Country Report

On

NIGERIA
Submitted in partial fulfillment for the degreeof
Masters of Business Administration
To

Amity University Noida

Session 2017-2019

Submitted By
Priya Sharma
MBA 2ndSEMESTER

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

“Life is journey; it’s not the years in your life that counts”
But life can’t be completed without the support of peoples.

To acknowledge all the persons who had helped for the fulfillment of the project is not possible
for any researcher but in spite of all that, it becomes a foremost responsibility of the researcher
and also the part of research ethics to acknowledge those who had played a great role for the
completion of the project.
Rest all those people who helped me are not only matter of acknowledgement but also
authorized for sharing my success.

Sincerely
Priya Sharma

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 TABLE OF CONTENT
1. INTRODUCTION OF NIGERIA
2. LOCAL CULTURE AND LANGUAGE
3. CLOTHING
4. NIGERIAN FOOD
5. LANGUAGE
6. ETIQUETTES AND CUSTOMS
7. RELIGION
8. ECONOMY OF NIGERIA
9. CONCLUSION

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 INTRODUCTION
Nigeria (formally the Federal Republic of Nigeria) is a country in West Africa. It shares
borders with Benin in the west, Niger in the north, and Cameroon and Chad in the east.
The most populous country in Africa, as well as one of the strongest economically,
Nigeria is also a founding member of many international organisation, including the
Commonwealth of Nations, the African Union, The United Nations and OPEC.

The Capital: Abuja

Main Cities: Lagos, Kano, Ibadan
Population: 188.5 million
Size: 923,768 sq. km (356,667 sq. miles)
Major Religions: Christianity, Islam
Main Languages: Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba
Climate: Varied, with tropical rainforests in the far south, coastal plains and savannah
and highland areas.
Life Expectancy: 53 years (men), 56 years (women)
Dialing Code: +234
Emergency Number: 112

A land of many people

Within its vast area, Nigeria has over 250 different ethnic groups, all with their own
languages and heritage.

The religious divide

Nigeria is divided into 36 states. In the 13 northern states, the vast majority of people are
Muslim. The Hausa have been Muslims for almost a thousand years, having been converted to
Islam by Arab traders and merchants from the 10th century.

Extremist groups have grown more popular in the north, mainly because of widespread poverty
and frustration over corruption and lack of development.

In the southern states, the majority of Nigerians are Christian, while some groups continue to
practice indigenous beliefs. Generally, religion is taken very seriously. Most people will attend
church on a Sunday and make frequent references to God or Jesus in everyday conversation.

Southern indigenous faiths center around a belief in spirits and also in a supreme being or
creator, known as Olorun/Olodumare in Yoruba culture and Chineke/Chukwu by Igbo people.

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CURRENCY

Currency: Naira
ISO 4217 Code: NGN
Central Bank: Central Bank of Nigeria
Currency Sub-Units: Kobo = 1/100 of a Naira

LOCAL CULTURE AND LANGUAGE

Nigeria is an extremely diverse country, with well over 1000 different ethnic groups residing
within its territory. The 4 largest of these groups are the Hausa, the Fulani, the Igbo and the
Yoruba. The culture of Nigeria is therefore every bit as diverse as you would expect from a
country which is a melting pot of people from so many different backgrounds.
Generally speaking, Nigerians can seem very emotional to people of other cultures, as big shows
of emotion in public are commonplace and perfectly acceptable. This may make it seem that
people are having an argument or a shouting match, when in fact they are merely having a
discussion or a friendly conversation, so try not to be put off by this.

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CLOTHING

In most urban areas, and particularly in the south of the country, both men and women tend to
wear standard western-style clothing. Therefore in a business context, stylish suits for men and
smart dresses or trouser suits for women are the norm.

Nigeria does also have a rich heritage of traditional dress, which is worn in more casual contexts.
Women will often be seen wearing long flowing robes and headscarves in bright colours.

For men this entails a long, loose-fitting shirt which comes down to halfway down the thigh, and
for women a loose-fitting blouse that comes down to just below the waist. Men can also be seen
wearing a traditional cap.

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NIGERIAN FOOD

Nigerian food is an important an important part of the Nigerian culture which includes
cuisine originating from the diverse regions of Nigeria. Historical incidents such as
foreign invasions, trade relations, and colonialism have also played a role in introducing
certain foods to the country. For instance, the Nigerian Meat pie was brought to Nigeria
by the British during the colonial era.

In Nigerian cuisine our diversity in climate, culture, ethnic groups, occupations and
tradition plays a great role in our food style and food choices. Nigerian food is also
heavily influenced by religion, cultural choices and traditions. For example, in Islam,
Pork Meat is forbidden but some Christians see absolutely nothing wrong with that.

The preference for seasoning and cooking techniques of Nigerian provinces depend on
differences in historical background and ethnic groups. Geogr aphic features including
mountains, rivers, forests and deserts also have a strong effect on the local available
ingredients. Hallmarks include seasonings such as Suya spice and Pepper soup spice
some other frequently used spices and flavorings in Nigerian cuisine are Locust bean,
Crayfish, Ginger, Bay leaves, Alligator pepper, Curry, thyme, Lemon grass, Ehuru
(African Nutmeg), Onion, Spring onion, Clove, African Basil and a host of others.

Nigerian food also varies from the simple recipes which requires the use of a few
ingredient to the recipes that requires elaborate preparations.

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MAIN STAPLES IN THE NIGERIAN CUISINE

The main staples in Nigerian cuisine are: Rice, Beans, Yam, Potato, Bread, Meat, Fish
and Poultry, Fruits and vegetables and indigenous Nigerian drinks such as Palm Wine,
Chapman, Kunu, Zobo drink.
MAJOR NIGERIAN FOOD BY THE THREE MAIN REGIONS IN
NIGERIA

IGBO FOOD:

The spices and flavors of the Igbo people are really intense. They make use of leafy
greens in quite a number of their meals. Igbo street foods includes Abacha, Okpa, Aki na
ukwa, Garden egg and Groundnut sauce, Abacha Mmiri and many more.

YORUBA FOOD

The Yoruba’s are noted for their delicious street foods like Akara, puff, Moin,
Ekuru, Ewa Agoyin, Ewa ati Ata (Beans and fried pepper), Boli (Grilled plantain) and

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many more. Quite a number of Yoruba recipes calls for vegetable oil or palm Oil
especially soups and stews, and quite a number of deep frying. You also need to try the
Yoruba signature Efo riro!

HAUSA FOOD

Hausa cuisine is a mixture of different indigenous styles, with considerable regional

variation and some external influences. Although it is known for its limited use of spices,
Hausa cuisine has strong flavors from its use of endemic herbs, fruits, and vegetables
served fresh, dried, or fermented. Their main street foods are suya, Kilishi, Masa and
Fura de nunu.

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LANGUAGE IN NIGERIA

The make-up of languages in Nigeria is hugely diverse. Over 500 languages are spoken in the
country, according to recent estimates, though many of these are on the decline.

The official language of Nigeria is English, the former colonial language. English was chosen in
an attempt to try and promote cultural and linguistic unity within the country, although only
around 75% of the population actually speak it, most of these being concentrated in urban areas.
Many people speak “pidgin― English, which is a slightly simplified form of the language
which also includes elements.
The other primary languages spoken in the country include Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba. These
languages are all quite distinct, as the languages of Nigeria draw from many different families,
including Afroasiatic languages, Nilo-Saharan languages, and Niger-Congo languages. There are
also some languages spoken in the country which have not yet been subjected to sufficient study
to determine exactly what language group they belong to.

Written Language

The 3 most widely spoken languages in Nigeria: Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa, all use the Latin
alphabet but with language-specific variations. Most of these writing systems were developed by
European colonists and have since been adopted as the official writing systems for these

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languages.
Hausa is written in the Boko alphabet, which adds 3 additional letters to the standard Latin
alphabet of 26. Historically Hausa has also been written using Arabic script, however this
practice is now significantly less common, and is primarily only used in Islamic schools and for
the study of Islamic literature.
Yoruba and Igbo are generally written in the Önwu alphabet, also known as the pan-Nigerian
alphabet. This writing system adds 6 letters to the standard Latin alphabet, for a total of 33. The
pan-Nigerian alphabet was established with the intention of it being sufficient to write all the
many languages of Nigeria without recourse to diagraphs, i.e. combining 2 letters to make one
sound.

ETIQUETTS AND CUSTOM

Nigerians tend to be more relaxed about physical contact, so bear in mind that if you are from a
western background, you may feel that your personal space is being invaded. People of the same
gender will often touch each other on the arms or back whilst having a conversation, and this is
considered perfectly normal. Touching between people of different genders is less common,
particularly in the Muslim areas in the north of the country.
Many aspects of Nigerian customs are defined by traditional family roles. Therefore during a
meal it is not uncommon for men, women and children to eat separately, with the men being
served first. When sitting down to eat, the honored guest will be served first, and you should not
start eating until they have started. Avoid eating or passing food with your left hand and do not
position yourself so that your feet are pointing towards the food. At the end of a meal, a small
burp indicates that you are full and have enjoyed the food. Better out than in!
If you are eating out in a restaurant, in addition to the above, you should also be aware that you
may be seated at a table with strangers. If this happens, then do not feel obliged to start a
conversation with them, but continue with your meal as if you were at your own table. Normally
the person who invites other people for a meal will also be the one paying. It is appropriate in
Nigerian restaurants to tip at about 10%.

RELIGION

The population of Nigeria is divided fairly evenly between Christians and Muslims, though exact
numbers vary, with the primarily Sunni Muslim communities being based in the north of the
country, and Christianity dominating the central and southern regions. There are also a small
minority of people who adhere to other religions, including traditional tribal beliefs.
Unfortunately there have been some confrontations between Christians and Muslims in Nigeria
in recent history, propagated by the radical Islamist sect, Boko Haram, who have claimed
responsibility for several attacks.

ECONOMY OF NIGERIA

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Nigeria is a middle-income, mixed economy and emerging market, with expanding
manufacturing, financial, service, communications, technology and entertainment sectors. It is
ranked as the 30th-largest economy in the world in terms of nominal GDP, and the 23rd-largest
in terms of purchasing power parity. It is the largest economy in Africa; its re-emergent
manufacturing sector became the largest on the continent in 2013, and it produces a large
proportion of goods and services for the African subcontinent.In addition, the debt-to-GDP
ratio is 11 percent, which is 8 percent below the 2012 ratio.
Previously hindered by years of mismanagement, economic reforms of the past decadehave put
Nigeria back on track towards achieving its full economic potential. Nigerian GDP at purchasing
power parity (PPP) has almost tripled from $170 billion in 2000 to $451 billion in 2012,
although estimates of the size of the informal sector (which is not included in official figures) put
the actual numbers closer to $630 billion. Correspondingly, the GDP per capita doubled from
$1400 per person in 2000 to an estimated $2,800 per person in 2012 (again, with the inclusion of
the informal sector, it is estimated that GDP per capita hovers around $3,900 per person).
(Population increased from 120 million in 2000 to 160 million in 2010). These figures were to be
revised upwards by as much as 80% when metrics were to be recalculated subsequent to the
rebasing of its economy in April 2014.
Although oil revenues contribute 2/3 of state revenues, oil only contributes about 9% to the
GDP. Nigeria produces only about 2.7% of the world's oil supply (in comparison, Saudi
Arabia produces 12.9%, Russia produces 12.7% and the States produces 8.6%). Although the
petroleum sector is important, as government revenues still heavily rely on this sector, it remains
a small part of the country's overall economy.
The largely subsistence agricultural sector has not kept up with rapid population growth, and
Nigeria, once a large net exporter of food, nowimports some of its food products, though
mechanization has led to a resurgence in manufacturing and exporting of food products, and the
move towards food sufficiency. In 2006, Nigeria successfully convinced the Paris Club to let it
buy back the bulk of its debts owed to them for a cash payment of roughly US$12 billion.
According to a Citigroup report published in February 2011, Nigeria will get the highest average
GDP growth in the world between 2010 and 2050. Nigeria is one of two countries from Africa
among 11 Global Growth Generators countries.

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