Anyone ever worked in Nigeria?

[Raverbaby]

Hi, as above really, my mates been offered a job as a chef, with really good money.
Is it asking for trouble?

Thanks

[hidetheelephants]

Raverbaby said:

Hi, as above really, my mates been offered a job as a chef, with really good money.
Is it asking for trouble?

Thanks

Is he well insured? Sorry, I have nothing helpful to offer. You do read a lot of scary stories about Nigeria, but many seem apocryphal. What does the FCO say?

[planetsurfer]

Does he need the money that much? Got to be easier place to make money

[Ross1988]

Here is a link to the FCO website, there was a pretty horrendous story yesterday of a pirate attack off the coast of Nigeria, I'll get it for you in a sec.

http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/...

[hyperblue]

No offence to your friend, but a chef is a chef. There'll be a reason why they're paying good money.

Probably worth asking what happened to the previous chef

[ATTAK Z]

Will he be paid offshore ? ... the Naira is worth zilch outside Nigeria

[Raverbaby]

Thanks for the replies, details are a bit scarce only had a text from him asking what I thought, its $15000 p/m within an oil company.
He already owns/runs his own place but its struggling and bills are mounting up.
Thanks for the link, I will forward it to him.
It wouldn't be me
Cheers

[TwistingMyMelon]

is that ten grand a month (15k $ to £)?

Nigeria is a big country, with better and worse areas.

IS it a well known company?

[jaybirduk]

Thank you for applying to be a chef here in Nigeria. My name is Prince Umbongo III, the heir to a $10,00000 inheritance. I am looking for a trust worthy business partner and chef....


You get the idea

[hidetheelephants]

£10k a month for a slop jockey!?!! Presumably the previous incumbent came off worst in an argument with an AK47. That's a lot of dough for pan shuffling.

[K50 DEL]

I spent 3.5yrs working in Angola, which as countries go isn't too far behind Nigeria, I also work with a number of people who have worked there. (in fact I was chatting to the PA for the head of a security company who's recently returned from a few years in Nigeria.)

Nigeria is far from the most pleasant place on earth, but if your friend will be working for one of the large oil companies (shell, bp etc) then they will have proper arrangements in place to protect their staff.

Is the job onshore or offshore do you know?
which part of Nigeria is it in?

Remember that if he's careful with his rotation planning and holidays then he may well be able to become non-resident in the UK for tax purposes, so that 15k per month becomes well over 20k

[frank hovis]

Would be better asking this is q in the Scottish section in the regional parts as there will be Aberdeen guys with contact would rotate in there .

Not been to Nigeria personally but a few friends have worked down there , really depends on the location and if you are inside a camp or left on your own in the city

Easier places to make money but can be worth the risk

[Dr_Rick]

Father has done two stints in Nigeria in oil/gas. First one in Warri and Port Harcourt, second one in Lagos. I visited a couple of times as expat child on holiday and also did some work experience out there. A general feel for the place would be as follows:

Flight in is ropey as you get the cast off BA planes, think air vents stuffed with paper to block the air flow, window blinds come off in your hands. When you land at Mohammed Murtalah airport you are assaulted by the heat as the aircon is permanently broken and a lot of people waiting for people and bags.

If you're staying out in the Delta you'll stay overnight in the Sheraton prior to a twin otter flight the next day. Transit from airport to hotel is by minibus with armed guards in cars front and aft. We're talking machine guns and grenade launchers here. Once in the hotel, beware the 'ladies of the night' in the bar, there were stories of people being picked up, drugged and robbed.

Setup in the Delta was a gated compound with armed guards and big dogs. Life is focused on the compound with shops, residential and recreational facilities on one site, and the works elsewhere. We did do trips out to particular rivers in the jungle for swimming and stuff, but that involved armed guards again to dissuade robbery. You'll get road blocks with planks/nails that demand payment to let you past. They're not council workers, just people needing the money, and if you're white, you have money is the simple truth.

Power cuts are the norm, NEPA stands for Never Expect Power Always as opposed to National Electric Power Authority. We had a Caterpillar generator in a container ready for cuts and it was in action every other day. In times of strife, Bristows had a fully fuelled chopper ready to lift people out. Within the house we had, there was cash in a bag, a suitcase radio, bulletproof door to the sleeping area, bulletproof shutters on the windows. My father had an undercover guard with gun and a driver (employees weren't allowed to drive for fear of what would happen in an accident.

Still, the money's good because of the conditions and risks. Life can be easy in the compound and to say life is cheap is true on several levels. I came back with a new appreciation of what we have here; its an experience to say the least.

Not one for the family holidays though.

Dr Rick

[Raverbaby]

Thanks Dr.Rick, and for all other replies, if/when I hear of him taking this further I will let you know.
Cheers.

[SLCZ3]

K50 DEL said:

so that 15k per month becomes well over 20k

????

[Carl_Docklands]

Abuja = Good, pretty safe and clean

Lagos = Crazy place, not very safe but, some places in the U.K are not safe either.