BUSINESS IN AFRICA PAYS: NIGERIA ONE DAY INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

NORTON FALGATE, BISHOPSGATE COURT, LONDON, 28 JANUARY 2014

Utilities: ICT, Power & Water – foundational infrastructure

By Tolu OdugbemiClient Manager - Nigeria, Africa Matters Limited

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OUTLINE

• Who are AML and what do they do?• Nigeria’s opportunities• Infrastructural deficits• Opportunities in ICT• Opportunities in power• Opportunities in water• Frequently cited misconceptions

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WHO ARE AML?

Africa Matters Ltd (AML) is a professional consultancy that helps organisations manage their risk and improve their performance in Africa.

Founded in 1997 by AML Chairman Baroness Lynda Chalker, former UK Minister for Africa and Overseas Development 1989 – 1997.

Our clients are from all sectors including: • Oil & Gas Majors, • Mining companies, • FMCG companies, • Agricultural investors, • International investment banks • and private equity houses.

Also work directly for three African governments helping manage their presidential level international investor round tables. 

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WHAT AML DOES

We offer solutions in: • Market entry • Strategic community engagement • Key stakeholder mapping, engagement and verification, • Due diligence • And political risk management.

Our focus is to give clients the information to make the right decisions and take the right actions wherever needed in Africa.

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NIGERIA’S OPPORTUNITIES

• Large population but diverse markets• Growing economy but requiring significant skills investment• Infrastructural deficits but plenty of latent demand• Government desire but needing greater bureaucratic effectiveness• Entry point to West Africa but lagging regional integration

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INFRASTRUCTURAL DEFICITS

• Inadequate electric power generation capacity and sub-optimal delivery systems

• Ineffective, though qualified and slowly improving, transport networks and systems

• Improved communications but limited to major urban areas• Opaque land property rights ownership• Information deficits• Multiple and ineffective bureaucracies to navigate

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OPPORTUNITIES IN ICT

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• Government policy – ICT Masterplan, Broadband Masterplan• Regulation – NCC, NITDA• Opportunities

• Mobile services• E-commerce• Software development for mobile and electronic platforms• e-Government & m-Government

• Limitations and threats• Limitation 1: Policy and priority uncertainty due to national and

state-wide elections in 2015 • Limitation 2: Skills and capacity building for domestic workforce• Threat: Intellectual property rights

OPPORTUNITIES IN POWER

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• Just concluded privatisation of generating and distributing companies with more to come

• Government focus has turned to improving transmission network• Opportunities

• Generation – gas driven, renewables, hydropower• Distribution – smart metering, smarter appliances, service

contractors to distribution companies• Limitations and threats

• Limitation 1: Financing• Limitation 2: Skills and capacity building for domestic workforce• Threat 1: Unprofitable service tariffs for investors• Threat 2: Consistent energy input particularly for gas driven power

plants

OPPORTUNITIES IN WATER

 

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• Most residential, commercial and industrial users provide their own water

• Public water utilities lag private and personal solutions• Opportunities

• Private water treatment solutions• Private and public residential and commercial projects• Water conservation technologies• Hydro-energy for irrigation & power

• Limitations and threats• Limitation 1: High capital costs• Limitation 2: Low market sophistication despite great needs• Threat 1: Rapidly growing, urbanising population• Threat 2: Why pay for water??

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Geographical areas of investment to monitor• Lagos• Edo• Niger• Abuja FCT

• Example success stories• Wakanow• Webuyam.com

• Capable local partners• What will Nigeria look like in 25 years (target year: 2040)?

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FREQUENTLY CITED CONCERNS ADDRESSED

• Corruption• Legislation, policy and government commitment• Financing capabilities• Property rights• Dispute resolution• Competent Partnerships

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