nigerianigeria,
time for new expectations
LATEST REPORT
June 12th, 2000


 NIGERIA
A new business climate










National Maritime Authority

Read our exclusive interview 		nigeria MARITIME AUTHORITY

"We make the Sea our Business"

Manager:
Mr.J.P.O.Egesi, Director General

Contact:
Plot 1970
Michael Okpara Way
Wuse, Zone 5
Abuja

Telephone +234 9 5237025
+234 9 5237016-18
+234 1 5454800 – 4 (Lagos)

Facsimile +234 1 5450722 (Lagos)
+234 1 5451430
The national Maritime Authority (NMA) was established in 1987. After over ten years in operation the NNA has come a long way towards fulfilling its obligations:

. Correcting imbalances in nigeria's shipping trade.

.Improving nigeria's blance of payments by enhancing the earning and conservation of foreign exchange from the shipping industry.

.Promoting export trade and the economic integration of the West African sub-region.

. Ensuring greater participation of nigeria's own shipping firms i liner conferences.

.Developing indigenous fleet and maritime manpower:

...Improving nigeria's Participation In International Shipping

During this time the NMA has successfully expanded nigeria's fleet, implemented an effective pollution control scheme on the nigerian seas, won the contract for fertilizer lifting to local shipping companies, and encouraged local firms to compete for a share of the lucrative crude oil-lifting contracts.

As an active participant at International Maritime Forum, the NMA has always kept abreast of developments within the sector.

Since the creation of the NMA, there has been anoted recovery in the nigerian maritime industry, which is once again on course for future developments and the strive for excellence.

Strategy

THE FUNCTIONS OF THE AUTHORITY

The NMA has the following functions:

  • To co-ordinate the implementation of the national policy on shipping as may be formulated from time to time by the Federal Government.

  • To ensure that nigerian National carriers fully exercise nigeria’s carrying right of at least 40 per cent of the freight in revenue and volume of the total trade to and from nigeria

  • To grant national carrier status to indigenous shipping lines

  • To monitor the activities of vessels of the companies granted national carrier status

  • To grant assistance to indigenous companies for fleet expansion and ship ownership

  • To regulate liner conference and national carriers; and

  • To perform such other function as may be required to achieve the aims and objectives of this decree or any national shipping policy as may be formulated by the Federal Government pursuant to this Decree.


    • SPECIAL FUNCTIONS OF THE AUTHORITY

  • The Authority shall investigate, determine and keep current records of:


  • Ocean services, routes and lines from nigerian Ports to foreign markets as may be determined by the Minister to be essential for the promotion, development, expansion and maintenance of the foreign commerce of nigeria.

  • Bulk cargo carrying services for the purpose of promotion, development, expansion and maintenance of the foreign commerce of nigeria, the national defence and other national requirements provided by the nigerian flag vessels whether or not operating on a particular ocean service route or line;

  • Type, size, speed, method of propulsion and other requirements of vessels which should be employed

  • The relative cost of construction of comparable vessels in nigeria and in foreign countries.

  • The relative cost of managing the commercial aspect of the shipping industry such as scheduling , chartering in or out of vessels, allotment of cargo space, etc.

  • The extent and character of aid and subsidies granted by foreign government to their merchant marines

  • The number ,efficiency and location of shipyards existing on the date and promulgation of this Decree and thereafter built in nigeria


    • AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE NMA

    The aims and the objectives of the authority are as follows:

  • The correction of any imbalance in the nigerian Shipping trade for the purpose of the implementation of the provisions of the UNCTAD code of conduct for liner conferences especially the ratio 40:40:20 in carriage goods to and from nigerian Ports.

  • Improve balance of payment by enhancing earning and conservation of foreign exchange from shipping industry.

  • Use the National Shipping Policy to promote export trade and accelerate growth of national economy.

  • Ensure greater participation of indigenous shipping lines in liner conferences in order to influence decision making processes of such conferences in serving nigerian international sea-borne trade.

  • Assist the economic integration of the West African sub-region.

  • Protect nigerian vessels flying the nation’s flag on highs seas and world sea ports.

  • Increase participation of indigenous shipping lines in ocean shipping lines through application of provisions of UNCTAD code of General Cargo and by entering bilateral agreements or other suitable arrangements.

  • Encourage increase of ship ownership and indigenous skills in maritime transport technology.

  • Achieve systematic control of the mechanics of sea transportation and

  • Promote training of nigerians in maritime transport technology and as seafarers.


    • INTERVIEW WITH
    MR. J.P.O. EGESI,
    DIRECTOR-GENERAL, NATIONAL MARITIME AUTHORITY (nigeria).

    Marth 12th, 1999.

    FORBES: You have been quoted as saying in the past that the NMA is in a mess at the moment, largely because of administrative decisions taken in the past. Could you elaborate a little bit more on these problems which the NMA is facing?

    EGESI: Ah, Yes. But I wouldn’t have expected you to start (laughter) (with) that; I would have expected you to ask me what we do, how we are doing it … It is from there that then, I could tell you that, look we went off track here, we are following the right track here, and so on.

    FORBES: Well, if you like, I’ll rephrase my question.

    EGESI: Okay.

    FORBES: Em, could you give us a brief historical background to the National Maritime Authority ….?

    EGESI: Very good!

    FORBES: Its activities, and your activities as Director-General as well?F

    EGESI: Okay. First and foremost, the Authority was established to help promote the maritime industry of this country. In my very humble opinion, the springboard of the establishment of the Maritime Authority started back (before) we ever came into being. And that was when the government realized that, after setting in motion the establishment of the National Shipping Line, and realizing that they weren’t getting what they ought to get, their competitive strength was a little bit below what they would have wanted it to be. So they thought that, Ah! We ought to help the industry grow, so that we can be better positioned to compete better with the other, more developed countries. Now, you might (ask) why did I say (that) the springboard of the government establishment of NMA started with just a shipping line like NNSL (nigeria National Shipping Line). It’s been scrapped at the moment, in fact the winding up process is still going on (for) the past three years. You see, the government established NNSL to help it earn FOREX in international freight, carrying goods and all that. So that some of the monies we lose out by patronizing other countries’ shipping lines could at least come back and be retained in the country. To do that, it brought, I think around, seventeen or, between 17 and twenty-something ships.

    FORBES: Between 17 and ….?

    EGASI: I can’t remember the (exact number), but it was about 17 ships anyway, mostly combo vessels, around 12 to 15 deadweight tonnage. And, these vessels were (all) bought at the same time, which in itself was an error, because their maintenance and so on … coming around the same time, there is no spacing out of the dry-docking of these vessels. (This) creates a kind of … the vessel stops operating and then they start again … so that when things started going wrong everything went wrong almost around the same time. And way back in the past, …

    FORBES: How long ago are you talking about?

    EGESI: Em, I wish I could (consult) my papers we are talking about … more or less, maybe twenty-something years.

    FORBES: This is something you can add … I forgot to tell you, … your subscription, so you’ll be on our list…

    EGESI: Yes, okay, okay. I know that because of the … NNSL belonged to most of the conferences that were operating at the time: the UKWAL conference, UK-West African Conference, the AMWAC, American conference, the Middle East conference, and so on and so forth. And it did well, but there were certain administrative problems in the sense that money wasn’t paid sometimes when the government used the service, and I think that’s not quite responsible. So that they gathered a lot of debt. And also the people sometimes put at the helm of affairs were not properly chosen. You find like square pegs in round holes, taking decisions that were not conducive to proper development of that company.

    FORBES: Could you maybe go into more details about these inadequate decisions?

    EGESI: Well, they are mostly … I want to brush through them, like the things that led, you know … it isn’t the major reason for this (interview), I am going into the NMA, I don’t want to open up old wounds in relation to this. So, debts mounted, insurance (covers) were not paid for the vessel(s), maintenance became below standard, then with the development of the four-state control in most of the other European countries, vessels were being held and detained and so on and so forth, and that means money. Because ships make money when they ply the routes, and they carry cargo, that’s the only time the ship is making money. The ships do not make money, standing in the port, they make money plying the routes and carrying cargo. So, the collection of this time wasted affected the company very, very much. And, so of course we all know what now happened, and NNSL is no more. But, that is just not it. What was important apart from the administrative problems in the earlier days, is the fact that NNSL wasn’t able to compete with the more technically developed countries, who have better maritime set up and better infrastructure support from their governments. And therefore they also have what you may call historical trade advantages. The manufacturing base of most of the imports we bring into the country are in the developed countries, and their own shipping lines are associated with those manufacturing companies or the trading companies. So that, these companies patronize following lines and make it difficult for us to get any cargo. So, nigeria of course joined the other developing countries in the, … you now know of the UNCTAD code, the Liner Conferences Decree, that there should be a code of 40-40-20 for liner conferences. This code nigeria supported, and, it was what influenced the establishment of the NMA in the first instance, so that NMA can properly administer this cargo. It is not meant to be a kind of shutting the door (on) the world, but in fact, encouraging the world in a kind of equitable manner; where nigeria carries, at the very least, 40% of its own cargo, and the other country caries its own 40% of the general cargo I am talking about. And, of course, the cross-trader that belongs neither to nigeria nor to either of the importing-exporting countries carries (the remaining) 20% of the cargo. Naturally, this didn’t rub well with those who (had) been having their way all the while, and, of course they kicked against it, they tried to make it impossible for us to establish. Now, this is where I come in, because I was a pioneer member of the establishment of NMA. I joined the NMA in the 1980s. I was (even) the officer in charge of Regulatory Trade, that is, the regulation office, to carry out the 40-40-20 rule and 50-50, and also the 100%. If you check back at our, … at Decree 10 (of) 1980 that established the NMA. So, most of the operation (fell) on my slim shoulders at the time. We had to devise a form, which was called Form C in those days, and so many other things. We had negotiations with the EEC, with all Shipping Lines, with Embassies all over the world (represented) in nigeria, to tell them that, look, this is not a threat, it is just to help the country (to) develop. And some of them see with us, you know, encourage us, (but) others perhaps, more particularly the EEC, (were) a little bit em,… not quite receptive to the idea. But, over time, I think, reason prevailed and, we have a kind of understanding, if you like, … it may not be written, but there’s an understanding that nigerians reserves the right to participate in (her) foreign trade.

    FORBES: Right.

    EGESI: So, we have devised various means of ensuring that they carry this cargo. Of course, it’s not been quite successful because of what you may call a school of laws, you know, nigerian laws do not apply to Europe, (don’t) apply to America. So, it would be difficult for instance, to practice the control of cargo, because you cannot share (what you have no) control (over); now, this control is to ensure that, look, this is the quarter volume of cargo that we have if we have 40% of it, let us have them. That is all we asking (for). At a point in time, it became quite difficult even to do certain things. But, like I said, recent events, point (to the fact that) we are trying to do it, one way or the other, and let me quickly say that even though there was what you may call an interventionist policy of sorts, of lifting cargo together, it is not the main aim of the Shipping Policy. The shipping policy as I said earlier, was to help the nigeria shipping industry (to) develop, to be able to compete without any controls; that is the major aspect. And I’ve also theorized that as the nigerian shipping industry becomes stronger, the issue of control becomes … er … loosens so that we can participate more fully. It’s an inverse kind of relationship, inverse pure law, if you like, if you can still remember your Boyle’s Law and so on and so forth, or Charles’ Law, in Physics. But that is the point that I’m trying to make. That, we monitor this development, we know it is not the end in itself, that all we are trying to do, is that when our people, gradually, develop the art, the technology and the wherewithal to properly run their own business, of course we (withdraw). We also know the danger in control list of corruption, who dictates, who shares out cargo … Even when you don’t want to be corrupt, (they are) pushing it right at your face, because you have the means (to) their profit. So, we know that, and we try to ensure that this thing does not happen. It isn’t easy, but we try our best. So, having sensed the danger and also … having sensed the fact that control also affects diversification and proper development … you know, a child cannot properly grow, if you only leave him in a room to roam about without interacting with other people, without interacting with other world(s) just like a nation, a nation should properly interact with others, accept them as being people, …I don’t want to run into problems, but that’s why Germany made a mistake, when it thought that the world belonged to it. So, we know that, in a sense, this cargo sharing principle, and being the man at the head, I’m quite … well, a bit of coercion, a bit of monitoring, a bit of this and that. But I’m also aware of the danger of not encouraging competition, so we now … what we did was to gradually left off certain aspects of the general cargo, of proper competition: if you can get it, it’s yours. It is the beginning of our encouraging free competition. But, you cannot just do that so quickly, otherwise, … there’s no country that’s really competitive. I am aware that if the United States of America is giving out aid to a particular country, the shipping lines of the US will have the precedence in carrying most of the aid material.
    		 When lifting bulk cargo, we have to carry about 50%; we allow other people to carry 50%. But where it involves government project, when the technology is beyond nigeria, of course, we call others to help us. But, naturally, nigeria takes precedence in this particular case. But as we move on, as we have the where withal, as we become as strong as other people, of course the issue of control will be allowed to lie, and proper competition will take place. Now, because of the way you structured your interview, I couldn’t perhaps take you through the strategy of Decree 10 promulgated by the government. Now, Decree 10 stands basically on two things: one is what you may call … we want to develop the vessel capacity (the bottoms) of the country. The other is this interventionist aspect. But, like I also said, … Decree 10 is a beautiful decree actually, and I praise the government. for that. This other aspect, was the establishment of a Fund, where anybody who wants to go into shipping could come in, and take, if you like, a soft loan …

    FORBES: It’s like a shipbuilding Fund?

    EGESI: Absolutely! That’s it. We’ve just moved into that. It is the two arms of the government strategy to ensure that the shipping industry develops, because, if you say, let’s share cargo, you share cargo, you got to put the cargo somewhere. But if the country does not have (partners) the other aspect cannot properly work. So, it became necessary of course to establish a shipper Business-Ship-Building-Fund. Now, it is what you might call a … a financial firm to the industry. If you want something … but, when it was carried out initially, I don’t want to go to see this framework I’m drawing. I always like to have maybe a blackboard or a little piece of paper, so that you can see where I’m going, in relation to developing these two aspects. Now, I have said that there is a deliberate policy here to ensure that as the country develops we let loose the issue of control. Not so much because we have been pressurized by the outside world, but because it is also good for us to ensure that, a healthy child is the one that properly competes. That’s why if you go to all schools anywhere, you see sports being developed. There is more to sports than just clapping and shouting and running about. It’s also a kind of social and spiritual development of the person, to be independent and also cooperate with other people. There’s more even in the failure of the child in trying to be the first or the last, also there are limits to what you can personally, singularly achieve. [I’m I being too philosophical?]

    FORBES: No … carry on, please.

    EGESI: Very Good. So, its other aspect, the aspect of (ship-building finance), was to supply the bottoms, for the carriage of the other aspects; now, what’s happened in the initial stage, due to perhaps lack of experience? People were given almost free cheques without proper control, and we couldn’t get back the money that was taken away. Now, what we are trying to do is to link up with other friendly countries like yours, and European, even Asian countries, you know, to help us reorganize this aspect of our ship and ship-building Fund.

    FORBES: How exactly are you doing that?

    EGESI: I wouldn’t have liked to use this medium to … you know, by their shipyards. Korea has come to mind, if you like … other shipping companies say, look, we have (a) certain class of cargo, you know, there is a guarantee; we are building this ship with a line of support and a proper package of international arrangements. We will have a chance of owing a vessel and putting proper control on those who will now own these vessels, instead of just giving them money. The temptation with money is that you want to transfer the fund to what it is not meant for, and so on and so forth. So, these are the ideas which we have. I don’t want to go into details of it.

    FORBES: Do you have links with the US?

    EGESI: No we haven’t, but we have talked to a few embassies particularly the East Asian countries about this because we believe that their cost is a bit lower. You know, when you want to enter a market, you enter at a lower sort of (level). When we need high-tech things like em, double-bottomed vessels and so on, we might go to the US. Of course, during our Training in Port-State control, one of our lecturers was a member of the American Coast Guards, a Commander (so you can call that a legacy, because he gave us the standards of the American system). And I intend sometime this week, to make some links: with Canada, and also to see the Americans …

    FORBES: I mean the relations, you have …

    EGESI: Okay, absolutely. That’s right. So, we are trying to do that, so that we can properly develop, particularly the third wing of this authority. I haven’t spoken about it, I’ve spoken only of two wings. This development of bottoms, right bottoms, and also the insurance that will carry the cargo with some modicum of competition. When we started, it was really absolute but as we move along we’ll allow more competition, so that these lines develop properly. You go and get it, and deliver, struggle and get it, and so on. Of course, there are other aspects that affect our development and our plan. The changes in the world, in the way shipping is done; the conferences are not the base of and the end, these days; we have now the round-the-world shipping. The structure in shipping is so much changed. After the establishment of the UNCTAD Code, which is a reaction from the developed countries, to, perhaps, kill the UNCTAD code, if you want to look at it from that aspect, or develop your shipping in a way that they still make profit without being hampered by the constraining arms of the UNCTAD code. Are you following me? So these are developments that are beyond our shores. I also talked about limitations of laws; even if you want to control the cargo, you can only do so within your own jurisdictional territory. You cannot decree, for instance, that cargo in France should be carried by a nigerian ship. But what we did was to say that, since most of the cargo comes to nigeria anyway, in the sub-region, well, unless you have a form C or an authorization of sorts, you have to be penalized. That is in, I think section 26 of the Shipping Council Decree -- that can be checked out.

    FORBES: Is that not what you called the 40-40-20 plan?

    EGESI: Well, the 40-40-20 … Outsiders, if you like, carry 60%. I think it’s a fair deal, you know. Of course we know that, but for us to know which is the 40%, we must know what this 100% is, ( shouldn’t we)? So, that is why we call it cargo-control and sharing. Having said that, I also said that we are also said that we are also monitoring this development because of the tendency for people to become complacent, to become lazy and to simple pick up cargo, dump it somewhere and take a commission for it. So, to ensure that people properly participate, we have to allow competition to take place. The dynamism is continuing as we move along. This is where, perhaps, countries like yours could come out to help.

    FORBES: You say that you want to encourage some competition among different nations. Vis-à-vis that, how do you see the NMA in two years’ time?

    EGESI: Is it the end question or the beginning? Well, I see it as em, … we will move away as time goes on, from the control aspect. As I said it’s a question of degree, as the years roll along. Because our major task is to ensure that our country participates in the lifting of its own cargo. Where they are not doing well, we may have to take measures to ensure that they do well. But, one also has to analyse the problem and ask why haven’t they done well? We cannot assure that ah! It is because we didn’t give them cargo. We must say, maybe it is because we are even controlling them! If you must be in shipping then go, do competition! All I’m saying is that, this is a body that is, ... the Research Department, which I haven’t mentioned, you see, you’ve turned me upside down, so I have to take other directions. Most of these interviews follow a certain pattern, but I think you took a different pattern. Now, we are intending to develop a Research Department. The department will delve into problems, related to the operation and development of the industry. Why is the industry not doing well? That is a kind of dispassionate analysis of what we are not doing right. Even if it means turning what we are doing upside down, we must do it. So, one of my package of plans, is to ensure that the Research Department which has been lying, almost idle for the past 10 years, is kind of energized, so that we put in right-thinking … In fact I brought in one of the UNCTAD and to formation of the NMA, into my Department, you know, to look at what they did, and say, where have we gone wrong? Why are we not going where we ought to go? Why is our fleet diminishing, why are we not increasing? Is the country getting richer? These are questions which the Research Department has to go into. The Department will also need to go into publications on advisory function, for the shipping community; so that people do not come cap-in-hand, with a brief-case and all that, asking for their own share of the (national cake) … they will ask the right questions and ensure that it is properly constituted … every bill, and also give them advisory service on the sort of trade they should go into, what sort of ship should be in that trade and so forth. We don’t all have to go into what you may call the liner service. There’s what we call the tram service you know, where the personnel structure could be far, far narrower than when you operate a liner service. A liner service is a little bit more regimented, is wider in administrative slope because of its nature, agency linkages and so on and so forth. But if you run a tram service, you can run a train service with two people and a telephone, and so on and so forth. All you need is to contact the ship and may be the multinational or whoever needs the service anyway, gets to know you, and then you tell them, you go and carry that cargo. These are issues which I want to research, to do, you know, not to be shackled by, if you like, the trend of what you are seeing, but to go beyond that, to (plan) a more daring approach to looking at the problems of the industry (which is) too important to be left without any improved research back-up. So, part of my intention is to develop a Research Department properly, with highly-trained maritime experts, like economists, even engineers, if there is a need for them. Now, there is a third arm of the NMA, which I haven’t spoken about. This third arm, is the Marine Safety Administration. When NMA was established in 1987, there may well have been some intention to bring in the Marine Safety off the Ministry of Transport, but it was only after around to 8 years, that they then Minister, the late Major-General A. Gumel, decided to merge the MID (Maritime Inspectorate Division) and the NMA in principle. At that time, I was the Director of Technical Service (in 1995). I was part of the committee that looked into the formalities of merging the two parts of the government. As I am talking to you now, the MID the (Marine Safety Department of the Ministry of Transport), is now part and parcel of the former Technical Department of NMA. I think I was the first Director of Maritime safety. Now, this Maritime safety will take care of the flag state, you know what that is? It is the standard required for a vessel to be registered, (obeying all the laws), to be sea-worthy; is it a nigerian vessel, should it is a nigeria vessel, should it be re … and so on and so forth, that is the flag state. And of course, the flag state has to look at the IMO (International Maritime Organisation) Conventions, you know the Solar and the Marpol, and so on and so forth. And the appendices of those conventions, to be inline with what obtains elsewhere in the world. The world is becoming smaller with the establishment of IMO. I don’t know whether you’re conversant with the IMO operation, are you? It is situated at Albert Embankment in London. I used to represent nigeria, I still do, you know, in my capacity as D-G [confirmed MD 25/03/99], but in my capacity as the Director of Technical Services, I used to represent the country in the Marine Safety Administration, Pollution Administration, and so on. Maritime Safety Department is a new arm, so, NMA now because, by this merger of MID and NMA, the Safety Administration Department in terms of Maritime affairs, and that’s a very grave responsibility. It means that over the past 22 months (since) we have established our own Labour Coast Guards. We have some uniform, to take care of, casualties…

    FORBES: Is that the same as the America Coast Guard?

    EGESI: Yes, but, it’s not quite the same, because I understand that the American Coast Guard is bigger, not in terms of size, but in terms of responsibilities – you know, it’s paramilitary, you have Admirals and things like that in your Coast Guard. But we don’t have something like that. What we have is an outfit, that ensures that all vessels that leave and come into the country are properly equipped, with necessary safety, and communication(s) equipment, (boilers) and things like that; we also have these process controllers, still undergoing training. I went through the training; I was supposed to have trained in England for a couple of weeks. That’s the point. The training continues, you know, to ensure that the administration of safety meets the (international) standards. We are not just asking the world to recognize us because we are a developing country, we want to be just as good all out to see that this standard is met. At the moment, I would have called in the Director to see you, but (he) has gone to attend a meeting at the IMO to represent the country property. And, the processes of ratifying most of the conventions are on now, in that meeting. The basis of our operations was established. So, that is this other aspect. I don’t know whether I mentioned the flag stage control aspect, whether officers, to ensure that they maintain the (acceptable) international standards board other vessels coming into the country. Part of the function of this Department, is to ensure that we don’t spill oil all over the place and affect the marine life of the country, pollution and so on and so forth. If you do that, just like it happens in America, you will be fined very heavily, so that you’re discouraged from being reckless. Not just oil but any effluents that is not quite conducive to … that is it; and we also work in conjunction with FEPA [Federal Environmental Protection Agency]. So, these are issues which we take care of; we need to be properly disciplined no, doubt. There has been a lot of laxity in the past. We are focussing more on certain aspects than it should be on the promotional aspect. So, these are things we try to curtail so that the country moves forward.

    FORBES: Well, I think you’ve told us most of the areas. On the technology side, you were saying that there are some aspects of technology that you want that you want to update. Are you planning to do this?

    EGESI: Yes, yes. Absolutely. Infact, we have just put in a proposition to government to help us purchase few things, like …

    FORBES: (What about) computerization?

    EGESI: Computerization is on, at the moment, as you know we have fixed in the Internet; but the proper computerization of the place was not well done, it was done hastily and … we want to do it properly, so that it is now properly integrated, and people can reach us and we reach them and, you know, we talk one (on) one, and … it may not be a common pool but it must be kind of universal pool where everybody wants to properly provide an imput legitimately, that’s what I am saying. So, while this place has computers, I won’t say that it has been computerized. So, part of what I want to do, is to computerize the place with computers.

    FORBES: How long do you think this is going to take?

    EGESI: It will not take more than three months.

    FORBES: Three months?

    EGESI: Yes. But we are moving from here to a new building. So, it’s slowing down some of the plans of what we want to do, so that reached. We are asking for about 80 to 140 (telephone and fax) lines, so that we can be reached by anybody. But this is the place where, if there’s an emergency, they have to call me, I have to be on time all the time.

    FORBES: Well, as a final question, maybe you have something you’d like to add for our 4.5 million readers in the (United) States?

    EGESI: Em, All I want to say is that they should be sympathetic to the problem, the trauma the country has gone through, not to be afraid to invest in the country. nigeria is one country that I know in the world that is incapable of being a communist country. It isn’t, I’m not saying that, … whether it wants it or not, because of the very nature of the people: they are a dynamic trading people; you can see that from nigerian citizens you see abroad. A nigerian is only happy when he is doing business, making money. They (Americans) should come in. and if you look at the trend and the track record of government, you will see that in spite of all what has happened, they have not tampered with people’s investment. That should be an encouragement, you know, to the outside world, particularly to a place like America. So, if they sincerely would like to come in, and do business with us, for example shipping, if you like, they should come in, they are invited.

    FORBES: Thank you very much!


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    © World INvestment NEws, 1999.
    This is the electronic edition of the special country report on nigeria published in FORBES Magazine,
    October 18 th issue.
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