I reside in an estate that is run by a private individual. After several years of living in this area, I can boast of a successful estate whose realities are unmatchable with the average Nigerian expectations. Once in a while, you could almost think you are in the UK or the US.
Electricity has always been stable since the estate generates its electricity through a gas turbine. The internet Wi-Fi service is excellent, even though there may be occasional glitches here and there. Water is free and clean, and it never runs dry. Security is tight, and there has only been an incidence of a public intrusion. This was several years ago. After the intrusion, the security outfit was beefed up, and any potential intruder must take some lessons from Shina Rambo before a successful raid.
This estate’s roads are great. Except for a few shortcuts, all streets are paved with appropriate road signs, well-covered drainages, zebra crossing and street lights. These privately provided public goods are available at a bearable cost to the in-dwellers. Also, these services have been consistent since I started living in this great area. However, there have been some recent changes in the provision of one of the basic services given the current situation that the country has slipped into. Electricity has become less stable in recent times when compared with the expected trend.
Before you begin to think too far, this estate is in Nigeria but not near Abuja, Port-Harcourt or Lagos. However, the estate is not shielded from the ailing status that characterises the country’s macroeconomy.
Today, Nigeria contends with unnecessarily high energy costs despite being a net owner and producer of energy resources. Furthermore, Nigeria suffers from increasingly looming food scarcity and inflation, insecurity, unemployment, brain drain due to poor education and health outcomes, dilapidated and insufficient social and economic infrastructure, dwindling reserves and currency upheavals, increasing trade deficit and debt overhang, monetary ineffectiveness and sovereign ineptitude. Amid all these, Nigeria’s government officials are most concerned about 2023.
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My estate’s power generation capacity is not inelastic to aggregate outcomes since rising energy costs due to inefficient generation and supply will spiral throughout the economy. Hence, the supply challenges have rubbed onto my estate’s gas turbine station, making production and distribution activities quite challenging. Still, we run on a 24-hour electricity supply all day, but with the occasional interruption that may last up to an hour, at the worst.
Nothing works in the larger Nigeria, where the government is held accountable. In the disaggregated economy of Nigeria, where the private sector has to take charge, things are working but at a dear cost.
Sadly, the Nigerian government are aware of the public failure profile that characterises state affairs and the power of the private sector to make things happen. Still, they seem less bothered about the opportunity to leverage the ability of the private sector to aid a workable Nigeria. Instead, they are more concerned about winning the next general elections in 2023, even when they know that life beyond the present is only promised but not assured.
Several investments have left the country, and many more are contemplating an exit. Less foreign direct investments are flowing into Nigeria since other neighbouring countries offer a more stable macroeconomy with a desirable return on investment.
Labour unions are distressed, and unending strike actions are threatened. Military strength continues to dwindle since policing responsibilities are now shared among the various security outfits in the wake of an increasingly threatened Nigeria by terrorists, bandits, kidnappers, herdsmen and other political separatists.
The US has warned its citizens to maintain extra caution if they travel to Nigeria. Many other international announcements have hovered around a dangerous place called Nigeria. The country’s international passport has been ranked lower against global access and mobility standards.
The average Nigerian has less international access and recognition than Malawi, Niger, Chad, Zimbabwe, Uganda, and The Gambia. This new status makes Nigeria the worst-ranked country among its ECOWAS member states.
Perhaps, the Nigerian government can consider the private sector leadership model and glean on their success model. This can be preceded by a sincere commitment to revive the nation’s fast ebbing glories and embrace, accommodate, and engage the private sector in state affairs.
Furthermore, the race to the 2023 general elections should also consider the inclusion of forward-looking, innovative, nationalistic and entrepreneurially-minded individuals who will channel their energy and resources to re-building the once-great nation called Nigeria.
