His comments on crime, disease, lifestyles and personalities may be problematic but not unique to a developing country like Nigeria where the yardstick of measurements of economic growth is not necessarily conventional. The author pointedly prepares any African-African investors, in fact to all investors, to these facts while making the point that the rewards of persistence and patience pays off very handsomely in the long run.
Nigeria is a great country that is generally misunderstood because of decades of biased media reporting incessantly fed to the vast majority of naive, unsuspecting African-Americans, indeed that do not have any other means of alternative news outlet.
The book may have been directed to African-Americans but it is a required read for all Americans who wish to invest in any sector of the Nigerian economy. The return on investment as the author notes is generally higher than most other economies in the world.
The author reminds me of the song "Carry me Home" (Marlena Small and The Hallelujah Singers). African-Americans are urged to visit "home" and make investments without fear of long held biases and stereotypes. Readers Spoils Review Team Why African Americans Fear Doing Business in Nigeria was Gerald Walker pulls back the blinders and presents readers with an up-close look at what it really takes to successfully branch out to countries like Nigeria-and why most American companies simply can’t do it. As a society we are extremely ethnocentric, preferring our business partners to acknowledge our culture as superior and allow us to follow our own customs in business dealings, no matter how offensive they may be. This seems to be especially true of developing countries like Nigeria…it is as though our superiority complex believes they should thank us for giving them the chance to help our businesses grow. This book is a must read. Gerald Walker gives us a frank look into reaching across international borders, whether for business or pleasure, and the lessons he learned from the people of Nigeria will benefit everyone.
Ogu Emejuru, MD
Special Assistant to the Governor of Rivers State, Nigeria
"Why African-Americans Fear Doing Business in Nigeria", is a
timely and personal story of an African-American entrepreneur who cast away all the stereotypes associated with Nigeria to make an investment in time and money that is now paying off. The writer appropriately notes that doing business in Nigeria is similar to any other country in the world where important connections can sometimes offer an advantage over the competition.
Gerald Walker Opens Eyes to the Reality of International
Commerce
like a breath of fresh air to me. I’ve had many opportunities over the years to work with men and women from developing countries like Nigeria, and although most of my experience has been with Latin and South America rather than Africa many of the principles are the same. The media has hyped the disadvantages of these countries to the extent that most American businesses are afraid to take that risk-even with the huge potential gains they represent.