NIGERIAN NUGGETS -- FEBRUARY 25, 2010

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 ABUJA 000209 SIPDIS STATE FOR AF/FO, AF/W, AF/RSA, DRL, INR/AA USAID FOR AFR/WA (DALZOUMA) LONDON FOR POL (PLORD) PARIS FOR POL (BAIN AND KANEDA) ROME FOR AFRICA WATCHER NSC FOR GAVIN AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE PASS TO AMEMBASSY MALABO E.O. 12958: DECL: 2020/02/25 TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR ECON CASC KISL KPAO NI SUBJECT: NIGERIAN NUGGETS -- FEBRUARY 25, 2010 CLASSIFIED BY: Jeffery A. Salaiz, Deputy Political Counselor; REASON: 1.4(B),(D) ¶1. (U) Mission Nigeria provides the following compilation of recent political, economic, and social developments not previously reported. Included in this addition are: -- CRISIS AVERTED IN NORTHERN NIGERIA'S JIGAWA STATE -- LES IN CANADIAN EMBASSY IN NIGER BECOMES THE NEW PRIME MINISTER -- AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA EXPERIENCES RAPID GROWTH -- NIGERIAN LEADERS DISCUSS ELECTORAL REFORM -- MAJOR ADVANCE IN MALARIA CONTROL -- USAID AND PRIVATE SECTOR AGREE TO PROMOTE CLEAN ENERGY -- RULE OF LAW ESSENTIAL TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT -------------- -------------- CRISIS AVERTED IN NORTHERN NIGERIA'S JIGAWA STATE -------------- -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Prompt action by Emir of Kazaure Alhaji Najeeb Hussini Adamu likely prevented a conflict in Kazaure town in Jigawa state from escalating into a large scale crisis. According to local media, a police traffic warden beat a local driver to death for violating a traffic rule. Youth in the area who witnessed the incident took to the streets near the Divisional Police Headquarters and set buildings on fire, damaging several nearby churches. To prevent additional violence, the Emir went around town preaching peace and asking residents to remain calm. In addition, the Emir also temporarily relocated his residence to the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Chairman's home. Local pastors credited the Emir's actions in preventing additional violence and assured that they will continue to preach peace and unity. Speaking to PolOff on February 24, CAN Secretary General Samuel Salifu agreed that the Emir and CAN Chairman provided an excellent example of how religious leaders can work together to defuse violence. -------------- -------------- LES IN CANADIAN EMBASSY IN NIGER BECOMES THE NEW PRIME MINISTER -------------- -------------- ¶3. (C) An Abuja-based Canadian diplomat told PolMilOff on February 23 that Niger's newly appointed Prime Minister Mahamadou Danda is the sole locally employed staff political reporting officer at Canada's local office in Niamey. Danda previously served as information minister following Niger's last coup in 1999. Danda learned of the appointment on February 23 and sent one final report to Ottawa that afternoon prior to taking up his new duties. ABUJA 00000209 002 OF 004 -------------- -------------- AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA EXPERIENCES RAPID GROWTH -------------- -------------- ¶4. (U) American University of Nigeria (AUN) School of Business and Entrepreneurship Dean David K. Smith called on the Economic, Political and Public Affairs Counselors on February 23 to discuss potential cooperation between AUN and the U.S. Mission. Smith said AUN is the personal project of former Vice President Abubakar Atiku (1999-2007) and is located in Yola, the capital of Adamawa State, because that is Atiku's home state. AUN opened with 124 students in 2005, grew to 650 students in 2008 and 1440 in 2009. The first batch of students graduated in May 2009. ¶5. (U) AUN was initially administered under a multi-year contract with the American University (AU) in Washington, D.C., with many of the senior faculty members having been hired in the U.S. and sent to Yola by AU. AUN has been trying to reduce its large administration and payroll costs, and the last AU-contracted faculty members were converted to AUN employees at the beginning of February. The faculty is largely expatriate, but there has been a growing emphasis on hiring qualified Nigerian faculty members, again as part of effort to reduce payroll costs. The student body is almost entirely Nigerian, with all 36 states being represented and an equal balance between the North and South, and between Christians and Muslims. Over 50 of the 80-plus faculty members are in the School of Arts and Sciences, 15 are in the School of Business and Entrepreneurship, and 15 are in the School of Information Technology. There are no graduate programs, although there are long-term plans to establish an MBA program in the School of Business and Entrepreneurship. ¶6. (U) Former U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria John Campbell (2004-2007) and other Americans are on the AUN Board of Directors. The current interim President of AUN is the designated U.S. Embassy warden for the estimated 70 U.S. citizens including faculty members in Yola. AUN has the reputation of being one of the best private universities in Nigeria, despite its very short existence. Atiku is reported to have invested $100 million in the establishment of the university. AUN and AU were among the subjects of a recent U.S. senate sub-committee case study of foreign corrupt practices. -------------- NIGERIAN LEADERS DISCUSS ELECTORAL REFORM -------------- ¶7. (U) At a February 17 Swiss-hosted diplomatic forum, the new Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Prince Adetokunbo Kayode, ABUJA 00000209 003 OF 004 said "people of integrity will be called to run future Nigerian elections," and that "the tenure of the chair of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was meant to be for one five-year term" when the commission was established. He commented that "there never has been a perfect election, especially in a developing society." Bayelsa East Senator Nimi Barigha-Amange said that Nigerians are not interested in reform, and "Nigerians need attitudinal changes; godfatherism and dictatorship of candidates won't change unless the people want change." He concluded that Nigerians think about family, then local, then state issues, and finally the nation. Until that changes and legislative topics like new state creation are dropped, nothing will change for Nigeria. Ogun State Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, the daughter of former President Obasanjo, concluded, "Most people are self-serving, and there is nothing wrong with that." -------------- MAJOR ADVANCE IN MALARIA CONTROL -------------- ¶8. (U) Increased resources from USAID and other donors have enabled Cross River state to become the first of Nigeria's 36 states to reach the national target of at least 60% of children and pregnant women sleeping under malaria prevention treated bednets. This accomplishment is a major advance in malaria control for Nigeria. During a statewide measles and polio immunization campaign in 2009, a total of 676,000 long-lasting insecticidal treated bednets, of which USAID provided 115,000, were distributed to children under five years in Cross River. A survey conducted after the distribution of the bednets found that just over 60% of children under five and pregnant women are now sleeping under treated bednets. USAID plans to support a second campaign this year in Cross River state to ensure that each household will have at least two insecticide treated bednets. The Cross River model is being duplicated in mass distribution campaigns, which are providing two nets per household in other states. -------------- -------------- USAID AND PRIVATE SECTOR AGREE TO PROMOTE CLEAN ENERGY -------------- -------------- ¶9. (U) On February 23, the Ambassador, USAID Mission Director, and the President of the Independent Power Providers Association of Nigeria (IPPAN) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to support the production of electricity by the private sector in Nigeria. Under the MOU, technical assistance will be provided to IPPAN by the USAID-funded Nigerian Energy and Climate Change Project (NECC) to enhance IPPAN members' capacity to develop commercially viable projects using indigenous resources and clean technologies. NECC will support the use of flared gas to produce electricity, promote the expansion of renewable energy projects to reduce the impact of climate change, and expand the sister utility partnership between the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission and the U.S. National Association of Regulatory Utility ABUJA 00000209 004 OF 004 Commissioners to improve the regulatory environment for electricity generation in Nigeria. -------------- RULE OF LAW ESSENTIAL TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT -------------- ¶10. (U) The Initiative for Public Policy Analysis (IPPA),a Lagos-based think tank, hosted a February 17 roundtable to discuss the economic impact of Nigeria's listing as a TSA "country of interest." In his opening remarks, IPPA Director Thompson Ayodele noted that Nigeria has long enjoyed a beneficial economic relationship with the United States. He said that in 2008 the total bilateral trade between the two countries was valued at $42 billion. The President of Value Fronteira, Dr. Martin Oluba, added that: "Good reputation, trust and the rule of law are essential ingredients for economic development in Nigeria." He argued that the bad reputation and limited trust would lead to loss of business opportunities because Nigerian businessmen would find it difficult to borrow money and transact businesses with other partners who will need extended time to conduct background checks. However, the Government of Nigeria's inability to end political, religious and ethnic violence deters foreign investors, he lamented. Senior IPPA Fellow Dr. Olajide Damilola contended that Nigerians may benefit in the long run if politicians pass the anti-terrorism bill pending in the National Assembly since 2006 and start investing on security at the airports. ¶11. (U) The Embassy and ConGen Lagos collaborated on this telegram. SANDERS