My Family Is Safer In Nigeria Than In South Africa - South African Businessman

The outgoing Managing Director of Integrated Cash Management Services Ltd (iCMS), Mr. Stephen Botha, spoke with Kunle Aderinokun about the challenges and opportunities in the budding cash management business in Nigeria, even with the cash-lite policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria. Excerpts:

In retrospect, when you first came into Nigeria, how did you perceive the country against the notion you had before?

I was pleasantly surprised when I came to Nigeria the first time. The expectation was a dark country where it is unsafe and where you need to have policemen accompanying you, infrastructure not in place, among others. I was received by my friends the first time, afterwards, I came into the country on my own. I have told everybody that for the time I have stayed here, my family is safer than they were in South Africa. But one thing that impressed me most, was the development and the advances in Nigeria,
specifically in Lagos, in terms of infrastructure, development and making things more approachable with services working.

Did you have the opportunity of going to the restive area in the Niger Delta?

I was advised not to go but I did go to Abuja, Katsina and the report is the same, that I feel safe here. It is a country with immense business opportunities..