| Otolo Page
Uruagu Page
Umudim Page
Nnewichi Page
|
|
|
Overview of Nigeria:
Nigeria gained independence from the United Kingdom on October 1, 1960. The country's legal system is based on English common law, native law, and Islamic law in some northern states of Nigeria. Suffrage is 18 years of age and universal.
Nigeria currently has a total of 36 states, and Abuja, which is administered, as a Federal Capital Territory. The government has three-tier structure: Federal Government, 36 State Governments, and 774 Local Government Administrations.
The states are: Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nassarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, and Zamfara.
Approximately 250 ethnic groups of different sizes with a broad spectrum of languages, cultures, and aspirations live in Nigeria. Four ethnic groups account for over 60% of the country's total population: the Fulani and Hausa in the north, the Igbo in the east, and the Yoruba in the southwest.
English is the official language of Nigeria. There are hundreds of local languages. Hausa is the dominant language in the North. Yoruba is the dominant language in the West. Igbo is the dominant language in the East.
|
Country Information:
Nigeria is located on the west coast of Africa.
Nigeria came into being in 1914.
There are more than 250 ethnic groups in Nigeria.
Predominant ethnic groups are: the Hausa/Fulani, the Yoruba, and the Igbo
The main religions are Christianity, Islam, and African Traditional Religions.
Area: 923,768 square kilometers.
Capital: Abuja.
Population: 129,934,911.
Dial Code: +234.
Currency: 1 Naira = 100 Kobo
Ports: Lagos, Port Harcourt, Warri, Calabar.
Main Language(s) utilized: English, Hausa, Ibo, Yoruba, and Fulani.
Nigeria's Ethnic Composition:
HausaFulani= 29%
Yoruba = 21%
Igbo = 18%
Ethnic Minorities = 32%
|
|
Unemployment Alleviation Strategies:
The firm currently provides seminars in rural economic development at Abuja, Nigeria because industries being developed in rural areas of Nigeria would diversify the nations sources of revenue, and effectively utilize the abundant labor supply in rural areas, thereby reducing the number of unemployed rural Nigerians, and also the reliance of rural Nigerians on oil revenue handouts, and therefore decrease the number of rural residents living in poverty. Such would revitalize the Nigerian economy and be a relevant strategy to combat unemployment, and ultimately poverty in Nigeria.
Nigeria is perceived as one of the richest countries in Africa because of its large population, and large petroleum reserves and revenue. Ironically, the most dominant feature of the Nigerian economy is unemployment and poverty. There is a need for development strategies that will revitalize the economy, and thereby provide relevant plans for combating unemployment and poverty in Nigeria.
Unemployment has been a problem in Nigeria, especially since 1980, when the nations economy took a turn for the worse as world petroleum prices tumbled, the Nigerian currency became devalued, corruption became rampant, and the population of Nigeria ballooned at a breathtaking pace. Poverty became a major problem as unemployment became widespread in Nigeria.
Nigeria seems to have sufficient land mass and labor resources to become a major producer of agricultural products, and a great location for labor-intensive industries. Such makes a case for Nigeria becoming less reliant on oil production, and more reliant on the agricultural sector or cottage industries.
It would seem logical that underutilized industries should be developed and located in rural areas to employ rural residents, as a means of rural economic development. Rural residents would then be encouraged to develop abilities that would make them employable by such industries, and such would alleviate poverty among rural residents.
People who lack skills, knowledge, tools, beliefs, and values to perform financially rewarded activities are not usually employable. This results in a lack of employment opportunities, as employers tend to locate their businesses where appropriate human resources are available.
Lack of employment opportunities in Nigeria has resulted in poverty. In turn, poverty leads to alienation of poor people (who are often rural residents) from political-economic functioning of their society. This cycle is completed when alienation further decreases their interest in developing the skills, knowledge, tools, beliefs, and values to perform financially rewarded activities.
|
|
Nigeria Facts:
Nigeria is located in Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between the countries of Benin and Cameroon. The country has a total land mass of 923,768 square kilometers, which comprises of 13,000 square kilometers of water and 910,768 square kilometers of land. The climate varies from equatorial in the south of Nigeria, to tropical in the center, and arid in northern Nigeria.
Nigeria is Africa's most populous country, and composed of more than 250 ethnic groups; the following are the most populous and politically influential: Hausa and Fulani 29%, Yoruba 21%, Igbo (Ibo) 18%, Ijaw 10%, Kanuri 4%, Ibibio 3.5%, Tiv 2.5%. The estimated population of Nigeria in 2002 was 129,934,911. The estimated age structure of Nigeria in 2002 was that 43.6% of the population (male 28,503,211, and female 28,156,976) was in the 0-14 years bracket. The 15-64 years age bracket comprised 53.6% of the population (male 35,418,119, and female 34,179,802) and those that were 65 years and over comprised 2.8% of the population (male 1,832,682, and female 1,844,121)
The Literacy rate of the total population was projected to be 57.1% in 1995, and should have since improved significantly. The oil sector of Nigeria provides 20% of GDP, and 95% of foreign exchange earnings, and about 65% of budgetary revenues. Industries in Nigeria include: crude oil, coal, tin, columbite, palm oil, peanuts, cotton, rubber, wood, hides and skins, textiles, cement, food products, footwear, chemicals, fertilizer, printing, ceramics, and steel.
Education in Nigeria:
Nigeria has varied education systems. The major educational systems are: Indigenous method of education, Qu'ranic form of education, and European style education.
The Indigenous method of education primarily involves young people learning economic, political, and social survival skills by participating in community life. Qu'ranic education occurs primarily in religious schools called Madrassah. Qu'ranic education includes learning to read and write in Arabic.
European style education was brought to Nigeria by missionaries in the 19th century, and continues to be based on the British model. The European style education consists of 6 years of primary education, and 3 years of junior secondary school, and 3 years of senior secondary school (leading to the Junior Secondary Certificate and Senior Secondary Certificate, respectively). Subsequently, students may proceed to universities in Nigeria or other countries.
|
This is one of my favorite images
This is my good friend Hal. I took this picture on his birthday. I think he likes to be in pictures. |
|
|
|
