Building & Construction In Nigeria: Create New Firms

PART I.......(HOUSING)

Now that the nation has seen the emptiness and hypocrisy of the past, it is time to take our destiny in our hands, anew!

There are too few players in Nigeria's construction business. And it is still very lacking in local content and indigenous investment. Over the years, corruption has kept our own people from winning major contracts from our own governments! As is being reported from Europe and the United States, many multinationals simply bribe their way to sumptuous and salacious contracts in the third world, including Nigeria. In the bidding, if there was bidding, no local entrepreneur stood a chance in heaven or hell! In several cases, the foreigners procure "local" businessmen and politicians as puppets - to beat indigenisation policies or affirmative action.

No transfer of technology or know-how ever takes place, and no reinvestment either - profits are repatriated, over-invoicing be state-of-da-play, and the multinational simply smile to their bank in an orgy of obscene capital flight!!!

For decades now, Nigeria has been a dishonourable showcase and unpatriotic case-study in this regard. The advent of democratic governance held so much promise for change. But, alas, our politicians at all levels out-competed themselves in furthering the shameful practice, and often introduced mind-boggling varieties that have baffled our development partners, friends and anti-graft agencies!!!

The RESULT? Collapse of national infrastructure. Collapse of local contractors. Loss of pride. Unemployment. Upsurge in crimes. Social and Economic Discontent. Decline in national capacity. High import dependency. Inflation. Sick national currency. More corruption. Etc. Etc.

A NEW BEGINNING
I believe in borrowing and buying for abroad. We are in a global village. And it is impossible for Nigeria to develop otherwise. So, here is how we may proceed...

a) To tackle our HOUSING challenges, create 109 Burnt Bricks Firms/Factories - one per senatorial district - that will make us proudly use local materials
b) To provide all our wood-products/materials create 3 Mega Sawmills per LGA at raw material sources nationwide, plus 12 Furniture & Fittings Firms/Factories per state
c) Encourage states to invest in cement production, especially in the raw material zones
d) Create 1 Mega Paints Manufacturer per state
e) Create 1 Mega Nails & Binders Manufacturer per geo-political zone
f) Create 1 Mega Roofing Materials Firm/Factory per geo-political zone
g) Create 1 Mega Electrical Materials Firm/Factory per geo-political zone
h) Create 1 Mega Plumbing Materials & Pipes Manufacturer per geo-political zone
i) For marbles, stones, sand, granite, etc., each state should license quarries and micro-miners
j) Establish 12 Integrated Full-range Solar Energy Manufacturing Firms/Factories
k) Create 12 Mega Home Appliances & Office Equipment Manufacturers nationwide
l) Each Zone should establish a World Class Joint Venture for Full-range Construction/Building Equipment Assembly/Manufacture (6 nationwide)

To operationalise all these, international joint ventures with local majority stakes and foreign technical partners/investors is the way - especially from Asia and South America. Successful Family Businesses from Europe and North America should also be attracted. Only "born-again" multinationals should be considered!!!

FUNDING DA DEAL!
Our 25 (so far) consolidated banks should return every 3 years to the capital market for cheap equity cash. Right now, we should design a unique matrix of syndicated loans and MSME JVs, including new and specific incentives, to fund the deals.

The federal government will, on behalf of Nigeria, invest US$10bn in a special trust fund to drive the portfolio.

State governments will, on behalf of their people, invest between Naira 10-20bn in special mortgage trusts to drive the housing agenda.

If well done, I suggest that in just 10 Years we will be exporting housing, expertise, products and prosperity to our African Brethren!

Youth-Power for Nigeria's Rural Development

The raging and rightly emotive debate cum controversy over the National Youth Service Corps (in which graduates plus their equivalents do a compulsory one-year service for country) can be understood. It is the culmination of the abject neglect of our future generations, which is all too manifest in Africa's brand of (mis)governance.

Just as they know not what to do with our other resources (owned and loaned or aids!) the ruling class use, misuse, undermine and underrate our teeming young population. Sad.

Now to some refreshing actionable ideas:

LGs, Here Come The YOUTHS!
All participants of the scheme should be deployed to Local Governments nationwide. Nowhere else. Their task? To provide invaluable manpower for community, rural and sustainable development. Their reward? Knowing Nigeria, serving Nigeria at grassroots level - proudly and measurably. And for the LGs? Free and massive human capital paid for by the nation!

Put them to qualitative use, and transform your domain...and our land...dramatically!!!

See Who They Are!
The youth corpers are engineers, medical doctors, specialists, teachers, geologists, geographers, lawyers, nurses, economists, philosophers, caterers, artists, dramatists, aviators, agriculturists, nutritionists, sailors, administrators, designers, journalists, security experts, etc., etc., etc. Free of charge!

Many will go on to the proverbial brain-drain, some to higher studies here, some to other jobs, most into unemployment! The point is: use this gift while it comes, and lasts. In the fullness of time, the scheme will help build the bedrock for poverty removal, wealth creation, peace and prosperity.

Each week, as I post my thesis, we shall see how.

Keep a date.

I Am Sorry!

Please forgive me for not posting on this site all this while. We were all messed up here by our ISP, for several months! I apologise.

Now back, and with so much going on worldwide, I promise to do real catch-up with some very daring proposition.

Please bear with me