Nigeria the most populous country in Africa with an internal market of 150 million people and
an economy growing at around 8 percent a year is potentially Africa's next powerhouse. It is
nearly one and a half times the size of Texas with a landmass varying from sandy beaches and
tropical jungles to plains mountains and desert.This important West African nation is made
up of 250 culturally distinct ethno-linguistic groups. The largest communities are the Hausa in
the north rooted in the Islamic city-states of the famed trans-Saharan trade routes the
Yoruba of the southwest where ancient kingdoms nurtured some of Africa's best-known art forms
and the Igbo of the southeast where decentralized egalitarian communities have produced many
of the country's most successful traders and businessmen. Nigeria has had a bad press:
international reports of violence corruption and natural disasters completely overlook the
vibrancy and artistic sophistication of its diverse cultural groups most of whom live
peacefully in mixed communities.Although Nigeria is the world's fifth-largest producer of oil
there is a huge disparity in income. The competition for scarce resources and the country's
dense diversity have fostered ingenuity and perseverance on the part of its ambitious citizens.
They are natural entrepreneurs and intelligent and shrewd negotiators. They are also proud
and sensitive to criticism. Most are devout gregarious and hospitable and disgusted by
corruption. Now in the twelfth consecutive year of democracy after years of military rule
major political and economic reforms are under way.Culture Smart! Nigeria is a unique
introduction to life there today. Most of what is written about the country comes from the
perspective of one or other tribe. There is nothing quite like this concise description of its
major cultural traditions. The people most visitors will meet are well-educated sophisticated
and well-versed in Western ways. Nonetheless foreign businesspeople cannot hope to be
successful without understanding the ancient and complex systems of behavior values and
attitudes that underlie the country's vibrant social and business life.
