Is South Africa good for Nigerians? 2023 Comparison

While many Nigerians travel to Europe and the Americas, others choose to travel to other African countries. South Africa is one of the top African countries that Nigerians visit. In fact, many Nigerians are full-time residents in the country.

If you plan to move to South Africa, you may want to know how life will be in the country. Is it very different from Nigeria? How will you cope? If you care to know those answers, read on as we compare life in South Africa to life in Nigeria.

1. Like Nigeria, English Is the language of business, politics, and city life.

English is often spoken more in urban areas and cities regarding governmental and economic matters than in rural areas. South Africa has 11 official languages, and the English Language ranks 6 among the natives. It is the 5th highest among countries with different languages. 

However, It is advisable to note the language most used in your area and start getting used to it, as only about 8.4% of people use the English Language privately.

2. Like Nigeria, South Africa is a multifaceted country.

Different parts of the country have their own unique culture, languages, as well as beliefs. Outside the 11 official languages spoken in South Africa, to show its depth of diversity, about two dozen more languages are spoken among the natives. 

This implies that one may not fully understand and get used to the culture and can be confused in certain circumstances. In confusing circumstances, it is advisable to seek the counsel or guidance of a native. 

3. Like Nigeria, healthcare services are lacking

South Africa’s health care system is ranked at number 127, as noted by the Lancet. Which simply means South Africa has fallen below the likes of Iraq, Tajikistan, and Nicaragua.

Depending on your income bracket, South Africa’s poor healthcare system means the waiting list can be numerous. Yet, a hospital stay costs about N20,000 per night. 

Also, by estimate, there are 0.9 doctors per 1000 sick people. The flawed healthcare system has resulted in a high infant and maternal death rate of 8.6 and an average life expectancy of  65.3, slightly higher than Nigeria’s.

4. Like Nigeria, South Africans use lots of slang

Try to get used to the everyday slang used in the country, or you might get confused. For example, when a native says “now,” they are relating to sometime in the future, maybe the next hour or day. And not as in the true sense. 

Also, “just now” still implies the same thing as Now. But when Just now is said, the event in question is set to happen sooner. So the term ” Now ” in the normal sense to them is “Now Now,” which is gotten from the Africaans term “nou nou.” Such slang is found in Nigerian Pidgin English.

The people say ‘brai’ in place of barbecue and use ‘eish’ as an expression of shock or disbelief. Also, when they like or admire a particular thing, they say ‘keif’ or ‘lekker.’

5. Unlike Nigeria, South Africa has three capitals

South Africa has a total of 3 capitals, and the three branches of power pose one each. Pretoria belongs to the executive, Bloemfontein is the Judicial quarter, and Cape Town belongs to the legislature.

The government and presidential buildings are in Pretoria, while the former and latter are where you can find the Supreme Court of appeal and where the government meets. The three capital arrangement has been the same since the colonial days, amidst various attempts to change the system. It will be difficult to merge these capitals as one because of the high cost.

6. Scars from apartheid are still healing.

Between 1948 to 1990, the system that encouraged racial discrimination and segregation was in play, and negotiations were starting to rise to bring an end to apartheid when Nelson Mandela was finally Freed.

Say just what is needed during a conversation, and if you have nothing to say, it’s Better off by keeping quiet. However, you do not need to avoid this serious subject completely. Also, judging from the UK’s role in the apartheid system, one may see silence as the best option.

7. Unlike Nigeria, South Africa has a nuclear history

South Africa Acquired a total number of 6 nuclear weapons during the apartheid regime. And in 2017, South Africa signed the UN agreement for abolishing nuclear weapons. As a result, it became one of the first nations to deconstruct its Nuclear weapons.

8. Like Nigeria, South Africa is a religious country

86% of the country’s population identifies with Christianity, while rarely 5.2% do not identify with any religion in particular. So it’s safe to say South Africa is a Christian country. By observation, 52% of the population attends service weekly.

The constitution in South Africa supports freedom of religion, as there is no ground state religion of the people. But it is needful to abide by beliefs and societal norms when relating with the people. Blasphemy is highly not unacceptable in the country, and there are laws enforced against blasphemy, although they are not too functional.

9. Unlike Nigeria, South Africa has high HIV and AIDs cases

In South Africa, HIV/AIDS is still a trending cause of increasing death toll, even in this century. South Africa witnesses about 72,000 deaths every year from HIV/AIDS. While in Nigeria, it is almost easily forgotten as only hundreds of people die of AIDS-related illness yearly.