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Added: Friday, 3 July, 2009, 12:08 GMT 13:08 UK

My initial thought was "I'm nigerian and I'm not offended by the name NIGAZ". I read the first part of the word as as "nig" (as in nigeria) and not Niggaz. I thought tha everyone should stop making such a fuss over such a trivial issue.

On second thought however, I refuse to believe that this issue did not come up when the name was being chosen. At least one of the more intelligent people involved in the process should have noticed the potential for this to be blown out of proportion???

Zakiyya, Horsham

Added: Friday, 3 July, 2009, 11:54 GMT 12:54 UK

There is no blunder here. It's pronounced Nye-gaz. I take more offence to one of Gordon Ramsays restaurants called Foxtrot Oscar which had obvious connotations.

[Bompas], Northumberland, United Kingdom

Added: Friday, 3 July, 2009, 10:37 GMT 11:37 UK

Why won't that whole political correctness just die?
Black person can say whatever they want about white people - that's ok.
White person cannot say anything even remotely connected with black people because it would be rasict.

Are you mad? How long will you allow this reverse-racism to continue? Aren't you a bit touchy? You are allowing certain groups to do whatever they want and say whatever they want because you don't want to look racist.
Wake up. Equal means equal. No one has to yeld.

Michael, Slough

Added: Friday, 3 July, 2009, 09:21 GMT 10:21 UK

This is a clear indication of the fact that Nigerian politicians and majority of its leaders have completely lost touch with reality. Issues of equality, gender, sustainable development, and diversity in non-colour related environment are new to them. They infact don't understand that language.

Lewis Ekiyor

Why should they or why should anyone else besides the lowlifes that feed on MTV, BET and the trash talking ghetto pop-culture MTV and BET inspire care.

Eziokwu Bu Ndu, Nigeria

Added: Friday, 3 July, 2009, 08:56 GMT 09:56 UK

The most important thing about the joint company is how it will positively affect Nigerians economically,socially and developmentally in general, most especially the gaz producing areas and communities of the country.
Emerging new friends of African nations especially Nigeria and Niger, should for the sake of posterity should be fair in there dealings.
These should bother Nigerians and not the brand name of the company.

OMOKOGBOH, Fougères

Added: Friday, 3 July, 2009, 08:56 GMT 09:56 UK

This is a clear indication of the fact that Nigerian politicians and majority of its leaders have completely lost touch with reality. Issues of equality, gender, sustainable development, and diversity in non-colour related environment are new to them. They infact don't understand that language.

This is just one of the so many blunders! This sort of small but yet sensitive and success critical items are always left out in policies leading to failed projects and dashed hope for the Nigerians

Lewis Ekiyor, London, UK

Added: Friday, 3 July, 2009, 08:40 GMT 09:40 UK

when black folks stop disrespecting themselves by calling each other 'niggaz' while at the same time everyone else cant say it without being branded a racist..what kind of sense does that make?

DZ, ROCHESTER

You only need to look at the class and intellect of the people that call each other Niggaz and figure why. The major problem is impressionable blacks look up to the wrong people for role model and trash talking blacks tends to get more publicity than sane talking educated blacks.

Chike

Added: Friday, 3 July, 2009, 08:29 GMT 09:29 UK

Quite simply, why should a Russian and Nigerian company care at all about an English slang interpretation of a none word? Do we really believe that we are so important that foreign companies should check out English street language before registering their name?

Bill Scanlon, London, United Kingdom

Added: Friday, 3 July, 2009, 08:28 GMT 09:28 UK

Completely bad and inappropriate choice of words. One has to be incredibly stupid not to realise this. Whomever approved this needs to be fired for incompetence.

Vero, New York

One has to be incredibly stupid to not realize American pop lingo does not translate to standard world vocabulary. NI (pronounced Nahy as in Nigh) is prefix for Nigerian establishments like NIPOST (Postal Service); NITEL (Telecom). NIGAZ (though a bit "Russianized") reflects Nigeria's naming convention.

Ekene, Nigeria

Added: Friday, 3 July, 2009, 08:24 GMT 09:24 UK

Let's hope they take a hard line stance on the environmental issues of pipe lines and exploitation - Can we then refer to them as Nigaz With Attitude?

Dr. Dre, UK

Added: Friday, 3 July, 2009, 08:19 GMT 09:19 UK

It all depends on the context in which the word is said.

Harry Smith, London, United Kingdom

Added: Friday, 3 July, 2009, 08:01 GMT 09:01 UK

This was picked up a week ago and has been doing the email jokes list for at least that time!

I would have thought the Nigerians would have noticed before the russians ..... mind you I thought the popular beat combo 'NWA' stood for something like this?

Desiderius Erasmus, The Land That Time Forgot

Added: Friday, 3 July, 2009, 07:39 GMT 08:39 UK

"Completely bad and inappropriate choice of words. One has to be incredibly stupid not to realise this. Whomever approved this needs to be fired for incompetence.

Vero, New York "

Typical response from the land of the free?

Luke O'Sullivan, United Kingdom

Added: Friday, 3 July, 2009, 07:38 GMT 08:38 UK

One day, we'll all wake up and discover that everything we say will be either illegal or offensive, especially if misconstrued to mean something else. If this post gets past the moderators I'll surely be happy and gay.

Luke O'Sullivan, United Kingdom

Added: Friday, 3 July, 2009, 07:12 GMT 08:12 UK

Looks like a lot of noise over nothing. the name NIGAZ actually makes sense - Nigeria and GAZProm are both represented in the name. Surely, not every word in every language has a complementary meaning in English! And I am Nigerian!

akaBagucci, Newcastle