nigeria’s railways are in a parlous condition, the government is trying to rectify the situation by privatizing the Nigerian Railway Corporation. Similarly, the government is pursuing a strategy of partial port privatization by granting concessions to private port operators so that they can improve the quality of port facilities and operations. Railways in Nigeria are operated by Nigeria railway corporation. Nigeria has the largest road network in West Africa and the second largest south of the Sahara, with roughly 108,000 km of surfaced roads in 1990. However they are poorly maintained and are often cited as a cause for the country’s high rate of traffic fatalities. In 2004 Nigeria’s Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) began to patch the 32,000-kilometre federal roads network, and in 2005 FERMA initiated a more substantial rehabilitation. The rainy season and poor equipment pose challenges to road maintenance

Principal industries

Since oil was discovered in the wilderness of Nigeria, it became one of the biggest oil exporters

in the World. Nigeria witnessed an oil boom in the 1970's. The country is also very rich in

biodiversity. Mostly the major industries are all located in the populous cities of Nigeria which

are Lagos, kano, Ibadan, kaduna and Abuja which is also the capital of Nigeria. The rich oil

reserves have given a chance for the oil and petroleum industry in the country to flourish and this

industry was the main reason because of which Nigeria was able to pay off its debts to the Paris

Club otherwise Nigeria would have remained engulfed in poverty.

The Agriculture industry is also highly prominent in Nigeria as most of its people are

traditionally farmers. Crops such as corn and maize are often cultivated here. Groundnut,

Sugarcane, coconut and other citrus fruits are also grown here. But the Agriculture Industry

received stiff competition from the oil and petroleum industry and hence wasn't doing well

recently. Thus, the country which used to export a lot of food started importing food to make

ends meet. Now, the Government has made reforms to rejuvenate the Agriculture Industry in

Nigeria.

The cities of Lagos, kano and Onitsha are the homes of several industries like the Cotton,

Textile, Garment manufacturing as well as the Leather industry which thrive in these cities. It is

also the home to the manufacturing units of some of the big names in the Car manufacturing

industry like Peugeot and General Motors. Apart from being a major manufacturing sector,

Nigeria also is home to making T shirts and processing food.

Foreign investment

Nigeria is West Africa's most populous country, and one of the most developed. Investment in

the petroleum industry was carried out on a very large scale in the 1970s, including funds

devoted to production, refining, and petrochemicals. The petroleum industry was largely

nationalized during that period. Upstream operations are dominated by the Shell Petroleum

Development Company of Nigeria. The company has been involved in conflict with local

groups, particularly the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOPOS), which accuse

Shell of causing life-threatening environmental damage, while the company contends that the

damage is caused by interference with its operations. Downstream, two consortiums with foreign

participation control about 30% of the market: Total Finalf Nigeria Plc and Unipetrol/Agip.

In December 1989, a new Nigerian Enterprises Decree permitted 100% foreign ownership in any

new venture except those in banking, oil, insurance, and mining. The government uses an open

tender system for awarding government contracts. However, a patronage system exerts powerful

influence over the awarding of such contracts. Government scandals, political instability, and

endemic corruption (Nigeria is regularly ranked among the most corrupt countries in the world,

often at the top of the list) have inhibited foreign investment.

In 1992, the Nigerian Free Zone Act was passed establishing the Nigerian Export Processing

Zone Authority (NEPZA). Free trade zones (FTZ), so renamed in 2001, are expanses of land

with improved ports and/or transportation, warehousing facilities, uninterrupted electricity and

water supplies, advanced telecommunications services and other amenities to accommodate

business operations. Under the free zone system, as long as end products are exported (although

25% can be sold in the domestic market), enterprises are exempt from customs duties, local

taxes, and foreign exchange restrictions, and qualify for incentives—tax holidays, rent-free land,

no strikes or lockouts, no quotas in EU and US markets, and, under the 2000 African Growth and

Opportunity Act (AGOA), preferential tariffs in the US market until 2008. When fully

developed, free zones are to encompass industrial production, offshore banking, insurance and

reinsurance, international stock, commodities, and mercantile exchanges, agro-allied industry,

mineral processing, and international tourist facilities.

K. International trade statistics

1. Major exports

a. Dollar value

b. Trends

2. Major imports

a. Dollar value

b. Trends

3. Balance-of-payments situation

a. Surplus or deficit?

b. Recent trends

4. Exchange rates

a. Single or multiple exchange rates?

b. Current rate of exchange

c. Trends

L. Trade restrictions

1. Embargoes

2. Quotas

3. Import taxes

4. Tariffs

5. Licensing

6. Customs duties

M. Extent of economic activity not included in cash income activities

1. Countertrades

a. Products generally offered for countertrading

b. Types of countertrades requested (i.e., barter, counterpurchase, etc.)

2. Foreign aid received

N. Labor force

1. Size

2. Unemployment rates

O. Inflation rates

Developments in science and technology

Nigeria is one of the countries which is getting advanced in technology. It uses many kinds of modern and recent technologies used worldwide. Also, Nigeria has launched three satellites into space. The first satellite, the Nigeriasat-1, was launched from Russia on 27 September 2003. Nigeriasat-1 is part of the world-wide Disaster Monitoring Constellation System. The primary objectives of the Nigeriasat-1 are:

To give early warning signals of environmental disaster.

To help control desertification in the northern part of Nigeria.

To assist in demographic planning.

To establish the relationship between malaria vectors and the environment that breeds

malaria and to give early warning signals on future outbreaks of meningitis using remote

sensing technology.

To provide the technology needed to bring education to all parts of the country through

distant learning.

To aid in conflict resolution and border disputes by mapping out state and International

borders.Nigeriasat-2

Nigeriasat-2, Nigeria's second satellite, is a high-resolution earth satellite built by a United

Kingdom-based satellite technology company, Surrey Space Technology Limited.

Nigeriasat-2 has 2.5 metres resolution panchromatic (very high resolution), 5 metres

multispectral (high resolution, NIR red, green & red bands) and 32 metres multispectral (medium

resolution, NIR red, green & red bands) with ground receiving station in Abuja. The NigeriaSat-

2 spacecraft alone was build at a cost of over £35 million.[66] This satellite was launched

into orbit from a military base in China.

NigComSat-1 a Nigerian Satellite build in 2004 is Nigeria's third satellite and Africa's first

communication satellite. It was launched on 13 May 2007, aboard a Chinese Long March

3B carrier rocket , from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in China. The spacecraft was

operated by NigComSat and the Nigerian Space Agency, NASRDA. On November 11,

2008,NigComSat-1 failed in orbit after running out of power due to an anomaly in its solar array.

Specifications

It was based on the Chinese DFH-4 satellite bus, and carries a variety of transponders:

4 C-band

14 Ku-band

8 Ka-band

2 L-band

It was designed to provide coverage to many parts of Africa, and the Ka-band transponders

would also cover Italy.

On 10 November 2008 (0900 GMT), the satellite was reportedly switched off for analysis and to

avoid a possible collision with other satellites. According to Nigerian Communications Satellite

Limited, it was put into "emergency mode operation in order to effect mitigation and

repairs". The satellite eventually failed after losing power on 11 November 2008.

On March 24, 2009, the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, NigComSat Ltd.

and CGWIC signed a further contract for the in-orbit delivery of the NigComSat-1R satellite.

NigComSat-1R is also a DFH-4 satellite, and is expected to be delivered in the fourth quarter of

2011 as a replacement for the failed NigComSat-1

Channels of distribution (macro analysis)

This section reports data on all channel middlemen available within the market. Later, you will select a specific channel as part of your distribution strategy.

A. Retailers

1. Number of retailers

2. Typical size of retail outlets

3. Customary markup for various classes of goods

4. Methods of operation (cash/credit)

5. Scale of operation (large/small)

6. Role of chain stores, department stores, and specialty shops

B. Wholesale middlemen

1. Number and size

2. Customary markup for various classes of goods

3. Method of operation (cash/credit)

C. Import/export agents

D. Warehousing

E. Penetration of urban and rural markets

Media Habits of Nigeria

Press

Historically, Nigeria has boasted the most free and outspoken press of any African country, but

also one which has consistently been the target of harassment by the past military dictatorships

and now under the governance of Nigeria's current civilian president, Umaru Musa Yar'adua.

Many agents of Nigeria's press have been imprisoned, exiled, tortured, or murdered as a result,

among them being Ogoni activist and television producer Ken Saro-Wiwa, who was executed for

treason by order of the Sani Abacha dictatorship in 1995 (resulting in the expulsion of Nigeria

from the Commonwealth of Nations and sanctions from abroad).

Even under the somewhat less-oppressive current civilian government, journalists have

continued to come under fire, be it from the government (as with the June 2006 arrest of Gbenga

Aruleba and Rotimi Durojaiye of African Independent Television under charges of sedition) or

from other popular establishments (such as the self-imposed exile of Thisday's Isioma

Danielfollowing the riots in Northern Nigeria over "sensitive comments" which she had made in

an article regarding Muhammad and the 2002 Miss World pageant; a fatwa calling for her

beheading was issued by the mullahs of northern Nigeria, but was declared null and void by the

relevant religious authorities in Saudi Arabia, and the Obasanjo faced an international public

relations smearing [especially within journalistic circles) in the aftermath, which was not helped

by the Amina Lawal controversy which had occurred prior to the riots, which had seen over 200

dead). However, as with most other countries, blogging has increasingly become a much safer,

and much easier, conduit for Nigeria's growing Internet-enabled minority to express their

dissatisfactions with the current state of affairs in Nigeria.

Radio and Television

On the other hand, while newspapers (and, most recently, blogging) have long thrived through both thick and thin in Nigeria, radio and television has not received as much recognition, due to limited resources and press restrictions which beset the establishment of radio or television services in Nigeria. However, such limitations are being worked around in order to reach larger audiences both within and without Nigeria, such as with the growth of satellite television (which has long been preferred throughout the African continent due to the infavourability, geologically and financially, of laying ground cables). The BBC World Service as well as the Voice of America and the German broadcasting organization Deutsche Welle (DW) also provide shortwave radio in the Hausa language.

Internet sites

Virtually all Nigerian newspapers have an internet presence; in addition, there are several

websites which are dedicated to allowing Nigerians to air their opinions on a variety of topics.

However, the current low penetration of the internet in Nigeria means that radio and newspapers

remain the primary means of consuming information in the country.

VII. Executive summary

After completing the research for this report, prepare a two-page (maximum) summary of the major economic points and place it at the front

VIII. Sources of information

hmnet.com/Africa/Nigeria

(http://www.hmnet.com/africa/nigeria/nigeria.html)

IX. Appendixes