Nigeria should draw up guidelines that compel D8 countries to share technology with each other

By Ayo Akinfe

(1) How many Nigerians know that their country is a member of the D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation, also known as Developing-8. It is an association for development co-operation made up of Bangladesh, Egypt, Nigeria, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Pakistan, and Turkey

(2) The objectives of D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation are to improve member states' position in the global economy, diversify and create new opportunities in trade relations, enhance participation in decision-making at international level and improve standards of living. So far, we are yet to see any of this in Nigeria, despite President Goodluck Jonathan hosting a G8 summit in 2010

(3) As we grapple around looking for solutions to our plethora of infrastructural development problems, I wonder why we have not reached out to the other members of the D8. Countries like Malaysia and Turkey could offer a lot when it comes to power distribution and railway construction for instance

(4) Bear in mind the G8 was seen as a group of countries that will soon be dominant in the global economy because of their sizes. Just like Mint, Nigeria was added to the group by economists because it is simply impossible for investors to ignore her huge market. However, the process is too slow and we need to speed it up

(5) For instance, why has Malaysia’s car giant Proton not entered into a joint venture with Innoson to mass produce a cheap taxi in Lagos to replace the Okada and Keke?

(6) Why has Turkey not shared its expertise with us on how to built an urban railway network. Do you know Istanbul metro includes opening a tunnel under the Straits of Bosporus?

(7) Nigeria has been building the Lagos Metro since 2009, yet every other member of the G8 completed their urban railway network within four years. Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta and Istanbul, all have thriving urban metros. Egypt just signed a deal to construct the Cairo one at the UK-Africa Summit. Why are we not seeking to catch up with everyone else?

(8) Seen as potential big economic players, the G8 nations were expected to account for between 10% and 15% of world trade by now. We can only do that unless we start manufacturing. So maybe we should get the G8 to pass a guideline saying no member state import more than 25% of what it consumes

(9) These D8 nations have a combined population of about 1bn people, representing 60% of all the world’s Muslims, or close to 13% of the global population. The G8 needs to call the primitive and barbaric Muslims in Nigeria and Pakistan to order as they are an embarrassment to their faith. While everyone else is using Islamic Finance to build high tech companies, sky scrapers and infrastructure, they are still in the Mojahadeen mode, building suicide bombs, breeding 27 children, making mosque construction their main priority, taking out loans to fund hajj pilgrimages, etc

(10) Does Nigeria have the first right of refusal on any of the food crops she exports to any of there countries? How much of our yam and cassava for instance does the animal feed industry purchase