Comments on: Africa optimism rising

By: Settler

Settler — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 20:54:27 +0000

South Africa and Nigeria rank around 30 out of 158 on world GDP scale with immense probabilities.
Raw materials and crime for Africa with a fear of ‘white’ dominance reappearing creates a ‘beware’ signal of a loose-loose game to both sides.
Africa needs para-mount assistance to rid itself from the dark era of dictators and hunting aggression.
17 000 murders per annum makes this otherwise beautiful
South Africa a bit scary.
Raw materials and tourism has potential from those with impeccable credentials but wait till after next election for nationalization of mines could be implemented and land grab like Zimbabwe if the president of the ANC youth league comes into power.

By: Nosakelly

Nosakelly — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 09:25:30 +0000

The future belongs to Africa. Where else? The education is there, especially in Nigeria where every state has at least 2 Universities. These schools produce graduates that are top notch considering their situations. Their Doctors and Engineers can be found in US hospitals and NASA. I am one of them. Now the problem will always be Security and the lack of a viable rule of law. You will have to bribe. Good if you have the dollars. But how long will this continue.
I am optimistic. This is as a result of the fact that education or knowledge is never lost. Never.
http://www.milesconnect.com

By: Chris_colorado

Chris_colorado — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 22:24:44 +0000

You’ve got to be kidding. Apple stock up 2% today. I’ll stick with that.

By: Githuz

Githuz — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 09:59:44 +0000

Very good debate here. At times very optimistic, then pessimistic then other times one feels we need to travel to the developed world to get a feel of the ‘real development’

By: AJinGhana

AJinGhana — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 11:48:27 +0000

I have just joined a firm, an asset management firm, in which, as an American who has lived in Ghana for 12 years, I am expected to infuse with vigor, accountability, and international-standard office accountability and culture. The push-back from some key employees has been passive aggressive, information hoarding, and generally undermining to me. But I ask myself- why do Ghanaian perform so well intentionally? The level of intransigence in Ghana is caused by the intensely small community of people, such that your uncle knows someone who knows someone who has given you this job and out of obligation to someone else can not fire you. This breeds complacency generation after generation, and has become endemic in the system. Ghanaians talk tough – “we need a strong president who won’t be afraid to sack ministers who are not performing!” Fine. Let’s see how long that president remains in power, given the absolute about-face he/she would cause in the nation’s public and private sector environments. I am trying my best in the financial sector in my small way to build the economy here, but if Goldman Sachs could understand how deep the confusion is on the ground, and how endemic the passivity even in Nigeria where you have to hustle to survive, how government favoritism assures mediocrity- if GS UNDERSTOOD as deeply as some what is goingon in West Africa, the would seek to promote large scale industry, job creation, and insofar as that is needed, provide seed funding and VC for businesses that can show competence and accountability. Please let me know if anyone here wants to hire me to seek out some of those opportunities/businesses. It would be my please.

By: RPhillips111

RPhillips111 — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 16:05:52 +0000

I’m not surprised at optimism in Africa. President Obama has made no secret of his desire to send United States funds to African Countries to develop their economiies and as “reparations”. Once he got the the US senate, he introduced legislation to do so, which wasn’t even considered. Then he did it “administratively” as President in 2009, through the IMF and World Bank. And of course there are the free trade deals which send US jobs and money overseas.

No reason Africa shouldn’t be optimistic. It’s part of the third world, and we have a President who is in some ways President not of the United States–but President of The Planet.

By: TundeOlaifa

TundeOlaifa — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 11:43:37 +0000

It is a big mistake, as many commentators often do, to paint the whole of Africa with the same brush. Whilst you may say most of Africa share certain similarities, it will be a serious error of judgement to assume they are the same, especially in making a business decisions.

By: SanFranciscoCA

SanFranciscoCA — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 20:32:08 +0000

According to the United Nations and human rights organizations around the globe, multinational corporations have made billions in (name your currency) in profits in Africa, but the African people themselves are left with little to show for giving up their natural resources, unless of course you count the generous amount of toxic waste that’s been dumped into their environment. The entire world is becoming a plutocracy.

By: ArchiteuthisNeb

ArchiteuthisNeb — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 22:59:00 +0000

Africa has the natural resources for growth, but Africans have not proved good at developing those resources. China is getting in the game, providing capable managers at African mines, while the Africans provide labor. While this arrangement grows African economies, it is not the sort of thing that whites can participate in without being denounced as imperialists.

By: Arthur88

Arthur88 — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 16:42:22 +0000

The problem is long-term government stability and anti-business socialistic leaders. They seem to buy into the old Soviet Socialism.