WORK & PRODUCTIVITY

It is a shock to many people that Nigerians are not particularly productive. In a nation where we prefer to guess at everything and dwell perpetually in probabilities, it wont be easy to understand. Many hate statistics for the revelation it gives and disapproval  they make of their often false claims. Many  people like to shout, "Nigerians are hardworking." Are they really? Statistics say otherwise. National Bureau of Statistics in its 2015 report on labour and productivity deposed that Nigeria has low labour productivity inspite of long years of economic growth; on comparative terms with other emerging economies, it still scores low on labour productivity. The report alluded to and prescribes quality manpower(viaimproved educational standards, increase of opportunities for employment and increased training & development.  It missed out on the poor value and attitude towards work by most Nigerians as part of the cause. 

Work or hard work is closely related to productivity. How can Nigerians be said to be productive when they prefer quick money as against good money as a reward for hard work and quality work? At the base of our economic malaise is the successful attack on the values of hard work - money as a reward for honest and quality work. Today many Nigerians are chasing money and not what to do to create money. The root of the nation's unproductive outcome  is here.

Most Nigerians have had success in wrongfully  defining hardwork as slaving or punishment and go ahead to  waste precious time in prayers looking for prosperity. Hardwork is actually making the most of a smart idea. Hard work is full application to work for its many benefits - production, learning and discovery. Nigeria will not really know productivity until it changes its value and orientation towards work - ask the Chinese, Indians, Japanese, Americans, South Koreans etc. Relative to hard work is the skills acquisition via intense training.