When you see the figure 419, your brain automatically registers online scams, financial crime and impersonation associated with Nigerians. The number ‘419’ refers to the article of the Nigerian Criminal Code (part of Chapter 38: ‘Obtaining Property by false pretences; Cheating’) dealing with fraud.

However, Nigerians still show several positive characteristics and traits other than the ‘Advance Fee Fraud’. In response to this, ‘The 419Positive Project’ was initiated, with the aim of generating four hundred and nineteen positive attributes about Nigeria and Nigerians.

So 100 volunteers and bloggers where enlisted to share reasons why they like Nigeria. These reasons echo the voices of Nigerians, with resonating similar themes. The campaign is being facilitated in partnership with ‘The 419Positive Project’.

Check the list out:

Nigeria – The Land of Potential and Opportunity

1. Africa is the future, Nigeria is her giant – It’s obvious to the world that global prosperity going forward will hinge heavily on Africa and Asia. I love Nigeria because we are divinely, strategically located and placed in Africa.

2. Nigeria is the most populous black nation – and a buying one at that. From a capitalist point of view, this makes for a great investment opportunities.

3. Nigeria is the land of opportunity. It is pretty much a virgin market with capacity for many business ideas. If you have a brilliant idea and the funding, you will make so much money in Nigeria. Why? There are over 160 million people and a large informal market of consumers. If you identify the right market segment and establish a business, your profit margin will go through the roof. For instance, at the advent of mobile phones in the country, a South African company, MTN, came into the country as one of the first foreign investors. It is said that the company makes more profits from Nigeria are higher than its home country.

4. An expanding commercial market. Lagos is currently the second most populous city in Africa, following Cairo. The United Nations predicts that by 2025 Lagos will be the 11th largest city in the world.

5. The UK government in 2011, described Nigeria is the world’s fourth fastest growing economy with solid growth expected in the next five years.

6. The size (population) of the country, Nigeria, makes it a potential business/salesperson’s paradise (over 160 million potential consumers — the largest market in Africa).

7. Nigeria’s market is indeed very promising. With over 160 million potential customers you simply can’t go wrong.

8. Nigeria is Africa’s largest mobile market with over 85 million subscribers.

9. Recent developments in the payments space means that online and mobile transactions will make a huge footprint in the coming years. There’s never been a better time to get Nigerian businesses taking advantage of the internet and the wide range of opportunities that come with it. This works especially well for those selling products.

10. Nigeria is the largest market in Africa for Guinness and the second largest globally, after UK, since it overtook Ireland in 2007. Nigeria owing to its market size, is predicted to take the lead ahead of the UK by 2014.

11. Nigeria, previously viewed as a risky investment environment, is gradually becoming the investors target especially with the growing middle class. The Fast Moving Consumer Goods market in 2011 has experienced much expansion with multinationals like Coca-Cola Hellenic, Heineken and PZ Cussons increased investments in their local units.

12. We make frighteningly good use of opportunity when it presents itself. Take a look at communication and the adoption of technology. I daresay that there is no country that adopted faster. If we light up Nigeria today, I assure you, we’ll leap ahead twenty years in two.

13. Another reason to like Nigeria is because of the future we can see. Because people are becoming more enlightened each day and the youth is more hands-on than ever before; I can be pretty confident that not too long from now, this should be a country to be reckoned with. I like Nigeria for the future I see.

14. Nigeria is not only about size, it’s about numbers and companies that are not selling in Nigeria are missing out on huge market.

15. I like Nigeria because it is a land of endless opportunities and possibilities. Nigeria is one country I believe the world is yet to experience it true potentials. I believe Nigerians are sharp, brilliant and accommodating people. Giving the right enabling environment the world will marvel at what Nigeria will become.

16. The taxation system is a reason to like Nigeria. The Federal government doesn’t impose heavy tax on the labour force. This encourages foreigners to come to Nigeria to work, for there is good pay as well as returns. For instance, in Germany there is dog tax, however in Nigeria, you’re free to own as many dogs as you please without having to bother about paying the government for your pets.

17. You can sell weave to a woman with perfectly good hair on her head. With over 160 million people making up Africa’s biggest consumer market, you can sell nearly any type of product or service in Nigeria and still have a huge market! People here are just hungry for excellent products – and they’ve got the buying power to back it up!

18. We confound acclaimed economic models, yet you ignore us at your own peril. In economics, sociology, psychology and politics, Nigerian case studies are worth pursuing.

19. Unlimited data (well, nearly unlimited) for the Blackberry Internet Service, is relatively cheap when compared with what my colleagues pay in the US and the UK. N3000 for a month? That sounds like a deal, and is especially useful for mobile small businesses. It really helps, considering that the price of regular broadband internet versus what one actually gets is rather expensive.

20. The fact that Nigeria currently lags behind so much – in infrastructure and developmental terms – hints at the size of the potential for innovation and transformation, and at the huge number of vacancies that exist for ‘transformers’. What I think this means is that the world will be hearing a lot about Nigeria and high-achieving Nigerians (in the public and private sectors) in the near future.

21. The agricultural potential of Nigeria will make her the envy of developed nations in years to come.

22. I left a seed of black-eyed bean in my kitchen sink, next day it was already sprouting. Where else in the world does that occur except Nigeria?

23. Our business environment is very welcoming and full of untapped business opportunities.

24. Our youth population is a force that can be used for good, and if empowered, will drive Nigeria’s small scale industries potential.

25. Shopping in traffic jams – the ultimate time saver! The hawker’s market is one that begs economic research.

26. Nigeria is one of the fastest growing countries in the music and film industry. This is good for investors.

27. There are LOADS of opportunities. It’s virgin ground for loads of innovation and new unique ideas.

28. Nigeria is a developing country and this creates an avenue for investment which will foster growth.

29. Nigeria is the future of the world. Increasing attention from foreign economies is proof positive for this.

30. There are many economic opportunities, and recent global consulting company reports point to Nigeria and Africa as the future.

31. Nigeria is the land of opportunity, where you can invest in loads of things {Economic investment}.

32. Our man power, which has made foreigners form an alliance with us to aid and promote industries and industrial investment.

33. NIGERIA is that country where you can make good money from businesses with fair tax costs.

34. Entrepreneurs can flourish in Nigeria. There is a mass market of consumers and many business opportunities.

35. Innovation and world-changing-ideas abound in infinite quantities in this great country. The only boundary is support.

AS the twin evils of bad governance and corruption continue to bedevil Nigeria’s underdevelopment, President Goodluck Jonathan, on the country’s 51st Independence Anniversary, declared that he has hard decision to improve governance to ensure greater transparency, probity, and accountability at all levels.

In a nationwide broadcast this morning, President Jonathan acknowledged that “a nation is sustained by its institutions and systemsh, saying that, “ I have taken strong measures to improve on governance. It is in this regard that I signed into law the Freedom of Information Action.

He announced that, “already, we are beginning to do things differently. I believe that integrity, honour, patriotism, selfless service and fear of God, must be the hallmarks of leadership at all levels.

Nigeria's President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan addresses the 66th UN General Assembly at the United Nations headquarters in New York, September 21, 2011. PHOTO

The President disclosed that his government has put in place a new and reinvigorated national security strategy, to combat the threat to safety, noting that, “ no matter what I do as your President and no matter what we do as your elected leaders, at all levels, the peace and security of our nation rest also on our collective efforts as citizens, in our various communities.

He therefore charged all leaders and citizens in every community to make peace the number one priority of their daily routine, because, without peace, no community can realize its objectives or achieve a happy and productive life for its members.

“The current incidents of violence and terror in parts of the country will surely be overcome. We will secure the safety of our citizens for only when we do this, will we be able to build the needed peace and tranquility in all parts of the federation. Securing our peace and stability will ensure economic growth and prosperity for all”, he said.

While assuring that his administration will spare no effort in fighting crime, building peace, and securing our homeland against internal threats and infiltration by violent groups, from outside our borders, Jonathan condemned all acts of violence and declared that such acts of mindless savagery shall not be allowed to define our country. We will not be deterred. Our resolve is strong.

Jonathan who vowed to further strengthen all institutions to ensure greater transparency, probity, and accountability at all levels, said he redeemed the promised to restore confidence in the electoral system and deliver free and fair elections, which he did through some electoral reforms and strengthened INEC and other related agencies.

According to him, “since I assumed office as the President of our great country, I have continued to focus my attention on the economy. I have taken several measures to address structural weaknesses which stand between us and economic growth and prosperity for all.

He explained that government was growing the economy to generate employment opportunities for our teeming youth and enhanced prosperity for every citizen, saying that, “in a few days’ time, I shall launch an innovative competition for our young entrepreneurs to come up with ways to expand their businesses, create more jobs, and sharpen their business skills.

While reassuring Nigerians of his resolve to lead the country into a safer, more peaceful, and prosperous future for our children, he said as a result of his electoral reforms, “Our April 2011 general elections were adjudged by Nigerians and the international community as the most transparent and credible elections, ever conducted in our country. Indeed, post-election petitions reduced by over 50 per cent.

The President solicited the support of all Nigerians in the task of nation building, saying that, “the time has come to rise above ethnic and religious divisions; The time has come to unite against violence in all its ramifications; The time has come to secure our peace and unite against suffering, and deprivation.”

Expressing optimism in the unity and indivisibility of the country, Jonathan stated that, “I see a new Nigeria rising. A Nigeria that is economically strong. A Nigeria that takes its rightful place of leadership in the world. A Nigeria that uses its diversity to reinforce its strength. A Nigeria we all can be proud of.

While praising the resilience and dedication of Nigerians in the pursuit of their socioeconomic activities, Jonathan believed that, “our potential is huge. We have the requisite market volume. We have a youthful, energetic, and hardworking population.

According to him, the structural and managerial bottlenecks that have obstructed our economic growth are being addressed to unleash the energy and potentials of this nation.

“To achieve this, I am determined to ensure that Nigerians have reliable electricity. Our economy will grow faster, and our hard working small businesses will thrive when we finally fix the power challenges we face. We are fast tracking power reforms to improve the generation and distribution of electricity.

To this end, he disclosed that, “we are effectively supporting the private-sector led construction of world scale petrochemical and fertilizer plants. This will for the first time in our history, result in effective monetisation of our abundant natural gas resources while at the same time, creating over a million jobs. Reminding Nigerians that there was a time they requested for the Nigerian nation, Jonathan said, “this is Nigeria we need and this is the Nigeria we all must build. As we celebrate today, let us resolve to build the Nigeria of our future.

Calling on all political leaders to put aside partisan politics for united action towards the advancement of our nation, the President said it is very clear that without fundamental reforms in the key sectors of our economy, Nigeria will not be able to fully unlock our potential as a nation, noting that, “we must manage our resources more prudently and efficiently. We must provide stable electricity to our citizens to help drive economic activity.

He explained that the government has put in place implementable programmes to transform the country from an importer of petroleum products to the regional hub for exportation of value-added petroleum and petrochemical products, saying that, “We are revamping existing refineries and building three new ones”.

“Because of the measures we have taken on the economy, our GDP is today is one of the fastest growing in Africa. We are currently growing the economy at 7.8%. We expect to sustain an 8% growth rate and a better GDP in the medium term, on our journey towards realizing our Vision 20:2020 goal”, he said.

On agriculture and food security, Jonathan said the future is very bright; and announced with delight that “this week, Nigeria released 8 new high yielding cocoa varieties. This will help to transform cocoa production, across the 14 cocoa producing states in the nation, and we must also take pride in our scientists.

“We plan to reach 20 million farmers with private-sector distributed fertilizers over the next four years. We will improve the investment environment and incentives for the private sector across the agricultural value chains. Our agricultural transf-ormation plan will generate 3.5 million jobs and an additional 20 million metric tons of food.

However, he encouraged Nigerians to patronise produce-in-Nigeria foods, saying, “we must all show pride in our farmers. We should eat what we produce. The increasing popularity of local products like Ofada Rice, Badegi rice, and Abakaliki Rice , attest to the fact that the populace will readily embrace locally grown produce.

He observed that, “growth in agriculture and other non-oil sectors is crucial to help diversify the economy and to generate much needed jobs. Agriculture remains one of the highest priorities in my government’s Agenda for National Transformation. We have set out clear agricultural transformation action plans and policy measures to achieve self-sufficiency in the production of rice, cassava, maize, sorghum and other staple foods.’

Jonathan revealed that, “self-sufficiency in rice alone will save us the N356b that we currently spend annually importing rice. We will revamp the way we distribute fertilizers, taking government out of distribution of fertilizers.’

The President said he was aware that a great number of people are joining hands with him and the Administration in the great task ahead.

“I value all Nigerians. I see our youth who are looking for jobs and yet remain hopeful. I see the farmer, and fisherman toiling everyday to earn a living. I see the teacher working hard to train our future generations with much sacrifice. I see the market women whose entrepreneurial spirit helps to generate income for their children and families. I see our sportsmen and women training hard to bring glory to our nation. I see our resilience and commitment as a nation to defend our democracy and secure our future.

“I see every single profession and vocation, making positive contributions to national progress. I value you all! Together, we shall work for a Nigeria in which democracy and the rule of law are sacrosanct. A country where corruption and its attendant vices are banished. A country where human life is sacred and respected and where the rights of the individual are protected.”

The journey to nationhood, he observed, always has its own challenges, and that Nigeria has had her own share. But that “our growing pains as a nation have included the Civil War, the June 12 election crisis and restlessness in the Niger Delta. But Nigeria has always overcome each of these challenges. We overcame before. We will overcome yet again.”

The increasing popularity of local products, like ‘Ofada Rice’, ‘Badegi rice’, and ‘Abakaliki Rice’, attest to the fact, that the populace will readily embrace locally grown produce”.

He observed that “growth in agriculture and other non-oil sectors are crucial, to help diversify the economy and to generate much needed jobs. Agriculture remains one of the highest priorities in my government’s Agenda for National Transformation. We have set out clear, agricultural, transformation action plans and policy measures, to achieve self-sufficiency in the production of rice, cassava, maize, sorghum and other staple foods”.

Jonathan revealed that “self-sufficiency in rice alone will save us the 356 Billion Naira that we currently spend annually importing rice. We will revamp the way we distribute fertilizers, taking government out of distribution of fertilizers”.

As Nigeria marks her 51st independence celebration, Jonathan said he was aware that a great number of people are joining hands with him and the Administration, in the great task ahead.

“I value all Nigerians. I see our youth who are looking for jobs and yet remain hopeful. I see the farmer, and fisherman, toiling everyday to earn a living. I see the teacher, working hard, to train our future generations, with much sacrifice. I see the market women whose entrepreneurial spirit helps to generate income for their children and families. I see our sportsmen and women training hard to bring glory to our nation. I see our resilience and commitment, as a nation, to defend our democracy and secure our future”.

He said “I see every single profession and vocation, making positive contributions to national progress. I value you all! Together, we shall work for a Nigeria in which democracy and the rule of law are sacrosanct. A country where corruption and its attendant vices, are banished. A country where human life is sacred and respected, and where the rights of the individual are protected.

The journey to nationhood, he observed, is always has its own challenges, and that Nigeria has had her own share;. But that “our growing pains as a nation have included the civil war, the June 12 election crisis and restlessness in the Niger Delta. But Nigeria has always overcome each of these challenges. We overcame before. We will overcome yet again”.

The powerful blast destroyed the lower floors of the building. Dozens have been injured, some critically.

A spokesman for the Islamist group Boko Haram told the BBC in a phone call that it had carried out the attack.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon said the attack was "an assault on those who devote their lives to helping others".

Speaking before Boko Haram's statement, President Goodluck Jonathan reaffirmed his government's "total commitment" to combating terrorism, and said his administration would "spare no effort to bring the perpetrators to justice".

In Friday morning's attack, a car crashed through two security barriers and rammed into the building's reception before exploding, witnesses said.

Hospitals are said to be overwhelmed by the number of injured and have appealed for blood donations.

Boko Haram, which is fighting for the establishment of Sharia law in Nigeria, also said it carried out a car bombing at police headquarters in June.

A UN official in Nigeria, who spoke to the BBC on condition of anonymity, said the UN had stepped up security at all its buildings in Nigeria in the past month after receiving information that the UN could be targeted by Boko Haram.

Analysts say that the scale and target of the attack could point to a link with international terror groups.

'Shock on faces'
Police have sealed off the area and the BBC's Bashir Sa'ad Abdullahi there says that although rescue work is ongoing, the major search operation has been completed.

The bomb caused devastation to the building's lower floors
Cranes have been brought to the blast site to move the mass of rubble and ensure that no-one is trapped there.

"We condemn this terrible act utterly," UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon told a news conference.

He said he was sending two deputies - Deputy Secretary General Asha-Rose Migiro and UN security chief Gregory Starr - immediately to meet officials in Nigeria.

Later, Mr Ban reportedly told a Security Council meeting that the attack was "evidence that the UN premises are increasingly being viewed as a soft target by extremist elements around the world".

Nigeria's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Viola Onwuliri told the BBC she had visited the building and seen "the shock on people's faces".

"This is not an attack on Nigeria but on the global community," she said. "An attack on the world."

The building is the UN's main office in Nigeria, where 26 humanitarian and development agencies are based.

It is said to be the headquarters for about 400 UN employees but it is not clear how many were inside the building at the time of the attack.

Earlier this month the most senior American general working on Africa, Gen Carter Ham, said many sources indicated ties between Boko Haram and al-Qaeda in the Islamic Magreb, which operates in North Africa, as well as the al-Shabab movement in Somalia, says the BBC's Africa analyst Martin Plaut.

These ties, if correct, would have provided Boko Haram with the expertise it needed to carry out these deadly attacks, he says.

'Scattered bodies'
Friday's attack took place at about 1100 local time (1000 GMT) in the diplomatic zone in the centre of the city, close to the US embassy.

There was a loud explosion and smoke billowed from the building following the powerful blast, which shattered all the glass in the building and demolished part of the concrete wall.

A wing of the building collapsed and the ground floor of the building was badly damaged. Emergency services were quickly on the scene removing dead bodies from the building and rushing the wounded to hospital.

"When the car got inside it went straight to the basement and exploded, killing people in reception, right and left," Abuja resident James John, who witnessed the attack, told Reuters.

"I saw scattered bodies," Michael Ofilaje, a Unicef worker at the building, said according to the Associated Press news agency (AP). "Many people are dead."

Source  BBC

Paperboyz is an Hip/Hop, R&B and Techno Hop group. They are Nigerian boyz who are based in ukraine, currently study in the medical university.

There names are, Mayor Iroko  (born june 5 ,1986)  and Bright Bekwe (born October 5 ,1987)

The group  began their music career 2008 with a hit single ( You Know) and they ride on to produce Their first debut album simply titled MOVING which was released in October 1, 2009 with 13 tracks ,  in march 06, 2010 they drop a single Livin On The Edge feat Quis from the mixtape (Paperboyz lavish life Mixtape) which gained success all over the world.

in june 2010 Paperboyz made their first Ukraine tour  with  Angeliya  from city to city.

The group did a freestyle to the song free madness by  one of the Nigeria famous musician

Terry G earning them popularity in Nigeria.

Due to a lot of request's from fans, finally in 23 August 2010  Paperboyz  released  the Mixtape with 21 tracks on it. Title (Paperboyz lavish life Mixtape).

since starting of the group till now they have done a lot of collaboration with Artists in the USA, Ukraine, Belgium, Russia and Nigeria.

The group produce and market their songs as an independent artist.

They do music for the fun of music and the fact that they grow up listen to Africa hip hop music. They are song writer as well, fellow paperboyz on paperboyz.org .

Paperboyz love you all

PAPERBOYZ  CONTACT

FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/paperboyzonline

TWITTER: http://www.twitter.com/paperboyzonline

OFFICAL WEBSITE: http://www.paperboyz.org

EMAIL: paperboyz4all@gmail.com