The United States Embassy on its website also announced that the number of Nigerian students in its country increased by 5.8 percent in the 2018/19 academic year.
Also, Vanguard earlier reported the result of a survey by Afrobarometer which revealed that “one in three Nigerians have considered emigration, most to find an economic opportunity”.
The United States of America is undoubtedly one of the places many Nigerians want to emigrate. Foreign investment into Nigeria rises by 34% to $8.5bn in Q1’19 according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
As much as we celebrate foreign investments and tries to woo citizens of countries like the United States to invest here, it appears Nigeria's infrastructure and security problems are a deterring factor.
How the website of the US embassy in Nigeria portrayed the country (Nigeria) is disheartening and a call to duty for the Nigerian government.
Nigerian Health States
The US embassy confirmed Nigeria has well-trained health professionals but lacks good health facilities; notably the absence of required medications in the health facilities.
On its website, the embassy noted; “Nigeria has a number of well-trained doctors, yet medical facilities are generally poor. Many medicines are unavailable, including medications for diabetes and hypertension.
“Caution should be taken when purchasing medicines locally, as counterfeit pharmaceuticals are a common problem and may be difficult to distinguish from genuine medications. Hospitals often expect immediate cash payment for health services.
“Emergency services comparable to those in the United States or Europe are non-existent, and the blood supply is unreliable and unsafe for transfusion. For serious medical problems, you should consider traveling to the United States, Europe, or South Africa for treatment.
“U.S. citizens should dial 112 in case of an emergency. Emergency numbers may not be reliable.
“Ambulance services are not present throughout the country or are unreliable in most areas.
“Adequate health facilities are available in major cities, but health care in rural areas may be below U.S. standards; Public medical clinics lack basic resources and supplies; Private hospitals usually require advance payment or proof of adequate insurance before admitting a patient; Generally, in public hospitals, only minimal staff are available overnight (in non-emergency wards).”
The embassy comments on Nigerian water are also nothing to write home about. It noted that; “No areas [in Nigeria] have safe tap water. Bottled water and beverages are generally safe, although; “You should be aware that many restaurants and hotels serve tap water unless bottled water is specifically requested. Be aware that ice for drinks may be made using tap water.”
Air pollution is also a significant problem identified by the embassy to be a major problem in several major cities in Nigeria.
Nigeria Road Conditions and Safety
“Roads are generally in poor condition, causing damage to vehicles and contributing to hazardous traffic conditions. There are few working traffic lights or stop signs, and few traffic control officers to manage traffic during power outages. The rainy season, generally from May to October, is especially dangerous because of flooded roads and water-concealed potholes.”
Nigerian drivers drive on the wrong side of the road
“Driving between 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. should be done with extreme caution. Automobiles, trucks, or “okadas” (motorbikes) often drive on the wrong side of the road or on sidewalks.”
Nigerian Traffic Control Officers Seek Bribes
“Traffic control officers may occasionally seek bribes when citing drivers for traffic violations. If stopped by traffic police, drivers should stop as instructed.”
The embassy also advised its citizens to avoid driving any traffic police to the police station.
“Do not pay any bribes. If requested to drive an officer to the police station, do not do so, especially at night as some traffic police are imposters.”
In spite of Nigeria being the largest producer of oil in Africa, the long queues at the filling stations did not go unnoticed by the embassy.
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