U.S.A. Economy News: Africa could drive change, but it's stuck in traffic... Posted By : Charles Onyango-Obbo

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Africa could drive change, but it's stuck in traffic...By: Charles Onyango-Obbo

[ Posted On: 2011-03-10 ]
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[ Charles Onyango-Obbo ] Charles-Onyango-Obbo

If you are one of those folks who believe that in the next few years Africa will be ruling the world, the recent report by PricewaterhouseCoopers, "The World in 2050," will crush your hopes.

By 2050, PWC predicts that South Africa, Africa's largest economy by far today, will have fallen through the cracks and will have been overtaken by Nigeria.

Indeed Nigeria will be the only African economy in the world's top 20.

It might come as surprise to some that Nigeria will be in the world's top 20, in fact it is projected to be at number 13, by 2050.

Nigeria, after all, has continuously had one of the continent's most corrupt and incompetent governments, it's a haven for conmen, and it is a violent, disorderly and chaotic place, all things that don't help competitiveness.

However it is mineral rich; it has Africa's largest population, and its most educated and creative.

There is one thing that, I believe, if Nigeria sorted out, it could be number 5 instead in 2050 � its traffic madness.

In fact, I think that if African governments, cities, and societies learnt to manage traffic, the continent would be much richer and happier.

Democracy, reduction in corruption, education, improved health care, innovation, would all help lift Africa, but traffic is the thing.

That is because it is in reducing traffic chaos that both authorities and citizens have to play a role.

And the skills required to avoid the traffic chaos in Africa and other world cities, are the same that are needed for constructing a modern market economy.

Many countries have traffic jams, for sure. But in places like Nairobi, Kampala, or Dar es Salaam, it is made worse and unmanageable by the idiocy and small-mindedness of motorists.

As soon as there is a traffic crawl, the African loses his cool.

And it does not matter whether the motorists have PhDs, are ministers, are honest, progressives, reactionaries, men or women.

It seems that if you put most of us behind a wheel, we quickly degenerate and lose control.

For example, on Limuru Road in Nairobi, which eventually takes you to the vast UN "village" and diplomatic suburb of Gigiri, you see this insanity at its peak.

It is a very busy two-lane road. This is supposed one of the most "civilised" roads in Nairobi.

On some mornings and evenings, it can takes 45 minutes to cover a distance of 100 metres which, on a normal traffic day, would take one minute!

When you are stuck in this madness and look around you, it is interesting what you see.

This two-lane road turns into a five-lane affair. Senior doctors, diplomats with their red number plates, government ministers, leading businessmen, senior army officers, snap and fight it out with matatus and the tougher type of drivers for non-existent road space.

If everyone were patient, had their commonsense about them, and exercised the basic calculation that would tell them that everyone would make progress faster if they drove in single file, none of this would happen.

Those also happen the broad three skills individuals and countries need to be successful: Commonsense, patience, and good number crunching capabilities.

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About The Author: Charles Onyango-Obbo -- is Uganda's leading political commentator. He is Nation Media Group's managing editor for convergence and new products. Charles writes for The Monitor, and The East African, a Nation-Media publication. Be sure to check out his Article Archive. before and after the --> | View Profile & All Articles By: Charles Onyango-Obbo |

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