Broadcasting
Chevron Nigeria: A Model for Other Multinationals
By Eniola Otun Ade-Bisiriyu
Since I departed Nigeria over 17 years ago for further studies and subsequently settled in the United States of America, one irony that has never ceased to amaze me is the failure of the government in Nigeria to match its public statements with action, especially in local content promotion, patronage and development.
Here in the United States, one cannot help but admire how the US government fights for and protects the interests of its own local brands, notably in the face of competing foreign brands.
A case in point is the ongoing trade war with China and the still-prevalent censure of Huawei, a multinational technology corporation headquartered in China. Granted the US government may come down hard on its own local entities when it comes to anti-trust issues, concerns over infringement of user privacy or even tax avoidance, however, it would never stand by and watch foreign brands eat the lunch of its own home-grown companies.
Nevertheless, this seems to be the status quo in Nigeria, as the experience from my recent trip back home to the beloved motherland proved.
China is another very good example of a government that is fiercely protective of its own. A fallout of the trade war with the United States is the fact that local Chinese entrepreneurs have been able to turn overnight billionaires, by cashing in on a combination of factors, including the encouragement of local enterprise by the Chinese government, a burgeoning population and enforced patronage of local products and solutions. In China, for instance, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Google and many other foreign tech solutions are banned. For each of these and many others on the banned list, the Chinese have a local substitute app that has succeeded in helping China mint new dollar billionaires on a regular basis.
First, it is imperative for us to take into cognizance the difficulties with doing business in Nigeria – a factor, which on its own, makes local entities operating out of here already disadvantaged, when compared with their foreign counterparts. A recent World Bank report shows that Nigeria is ranked a lowly 131 out of 190 countries surveyed in the Ease of Doing Business scale. A deep dive into the report reveals some of the startling parameters that makes Nigeria such a harrowing and challenging terrain for local businesses.
Nigeria ranks an abysmal 169 in access to electricity for business owners, while it also stands nearly at the bottom of the pile with a shocking 183 rank in the area of registering property. The report equally brings into sharp relief the encumbrances borne by businesses in Nigeria when it comes to trading across borders, with the country ranked a worrisome 179. Other areas in which Nigeria ranks poorly in the Ease of Doing Business scale include resolving insolvency (148), paying taxes (159) and enforcing contracts (73).
The foregoing, despite all the sweet talk by the government, paints a picture of a tough operating environment for Nigerian businesses, many of which also must contend with poor infrastructure and an economy hobbled by over-reliance on oil.
For these challenged businesses in Nigeria, one would expect the government to do much more in promoting and protecting their patronage, not only by corporate entities, but more importantly by the government and its agencies. There is no disputing the fact that government is the biggest spender, especially in this part of the world and having outstanding local-grown businesses enjoy the patronage of government, solely on a merit-driven basis, would go a long way in boosting the profile of these businesses, create more jobs for Nigerians and even give them the much-needed impetus and confidence to compete more favourably with their advantaged foreign counterparts who operate out of more convenient and support-driven climes.
However, the reality on ground is far from this.
This is one of the reasons Chevron Nigeria deserves huge commendation for being not just an example to other multinationals operating out of Nigeria, but equally for showing the Nigerian government the way to go in matching words with action.
In October, my elder brother had invited me to meet a few of his Ikoyi club colleagues, three of whom were employees of Chevron Nigeria. We had driven round to their residence to pick them up and met them rounding off some official tasks, using Zinox laptops. It was a remarkable sight and in the course of our interaction, I was informed that the computers, workstations and other systems used by Chevron were all supplied by Zinox. Initially, I had assumed it was an American brand (based on the fact that Chevron Corporation is headquartered out of the US) as I was not very familiar with the name, but the sleekness and cutting-edge design of the systems my hosts were using had caught my attention. Imagine my surprise when my hosts informed me that it was a Nigerian brand and that Chevron Nigeria had been using the Zinox brand for over 16 years and without any complaints.
Surprised, I pressed further and enquired if Zinox had expatriates such as Indians working with them but was told that the company is peopled throughout by Nigerians. My interest was piqued and I had subsequently done a quick research which opened my eyes to the world-class status of the company.
For Chevron Nigeria, one of the most popular multinationals in Nigeria to have patronized Zinox for over a decade, it is certainly not a fluke or a chance occurrence, neither would it be a business relationship that is not founded on merit. I have been based in the United States for over 15 years now and I know for sure how things work over there and the intense scrutiny, painstaking justification and approvals that would have been secured for Chevron to keep using Zinox.
Inside, I was elated and proud to be a Nigerian and equally delighted to be associated with Chevron Nigeria.
But I recently encountered a development that burst my bubbles and showed me that we still have a long way to go in getting it right here in Nigeria.
In the course of my extended stay in Nigeria (I had arrived in October, way before the festive season), I also had the opportunity of paying a visit to a former classmate in my Ph.D. class in the US, who incidentally works as a consultant for the Ministries of Transportation and Education here in Nigeria. This fellow, whose identity would remain withheld for obvious reasons, had invited me to accompany me on a visit to the Ministry of Transportation in Abuja. On arrival there, I was shocked to see that virtually all of the computer systems being used by staff of the Ministry were foreign brands, ranging from HP to Dell and others.
I could not believe my eyes!
Here was a Chevron Nigeria, on one hand, a globally renowned multinational from a fiercely patriotic nation such as the United States convincing its foreign management of the quality of Zinox laptops, workstations and other devices for use by its entire staff in the country for their undoubtedly complex computing tasks; but on the other hand, is a Ministry of Transportation in Nigeria who could not trust or patronize its own local products for their basic Word Processing tasks. What a pity!
But my former classmate was a bit taken aback at my reaction. In fact, I learnt from him that this was a common sight in virtually all Nigerian government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) as most of them hardly use local products or resources. He pointed out the case of Innoson Motors as another solid Nigerian brand which manufactures vehicles which Nigerian politicians and civil service officials hardly use, even for their pool cars.
One must not fail to commend the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo who did a lot in encouraging patronage of local businesses. His actions and sound policy directions in the area of local content promotion went a long way in shoring up indigenous capacities among entrepreneurs in Nigeria. Admittedly to a lesser extent, the administration of Goodluck Jonathan equally did its best in this regard.
And with the current administration, it is an open secret that one of the major reasons Nigerians voted overwhelmingly for President Muhammadu Buhari is his anti-corruption stance and patriotic zeal. The president is a firm believer in the Nigerian ideal and is known to go out of his way in fighting for Nigeria’s interest. Further buoying President Buhari’s scorecard in the protection of local interests is his brilliant selection of the highly cerebral Dr. Ibrahim Pantami as Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, a man under whom this strategic ministry has done so much in protecting Nigeria’s sovereignty and fidelity of our collective data.
But it is clear that even with the best intentions of the current administration and others that have gone before it, there are selfish and vested interests within the polity that continue to rubbish local content efforts, keeping credible Nigerian businesses in the shadow of their foreign counterparts at the detriment of our national development.
With this worrisome scenario, how does the Nigerian government expect to transform the country into a regional or world power or even better the lot of its citizenry? Can we factor in the scarce foreign exchange or number of jobs that is being lost to foreign patronage in the face of world class and excellent substitutes that abound here in Nigeria? How do we expect Nigeria to mint dollar-billionaires on a regular basis like the Chinese do for fun? Or when can we even produce the next Mark Zuckerberg or Jeff Bezos when budding entrepreneurs here know that their government can never support them to grow?
Corruption is the usual fall-guy when cases like this comes up. But, in my own opinion, we need to look beyond just corruption and begin to pose serious questions.
Imagine if Nigeria did not have a local entrepreneur like an Aliko Dangote in the cement business or a Mike Adenuga representing us in the foreign interest-dominated telecoms sector. What would be the fate of the average man in the street when the price of cement hits the roof? Indeed, what would be the fate of our collective national data in the hands of foreign telecoms companies? Perhaps, we may not understand the gravity but the fact that Nigeria can count on such strong local enterprises in these industries and other critical ones is a blessing and a strong pointer to our sovereignty as a people.
A lot has been said about the growing prevalence of technology as a bastion of future wealth and the determinant of the wealth of nations. However, this reality seems to be lost on the powers that be here in Nigeria.
Indeed, the plight of tech companies in Nigeria, as seen from my recent experience back home, shows that Zinox and others, may be sadly fighting against a very strong tide, despite putting food on the table of many Nigerians through direct and indirect employment opportunities as well as their undoubted contributions to the economy.
The Nigerian government must wake up and smell the coffee!
Eniola Otun Ade-Bisiriyu is an academic based in the United States
Gugu Gumede and S’Dumo Mtshali, the power couple in Netflix’s telenovela, The Polygamist, will be guest on this week’s edition of African Voices, which is sponsored by Globacom on Cable News Network (CNN).
The 22-episode sitcom focuses on the misadventures of an adulterous spouse who unknowingly entangles his family in the difficulties of polygamy.
The film depicts a series of intrigues, betrayals, and other events that shattered the harmony of a once-perfect marriage.
The fictional couple in Johannesburg are interviewed by the programme’s anchor, Larry Madowo, for a 30-minute show in which they discuss their personal experiences and the difficulties they have in the film industry, such as coping with popularity and typecasting and advocating for more actor protections.
Gumede, a 34-year-old South African who attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Los Angeles to study acting, portrayed Joyce Gomora in the telenovela.
In addition to her part in The Polygamist, Gumede has portrayed Mamlambo, a prophetess on “Uzalo”, the most watched television program in South Africa, and Mandisa in “Generations”, one of the country’s most popular series.
Mtshali, a 43-year-old South African actor who portrayed Jonasi Gomora, gained notoriety in 2010 after competing in and winning the SABC1 reality program, “Class Act”. In the same year, he landed his first major part in the drama series “Intersexions” on SABC1.
Among other films, he has starred in “Inside Story” (2011), “Avenged” (2013), “iNumber Number: Jozi Gold” (2023), “Back of the Moon”, and “The Four of Us” (2025).
This special double-cast episode will feature on DSTV channel 401 on Saturday at 8a.m. It will be repeated same day at 11a.m., Sunday at 3.30a.m.,6p.m., Monday at 3a.m. and 5.45p.m. as well as on Tuesday,5.45p.m.
The repeats continue next week Saturday at 7.30a.m., 11a.m.;Sunday 3.30a.m., 6p.m.,and on Monday at 3a.m.
By Blaise Udunze
From a general observation, comparisons are powerful political tools. They simplify complex realities, inspire supporters and shape public perception. Another side of this is that they can also become misleading when symbolism replaces substance.
The latter appears to be the objective behind two recent interventions in defense of his excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Respectfully, it was observed that veteran journalist Martin Oloja likened Tinubu’s political journey to that of football icon Lionel Messi. He portrayed him as a resilient strategist whose patience and tactical brilliance eventually produced victory. As this now appears to be a trend, Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma further elevated the narrative, comparing Tinubu to Singapore’s founding Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew. He didn’t stop at that; rather further argued that today’s painful reforms would eventually transform Nigeria just as Lee transformed Singapore. They are compelling analogies.
Unfortunately, it was observed that both began to unravel once governance, not politics, was used as the standard of measurement.
It is a known fact to the world that Lionel Messi is celebrated not because he endured criticism or finally lifted the World Cup after years of disappointment. He is celebrated because his greatness is measurable. His goals are counted. His assists are recorded. His trophies are displayed and not just that, his records speak louder than the opinions of his admirers, which may have taken a different turn now after the outcome of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The same is also true of Lee Kuan Yew. History has shown that he is not revered because he introduced difficult reforms or enjoyed the support of loyal political allies. Governor Hope should be reminded that Lee is remembered because he fundamentally transformed Singapore. Amongst his achievements were transforming a poor trading port into one of the world’s richest, cleanest, safest and most efficiently governed nations.
Lee’s records speak for him because under his leadership, Singapore built world-class infrastructure, an incorruptible public service, globally competitive education, affordable housing, investor confidence and one of the highest standards of living anywhere in the world.
Neither Messi nor Lee Kuan Yew became legends through carefully crafted narratives. Yes, they became legends because the evidence became impossible to dispute. That is precisely where comparisons with President Tinubu become difficult.
It is an error to assume that winning elections is the same as winning governance and at the same time, political brilliance may secure power, but only effective leadership secures history’s approval.
For millions of Nigerians, governance is not measured by campaign strategy or political resilience. It is measured by the realities they confront every morning.
Can they afford food? Can they pay transport fares? Can they pay rent with the current landlords’ economy? Can they keep their businesses open? Can they sleep or travel freely without fear of kidnapping? Can they find jobs after graduation? Can they access reliable electricity and healthcare? These are the scoreboards by which governments are judged.
Supporters of the Tinubu administration frequently point to encouraging macroeconomic indicators. Foreign reserves have improved. Government revenues have risen. States now receive significantly larger allocations through the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC). Well, these ‘achievements’ will be reviewed soon through the lens of news narratives. International financial institutions have welcomed several policy reforms. The removal of fuel subsidy and exchange-rate liberalisation are presented as courageous decisions that previous administrations avoided.
These developments deserve acknowledgement. Yet macroeconomic improvements are not the same as improvements in citizens’ welfare.
In reality, an economy cannot be declared successful merely because government revenues have increased while household purchasing power continues to deteriorate, as this would be a complete aberration.
Again, it is considered an anomaly that Nigeria reports stronger fiscal numbers, but millions of families continue to struggle with soaring food prices, rising transport costs, expensive housing, high electricity tariffs and shrinking disposable incomes.
Statistics may comfort policymakers. They rarely comfort hungry citizens. Messi never celebrated possession statistics after losing a match; rather, he cried and cried over losing the opportunity of winning the trophy at the concluded 2026 FIFA World Cup. To him, results mattered.
The reality is that governments should be judged by the same principle. This is open to dispute, but of a truth, Governor Uzodimma’s comparison to Lee Kuan Yew deserves even closer scrutiny because it raises an important question, though it may appear hard to answer.
If Tinubu is Nigeria’s Lee Kuan Yew, where is Nigeria’s Singapore? What exactly made Lee Kuan Yew exceptional? Was it simply his willingness to implement painful reforms? Certainly not.
Many leaders across the developing world have introduced painful reforms. Very few transformed their countries.
One thing stands out here: Lee’s legacy rests on outcomes, not intentions. Judging from all indications, it is obvious that his reforms dramatically reduced corruption, attracted investment, strengthened institutions, expanded industrialisation, improved education, guaranteed affordable public housing and steadily raised incomes across generations. Unlike Nigeria’s ongoing experience, Singapore’s rise was not a promise repeatedly postponed to the future. Citizens experienced tangible improvements in their daily lives. That is why history celebrates Lee Kuan Yew. Nigeria’s present reality tells a different story.
It is glaring and ironic that despite improved fiscal revenues, many Nigerians continue to grapple with rising inflation, worsening poverty, declining purchasing power, youth unemployment, struggling businesses and persistent insecurity. If they must know, these are not merely economic statistics; they are the lived realities by which citizens judge any government.
The Lee Kuan Yew comparison also overlooks perhaps the most important ingredient behind Singapore’s success, which is primarily the institutions.
It is obvious and practically doubtful if Governor Uzodinma’s kind of Singapore is the same as the one on which its transformation was built upon an efficient bureaucracy, disciplined public institutions, predictable regulation, meritocracy, uncompromising anti-corruption enforcement and consistent long-term planning as championed by Lee Kuan Yew. An honest question here is, can the same be said of Nigeria today?
The truth is not far-fetched; Nigeria is nothing close to it because the realities and lived experiences of Nigerians are that the country continues to grapple with weak institutions, policy inconsistency, bureaucratic inefficiency, corruption concerns and widespread insecurity.
His impeccable achievements are built on the institutions; hence, without institutional transformation, every effort to invoke Lee Kuan Yew risks confusing aspiration with achievement.
One common trend witnessed lately is that the supporters of the administration often argue that Nigerians must be patient because meaningful reforms require time. That argument deserves consideration.
Let it also be made known that patience should never become an endless substitute for accountability. Citizens are also entitled to ask whether the sacrifices demanded today are producing measurable improvements tomorrow.
History remembers leaders not because they prescribed hardship, but because that hardship ultimately produced prosperity for those alive and not for the dead.
Another weakness in both comparisons is the tendency to confuse political mastery with administrative excellence. These are totally two different things, because when it comes to winning elections, it requires coalition building, negotiation and political calculation. Whilst, running a nation demands competent institutions, sound economic management, transparency, public trust and measurable improvements in living standards.
Again, the two are not the same, and for this reason, many exceptional politicians have governed poorly. Many successful administrators never became political giants. Democracy ultimately rewards governance, not political mythology.
This is not to suggest that President Tinubu’s administration has achieved nothing. Tax reforms, infrastructure investments, fiscal restructuring and efforts to stabilise public finances represent important policy initiatives whose long-term impact remains to be seen. Well, acknowledging those initiatives is consistent with honest public discourse.
Equally important, however, is recognising that millions of Nigerians continue to judge the administration through the realities and their lived experiences rather than the promises they hear.
Football supporters judged Lionel Messi by the trophies in the cabinet. In like manner, history judges Lee Kuan Yew by the Singapore he built. The same measure should be applied in this nation, as Nigerians will judge President Tinubu by the Nigeria he leaves behind.
The key metric here is that if inflation falls sustainably, poverty declines significantly, insecurity is substantially reduced, electricity becomes more reliable, industries expand, jobs multiply and citizens regain confidence in the future, history will acknowledge those achievements without requiring comparisons to Messi or Lee Kuan Yew.
Neither Messi nor Lee Kuan Yew needed political allies to persuade the world of their greatness and that distinguishes both as the greatest of all time (GOAT).
Their records spoke for themselves. Political endorsements may dominate today’s headlines. History, however, listens only to evidence. Even Messi needed trophies. Lee Kuan Yew needed results. Nigerian leaders should be judged by no lesser standard.
Blaise, a journalist and PR professional, writes from Lagos and can be reached via: [email protected]
National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are set to introduce a joint broadcast monitoring framework ahead of the 2027 general elections as part of efforts to curb unethical broadcasting and promote responsible election coverage.
Charles Ebuebu, director-general, NBC, who disclosed the plan recently, said the collaboration would strengthen election monitoring through the deployment of advanced technology and closer coordination between regulatory agencies.
According to him, the increasing influence of digital and online platforms has made it imperative for regulators to work together rather than operate independently.
“We have written to INEC, and we are going to have a joint monitoring outlook over the elections. Gone are the days when agencies work in silos. When we coordinate, we’re able to monitor more effectively,” Ebuebu said.
He explained that the partnership would enable both agencies to jointly identify and address violations of broadcasting regulations during the election period instead of handling such issues separately.
Beyond INEC, Ebuebu said the NBC is also partnering with other key regulators to strengthen oversight of election-related content across digital platforms.
According to him, the commission is finalising agreements with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) ahead of the polls to reinforce its monitoring capabilities.
“We are calling in other stakeholders to reinforce the election monitoring. We are signing agreements with the Nigerian Communications Commission and the National Information Technology Development Agency before the elections,” he said.
Ebuebu also revealed that the NBC is upgrading its monitoring infrastructure with artificial intelligence (AI)-powered tools to keep pace with the rapidly expanding media landscape.
He noted that the proliferation of online platforms has made traditional monitoring methods inadequate.
“With online platforms, there are thousands of them. You need more than staff; you need AI monitoring facilities,” he said.
The NBC chief added that the commission has significantly improved its monitoring capacity and can currently track nearly 50 broadcast channels from its monitoring centre in Abuja.
He said additional monitoring facilities would be established across the country in line with evolving broadcasting technologies.As part of preparations for the 2027 elections, Ebuebu announced plans for a sensitisation workshop in Ibadan that will bring together broadcasters, INEC officials, security agencies and other stakeholders.
He said the engagement had become necessary as political discussions surrounding elections continue to grow more heated, including on television, stressing the need for broadcasters to adhere to professional standards.
Ebuebu noted that the commission has had to issue several warnings to broadcast stations for violating the broadcasting code during election periods.
“We have had to write several of them because they simply forget what the code says,” he said
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