Last Days Before Leaving

Only days before the flight....I am both excited and anxious. I'm not anxious about the work in Nigeria or meeting my new team - I'm more anxious about making sure everything is prepared and runs smoothly while I am out. I don't want to get on the plane only to realize there was something major occurring in 3 weeks that I really should have prepped Mary and Suzanne for...it's kind of like forgetting your toothbrush while traveling - the difference here is there is no CVS I can pop into to pick up a replacement (literally as well as figuratively).

There will be no Lotus Notes connectivity in Nigeria due to the low bandwidth. So anything I forget now will be very difficult to send later. In other words, I will not really know what is going on day-to-day at work in New York for an entire month - this is a little unnerving. I guess I have grown quite accustomed to, and attached to, technology and its instantaneous nature. Nigeria will be very interesting from that perspective alone - "living in the moment" will be my new mantra - especially since long term planning is not customary or even possible in a lot of cases due to the "X" factor in many situations. I'm sure it will be challenging to adapt my mindset regarding the immediacy of work deliverables. In talking to Nigeria Team 1 - there is a large amount of patients needed while working in Nigeria. There are many factors that get in the way of getting things done in a timely manner (e.g., a lack of constant electricity, poor roads, no consistency of supplies due to poor infrastructure, etc). We have been told to appreciate the moment more since there is a lot of time spent waiting for things to happen. If you are constantly anxious about the wait time and things not going as planned you will have a very difficult time in Nigeria. I guess I'll see what it's really like in just a few short days....back to NYC work for now....

Some Pre-Trip Tid-Bits

Attached is a collection of information I have run into while trying to gain a better understanding of Nigeria and Calabar as I prepare for my trip. These statements are all personal observation that could in fact be inaccurate - it will be interesting to see what it is actually like when I get there....

• Nigerian women are making strides in male dominated industries such as the Banking industry. Read a McKinsey Quarterly interview with Cecilia Ibru, the current CEO of the Oceanic Bank in Nigeria - some highlights:
• Women are moving into the male dominated business community (though still in small numbers) - but they do have the respect cultural norms regarding the male/female hierarchy and the Nigerian cultural deference to men.
• micro-loans are not very common in Nigeria yet because there is a lack of awareness of their existence and people need help developing effective business proposals (thought: maybe we could help with awareness through proposal training courses...?). Interest rates are also quite high right now.
• Corruption is high in Nigeria - more education is needed to reduce ignorance (thought: maybe we could help with the educational infrastructure...?)

• After I wrote this blog entry - Georgina on my team sent me the attached article where Cecilia was one of the top bank executives caught up in the recent banking scandal in Nigeria. Thanks for sharing Georgina! Nigeria Bank Crisis.

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• There is a lot of business opportunity and growth potential in Nigeria - a lot of this is powered by the oil industry.
  
• Important to understand the impact of the oil industry on political progression and innovative progress - sometimes there is an inverse relationship between the amount of oil money and the political and innovative progress in a country - it will be interesting to gain a better understanding of a growth market with heavy oil influence. In this sort of country there is constantly attention paid to "life after oil" - need to invest in the country so there is a life after oil.
  
• A country like Nigeria would like to see Western companies that invest in the infrastructure and education of the population and not simply pull oil out of the country. Need to keep in mind the "teach them to fish don't give them the fish" philosophy so as to create a long term positive impact in Nigeria
• There is a long history of military rule in Nigeria after gaining independence from England
• Nigeria has the largest population out of all the countries in Africa with about 130 million people. Nigeria has not suffered the levels of famine seen in other parts of Africa. It is a very entrepreneurial country.
• Calabar - this part of Africa is seen as an oasis where a lot of businessmen in the oil industry have invested in homes where there families live. Nigerians are drawn to this area for relaxation as well due to its cleanliness, lower temperatures, lower crowding, and less government corruption.
• Some challenges we may run into while trying to start our projects in Nigeria:
• No low cost broadband options yet
• Policy blocks may be few in the IT arena since there are few policies in place right now - a fairly blank slate right now where we can help create effective policy statements
• Hard to find enough developed talent in Nigeria since there has been little focus on education investment - at the same time difficult to bring in talent from other parts of the world because Nigeria would like to keep the jobs in their country - must figure out how to help with developing talent locally
• Not enough electricity - a lot of business have to power their own generators for electricity

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• Security not as much of an issue in Calabar as compared to what seen in the media. Most problems are localized to other part of northern Nigeria and given the large size of the country and population - Calabar is not as impacted.
  

Cultural Tips

The Golden Rules For Working Across Cultures: Set realistic objectives and timeframes. When entering into a new cross-cultural relationship assume there will be differences until similarity is proven. Understand your own cultural orientations and their impact on others. Understandthe orientations of the other culture(s) and their potential impact on you. Familiarize yourself with other culture’s, custom’s, traditions, body language, etc. Try to work with a culture rather than against it. Remember to adapt is not the same as adopt. Focus on relating to individuals rather than cultural stereotypes. Listen and observe, think, and then talk. Focus on creating value out of differences rather than simply trying to avoid mistakes. Keep learning. Remember that the ability to understand other cultures is an ongoing process. Nigeria Specific Tips General Cultural Tips:

There are a wide range of cultures in Nigeria, and all cultures have their own customs and lifestyle. Be considerate of local customs. If invited to a Nigerian home, offering a small gift from your home country is appreciated. Avoid discussing religion. Nigerians do enjoy discussing African politics. Pushing the palm of your hand forward with the fingers spread is considered impolite in Nigeria. Waving, especially very close to someone's face, is considered insulting. Never wave to try to attract the attention of a waiter/waitress or taxi.

Business Cultural Tips:

Handshakes are the customary form of greeting. Appointments must be made well in advance, especially if meeting with government officials. Nigerians are not overly concerned with punctuality, although they are aware of the Western habit of being on time. Be apprised of travel difficulties within Nigeria, and make sure that you give yourself more than enough time to reach your destination.

Business Hours:

Mon-Fri: 0800-1230 and 1400-1630 Sat: 0800-1230

Tipping:

A 10% tip is customary for most services, if a service charge has not been included in the bill. When traveling via taxi, the fare and tip should be agreed upon before the trip. Airport porters expect a tip per piece of luggage. Source: International SOS IBM website

Nigeria Links

Here are some interesting links my colleagues provided prior to the trip:

This auditory performance about Africa brought tears to my eyes - thanks for sharing Hugo!:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05ip-N0H1Ig

Business Report on Nigeria from the Financial times - thanks Henri!:
http://www.ft.com/reports/nigeria-2009

Some negative press in Nigeria before leaving:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8171482.stm

Key Business Tips

1. Nigerians expect to have close relationships with business partners. Don't try to rush things, be patient. Things get done through connections and personal trust.
2. Always accept hospitality; Nigerians are generous and outgoing and will be offended if you decline.
3. Be aware that casual attire is often considered to be a sign of a casual attitude. Wear conservative, but lightweight, clothes.
4. Show great respect. Address people with their titles and honorifics. It is considered offensive in Nigeria to pass an elderly person without greeting them.
5. Be very patient. Things take time for many reasons, e.g., decisions - even small ones - being made at the highest level.
6. Do business face-to-face whenever possible. First, it shows that you are serious and second, the communications infrastructure is not reliable, and faxes and emails are easily lost.
7. If having lunch with a Nigerian business acquaintance, make sure you use your right hand (or both hands) to pass and accept dishes. The left hand is taboo, and is rarely used for any interpersonal transactions.
8. Be sure to check out if there are objections to smoking or drinking in your location.
9. Hire a good driver. Taxis in Lagos tend to be unreliable and can be unsafe.
   
10. Expect to be asked for dash (a tip) at roadblocks, in the airport, and in other situations where people help you. Respect local laws, your nation's laws, and your company's code of conduct.
    

Demographics

Nigeria Capital: Abuja
Cross River State: South East corner of Nigeria

Nigeria Population (2006) = 131,859,731

Age Range
0-14yrs: 42.3% (male 28,089,017/female 27,665,212)
15-64yrs: 54.6% (male 36,644,885/female 35,405,915)
65+yrs: 3.1% (male 1,930,007/female 2,124,695)

Life Expectancy (2006) = Total population: 47.08 years
Male: 46.52 years
Female: 47.66 years
Note: Some 5.4% of the population is HIV positive or living with AIDS.

Literacy (2003) = Total population: 68%
Male: 75.7%
Female: 60.6%
Source: CIA World Factbook

Flag of Nigeria:






Economy:
Nigeria's economy is highly dependent on the oil/gas sector. Oil accounts for 95% of exports by value and 80% of government revenue. Nigeria is the world's 8th largest exporter of oil. In spite of its oil wealth, Nigeria is a poor country. The World Bank classifies it as a low-income country. Its large population together with endemic corruption, long periods of military misrule and the long-term mismanagement of resources has meant that Nigeria's socio-economic indicators are low and worsening. It is among the 20 poorest in the world in terms of per capita income. In 1985, 43% of the population lived below the poverty line. By 2004, that had risen to 70% living on less than one dollar per day.


Belief System:
Approximately half of the country's population practice Islam, approximately 40 percent practice Christianity, and approximately 10 percent practice exclusively traditional indigenous religions or no religion. Many people practice elements of Christianity or Islam and elements of a traditional indigenous religion. Travellers in Nigeria will see black magic markets full of curious fetishes alongside churches and mosques.
Source: BBC

Useful Terms

The language of business in Nigeria is English but there are a few terms that are uniquely 'Nigerian'.

In the title of this blog : Dash - A bribe or a tip. 'Dash' is a Nigerian term for small and frequent cash bribes. A 'dash' is required for many local activities, from easing government bureaucracy to travelling along roads (including to or from the airport). Corruption should not be confused with 'dash', which is like 'baksheesh' in Egypt - a tip in exchange for a favor. Sometimes, dash is pure extortion, for example, having to pay a policeman to get through a road block, but generally speaking, it's just like an enhanced version of tipping in the West.

419: The word for any kind of fraud. 419 refers to the section of the Nigerian penal code that deals with fraud schemes and originally means financial fraud. The notorious email scams offering a cut of millions of dollars are 419 frauds.

Area Boy: Thugs in Lagos who intimidate people for money.

Batauri or Oyibo: White person.

Black shirt: a policeman.

Emir: A Muslim leader from the north.

Go-slow: A traffic jam.

Off seat: Out of the office.

On seat: In the office.

Sorry-o: Expression of sympathy. Nigerians often add 'o' to a word.

Wahalla: trouble. No Wahalla means 'no trouble'.