LETTER: Nigeria: failure to learn from the Biafran war

From Mr Edward Poultney

Sir: It is disingenuous of Shell to inform us that revenues from the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas Project will not start flowing until early next century (advertisement, 17 November). The facts of Nigerian life are that, even assuming the oil company has managed exceptionally to avoid paying big commissions to representatives of those in power, any sub-contracts attached to this development can generate instant unearned wealth for well-placed third parties.

But we should not yet abandon all hope; with luck, the secondary spin- off from this project might just be enough to persuade Nigeria's military rulers that they can now afford to retire.

Yours faithfully,

Edward Poultney

London, SE18

19 November