I had a conversation yesterday with a Lebanese supplier of certain ancillaries we use for projects . Which spurred a question in my head .
Why are foreigners mostly considered for serious projects ahead of local contractors ?
This Lebanese dude revealed to me that he just concluded a project; the renovation of four points hotel. Which he did amidst the hotel’s day to day operation.
I wondered if they were contacted straight up or won a bidding amongst other local contractors . Or was it just the facade that came with an oyinbo man handling “our” project ?
As an entrepreneur who does interior architecture, I find the challenges faced with bidding for jobs more emotional than professional so I’d rather referral opportunities that open opportunities but then , I’d take a chance with either .
The pertinent questions are these :
1. How many Nigerian companies have actual capacity with respect to Human Resources , capital and even machinery support partnerships with companies who have what they need when technological assistance comes up for projects ?
2. It’s strange but from experience, our masons respect people of “white colour “
More than black project managers . Be it Chinese , Indian or even albino 😬. Why is this so ? Why are we our own enemies ? And why do we lose all that pride when dealing with “white people” ? Is it a sense of low self esteem in our subconscious? A feeling of being a less superior race ?
3 . How are foreign companies able to maintain credence in the same economy we consider unstable and unfit for business ? SPAR - former park n shop has been in business for over 20 years .
Lagoon restaurant , WEMPCO to mention a few .
How do they do it ?
4 . Do we constantly research how to make business easy ? Do we get constant training? Do we get feedback from our sources and suppliers? Do we do market research?
5 . Do we ask ourselves if we are “hire-able”
?
I ask myself sometimes that if I had to bid for a job , would I hire me ?
Truly it seems like we are smarter that these guys but I doubt if there’s any foreign owned business in Nigeria that’s not strictly guided by the structure it’s set out .They have a working culture. Hence when they bid , their presentation is different and perspectives therein . That’s what the guys giving the big projects so want to see . I have worked with an Indian company - park n shop post secondary school . Although I was young , the precision of the well set out structure resonates . Talk about sales structure , salary , security , warehousing , procurement and the likes .
6 . Are you running a company ready for an investor ? This is serious and I’m working hard at that . It’s easy to say no one wants to help an entrepreneur but there are many issues when dealing with a Nigerian . Behavioural hazards , ethical hazard et al.
I guess these questions will intimate us with the true position of businesses we run .
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