COVID 19: Infrastructural and Technological Implications for Africa
By Wtr Gideon Tobiloba
Before now, China boasts of the country with the highest number of skills export in form of expertriates to many countries in the world, Africa inclusive. They are a major part of the workforce in Qatar building the stadiums needed for the 2022 World Cup. They are in Europe, America, and Africa doing what they are best known for - working!
Chinese workers anywhere you see them are known for cheap labor and this does not affect the quality of the delivery of their job/work. The story is quite different in Africa because Africa is far behind in most of the areas Chinese expertriate specializes in. The Chinese government has come up with different strategies in a bid to giving Africa what it needs in exchange for the resources in Africa needed by China.
In Angola for example, in exchange for their crude which China get at a very low price and which is to continue for many years, China is building schools, roads, rails, hospitals, etc which Angola needs badly at this time. The same thing they do in some other African countries by building telecommunications infrastructure, power infrastructure, railways, etc in exchange for the rich resources in their soils.
The Nigeria story is quite unique as the country welcomes more than 100,000 Chinese experts every year into the country. It can also be said emphatically that 11,000 of them are directly involved in the construction of the ongoing Lagos to Kano rail while others are involved in telecommunications, manufacturing, agriculture and etc sector.
The question now is, how will COVID 19 affect the presence of Chinese expertriate and Chinese money in Africa? A school of thought or should I call it a conspiracy theory already claims COVID 19 is a bio weapon being used by China against America. If this is true, it shows the Chinese government is truly desperate to be the world's most powerful country.
Already, with the way COVID 19 ravaged China between December 2019 and February 2020, it has forced down the shares of so many companies in China leading to their permanent closure and eventual sale. China through this have acquired about 30% of American and European owned companies domiciled in China thereby making China stronger economically.
The implication of this is that for the products made by these companies, China would now be the one to fix the prices thereby causing a global price dictate from them, and also it will definitely affect the number of skilled workers they export out of China on a yearly basis.
Most countries in Africa will definitely not survive without Chinese money and Chinese expertriates. The question now is where will Nigeria fall? If we go by what the former president of the Nigerian Society of Engineers Engr. Adekunle Mokuolu said after their visit to President Mohammadu Buhari last year, he said they have told Mr President to test Nigeria engineers with one of two national elephant projects, that they are ready to do it and will do it according to global standards.
The new president of NSE Engr. Babagana Mohammed also supported this motion and emphasized that Nigeria engineers have what it takes to deliver 100% on any project given to them by the Nigerian government however how big. What we can gather from this is that our local engineers are ready to do the rails, the dams, the airports, the telecoms infrastructures, the stadiums, etc if the Chinese expertriates decide to stay back in their country.
Another sector that will be badliy hit if this happens is the telecommunication industry. The Chinese are still the best in construction and maintenance on telecoms infrastructure in Nigeria. Not now that they are already launching the 5G. We can argue that Nigeria is ready to take up the challenge but in reality are we truly ready? Can we pay attention to details to ensure smooth running of these facilities if China quits?
We should not also forget Chinese expertriates are in the agricultural and manufacturing sector too. They are everywhere in Africa and Nigeria as well. If this COVID 19 leads to a reduction in Chinese presence in Nigeria, it will overwhelm us and may cause disruptions we are not prepared for.
The Chinese are involved one way or the other in production chain of our key sectors and now is not the right time to lose what they offer. As events continue to unfold, we cannot afford to fold our hands and look. Its a call for serious and decisive actions to be taken. We have given the Chinese more than enough room to operate freely in our economy and polity which may haunt us if the unexpected happens.
Before now, China boasts of the country with the highest number of skills export in form of expertriates to many countries in the world, Africa inclusive. They are a major part of the workforce in Qatar building the stadiums needed for the 2022 World Cup. They are in Europe, America, and Africa doing what they are best known for - working!
Chinese workers anywhere you see them are known for cheap labor and this does not affect the quality of the delivery of their job/work. The story is quite different in Africa because Africa is far behind in most of the areas Chinese expertriate specializes in. The Chinese government has come up with different strategies in a bid to giving Africa what it needs in exchange for the resources in Africa needed by China.
In Angola for example, in exchange for their crude which China get at a very low price and which is to continue for many years, China is building schools, roads, rails, hospitals, etc which Angola needs badly at this time. The same thing they do in some other African countries by building telecommunications infrastructure, power infrastructure, railways, etc in exchange for the rich resources in their soils.
The Nigeria story is quite unique as the country welcomes more than 100,000 Chinese experts every year into the country. It can also be said emphatically that 11,000 of them are directly involved in the construction of the ongoing Lagos to Kano rail while others are involved in telecommunications, manufacturing, agriculture and etc sector.
The question now is, how will COVID 19 affect the presence of Chinese expertriate and Chinese money in Africa? A school of thought or should I call it a conspiracy theory already claims COVID 19 is a bio weapon being used by China against America. If this is true, it shows the Chinese government is truly desperate to be the world's most powerful country.
Already, with the way COVID 19 ravaged China between December 2019 and February 2020, it has forced down the shares of so many companies in China leading to their permanent closure and eventual sale. China through this have acquired about 30% of American and European owned companies domiciled in China thereby making China stronger economically.
The implication of this is that for the products made by these companies, China would now be the one to fix the prices thereby causing a global price dictate from them, and also it will definitely affect the number of skilled workers they export out of China on a yearly basis.
Most countries in Africa will definitely not survive without Chinese money and Chinese expertriates. The question now is where will Nigeria fall? If we go by what the former president of the Nigerian Society of Engineers Engr. Adekunle Mokuolu said after their visit to President Mohammadu Buhari last year, he said they have told Mr President to test Nigeria engineers with one of two national elephant projects, that they are ready to do it and will do it according to global standards.
The new president of NSE Engr. Babagana Mohammed also supported this motion and emphasized that Nigeria engineers have what it takes to deliver 100% on any project given to them by the Nigerian government however how big. What we can gather from this is that our local engineers are ready to do the rails, the dams, the airports, the telecoms infrastructures, the stadiums, etc if the Chinese expertriates decide to stay back in their country.
Another sector that will be badliy hit if this happens is the telecommunication industry. The Chinese are still the best in construction and maintenance on telecoms infrastructure in Nigeria. Not now that they are already launching the 5G. We can argue that Nigeria is ready to take up the challenge but in reality are we truly ready? Can we pay attention to details to ensure smooth running of these facilities if China quits?
We should not also forget Chinese expertriates are in the agricultural and manufacturing sector too. They are everywhere in Africa and Nigeria as well. If this COVID 19 leads to a reduction in Chinese presence in Nigeria, it will overwhelm us and may cause disruptions we are not prepared for.
The Chinese are involved one way or the other in production chain of our key sectors and now is not the right time to lose what they offer. As events continue to unfold, we cannot afford to fold our hands and look. Its a call for serious and decisive actions to be taken. We have given the Chinese more than enough room to operate freely in our economy and polity which may haunt us if the unexpected happens.
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