Tardy employees locked out of work in Nigeria

Government employees who failed to arrive at work on time got a rude awakening yesterday as a number of offices in the nation's capital Abuja locked out hundreds of late workers.

The move is part of a government drive to end chronic lateness among its employees. The offices opened their doors an hour later to let the employees in.

So-called "Africa time" plagues government offices in the oil-rich nation of 150 million people. While ministries should be open at 8am, many find operations still sluggish two hours later.

Offices typically close at 4pm – or when the failing national power grid cuts out.