Nigeria
Anisa Ain, George Calley, Will Geise,
Danielle LaForge, Abigail Moore, Kaitlyn Weaver
Geography
• Nigeria is
approximately twice
the size of Califronia
and is located in
northwest Africa
• Boarders the Gulf of
Guinea so there are
swamps and tropical
rain forests
Geography
• South: hills and
plateaus
• North: plains
• Southeast: mountains
• Highest Point: Chappal
Waddi(2,419m)
• Natural Resources:
Natural gas, petroleum,
tin, iron ore, coal,
limestone, niobium,
lead, zince, arable land
Historical Background
• 60 years of colonial rule
• 1894 Nigeria was
claimed to have fallen to
Britain in the famous
fight for Africa during the
height of imperialism
(Royal Niger Company
established)
• 1897 the British
campaigned against
“unacceptable local
practices in Nigeria and
Benin City was burned
• 1900 company charter
was revoked
Historical Background
• 1903 and 1906 Sokotos
and Kanos out an end to
slave-raiding expeditions
• After World War II the
country was divided into 3
regions: Northern, Eastern,
and Western
• 1954 a new constitution
was written to establish the
Federation of Nigeria
• Tensions between groups
build and in 1966 there is
rebellion in which the prime
minister was killed and
many Ibos were massacred
Historical Background
• 1967 Eastern section declared
itself an independent nation,
calling it the republic of Biafra
• By 1970 the civil war causes
the people of Biafra to starve
and the “nation” ceases to
exist
• The death of the playwright
and idealist Saro-Wiwa causes
outcry and causes general to
offer new election in 1999
• The election of Christain
leader, Obasanjo, brings
tension between Muslim and
Christian communities and
brings violent oubreaks in
2000
Economy and Social Conditions
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Nigeria’s economy is highly based
off their rich resource of oil
Plagued by corruption and poor
macroeconomic management
In 2008 the government began
working on economic reforms in
order to modernize the banking
system and curb inflation
Between 2007 and 2010 the GDP
has raised due to increasing oil
exports
Population growth, povery, and
unemployment are large issues
GDP: 414.5 billion $ (31st in the
world)
GDP per capita: 2,600$
70% of the population is below
the poverty line
Ethnic and Religious Groups
• Hausa and Fulani
groups are
predominantly Muslim
and are mostly found in
the Northern states
• Southern state groups
are mostly Christian
• Yoruba religion
originated in
southwestern Nigeria
(beliefs include one
supreme god and
reincarnation)
Ideologies
• The Supreme court of
Nigeria practices
strict stare decisis
• Recently, Nigeria has
been focusing more
on money politics
• Nigeria is known to
have a lack of
political ideologies
and much corruption
How Rules are Chosen
• After lurching from one
military coup to another,
Nigeria now has an elected
leadership
• Government continually
faces the growing challenge
of preventing Africa’s most
populous country from
breaking apart on ethnic
lines
• The Constitution grants all
citizens over 18 to vote
• Many of the elections prove
to be very corrupt until
recently
Role of Political Parties
• After independence in
1960, the Action Group (AGwest) and Northern People’s
Congress (NPC-north) were
the major parties (plus the
National Council for Nigeria
and the Cameroons in the
east)
• Non-peaceful transfer of
power led to more than 20
years of military rule after
civil rule
• Now adopts a multiparty
democracy with over 20
political parties
Role of Citizens in Politics
• Many Nigerians have seen
much corruption in the
Nigerian government
• All have the right to vote
over 18 and interact with
the numerous local
governments(774) which
report to the federal
government
• Elections are becoming
more important as
Nigeria becomes a
democracy
Major Political Institutions
• Nigeria possesses a nearly
identical political system to the
United States, containing an
executive, legislative, and
judicial branch
• Legislature is bicameral with a
House of Representatives with
360 members and a Senate
with 109 members
• Their president, Goodluck
Jonathan (People’s Democratic
Party) is the head after being
sworn in after Yar’Adua’s
death in May 2009
• Judicial branch includes a
Supreme Court and various
lower courts
Exercising Power
• In April 2011, Jonathan was
re-elected president of Nigera
• Since transitioning to a
multiparty democracy in 1999,
this was the ‘most successful’
election in terms of fairness
and lack of corruption to the
‘flawed processes’ of the years
before
• The judiciary system is
comprised of federal and state
trial courts, a Federal Court of
Appeal and the Federal
Supreme Court, also the
Shari’ah (Islamic) and
customary (traditional) courts
of appeal
Inter-Relationships of Institutions
• The 1999 Nigerian
Constitution calls for
an independent
judiciary system
• The bicameral nature of
the legislature works
for some checks and
balances
• Federalism plays a key
role in uniting the
entire country with 774
local governments and
36 states
Restraints on Political Institutions
• The 1999 Nigerian
Constitution calls for trails
to maintain the protected
individual rights, such as
‘innocent until proven
guilty’ and ‘right to counsel’
• Although necessary to
maintain a healthy
democracy and
constitutional government,
the courts lack a concrete
and just system from the
low pay of judges and
bribery of the entire
governmental system
Function of Political Institutions
• New government is
attempting to bring
prosperity and progress
• Gradual reform,
especially to a marketbased economy from the
privatization of the
industries
• Marked deterioration in
social welfare since 1986
with health care and
social services very
inadequate
Establishment of Internal Order
• State owned institutions are
called parastatals, including
public facilities to accelerate
economic development and
solve issues of national
security
• Health care and other social
services remain inadequate in
rural and urban settings with
HIV/AID epidemic
• Educational programs are
somewhat established with 6
years of mandatory primary
schooling and 27 federally
owned polytechnics
• Literacy rate is around 68%
and is higher in males
External Security
• Has the Nigerian Army, Navy
and Air force, the Lagos
Garrison Command, and the
Abuja-based Brigade of
Guards
• Since independence, they
have focused on regional
economic cooperation and
development with the
Economic Community of
West African States
(ECOWAS)
• Has played a pivot role in
the support of peace in
Africa with healthy
relationships with its
neighboring countries
Resolving Conflicts
• 76,000 active duty
personnel in the Nigerian
armed forces
• Demonstrated its
capability to mobilize,
deploy, and sustain
battalions in support of
peacekeeping
• The new political process
has enabled peaceful
transitions of powers and
local governments help
ethnic divisions remain
nonviolent
Raising Money
• Taxes are relatively
foreign to many Nigerians
and are only collected
from some citizens and
businesses
• Leads to over relying on
the state for money and
thus increases the
nation’s debt
• Privatization of
industries, especially oil,
is attempting to raise
revenues and GDP of
Nigeria
Services Provided by Government
• Attempt at gradual
reform
• Creation of bank and
privatization by the
government from the
World Bank
• Bureau of Public Service
Reforms (BPSR) is
helping sanitation,
transportation,
communications, and
education
• Multiple labor and
vocational related groups
Regulating Citizens, Legitimacy
• The Judiciary has always
lasted throughout the
multiple dismantling of
government structures
• Laws and rules and s
system of enforcement is
held in the highest regard
with British traditions and
resolves disputes when
necessary
• Legitimacy of the entire
government is questioned
but is growing stronger as
the democracy continues to
become liberal and the
nation develops
Works Cited (in order of use, not repeated)
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"Encyclopedia of the Nations." Religions. Advameg, Inc., 2012. Web. 25 Mar. 2012.
<http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Africa/Nigeria-RELIGIONS.html>.
Sunday, Adesina B. "Ideologies on Display: A Nigerian Election Petition Tribunal Ruling." Thesis. University of
Ibadan, Nigeria, 2009. Http://hss.fullerton.edu. California Linguistic Notes, 2009. Web. 25 Mar. 2012.
<http://hss.fullerton.edu/linguistics/cln/SP09%20PDF/Sunday-TRIBUNAL2.pdf>.
Musuwa, Hannatu. "Nigeria: The Ideology of Our Politics." AllAfrica.com: Nigeria: The Ideology of Our Politics. All
Africa, 24 Aug. 2010. Web. 25 Mar. 2012. <http://allafrica.com/stories/201008270556.html>.
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http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Africa.
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https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook-geos/ni.html
Ajayi, J.F. Ade, and Reuben Kenrick Udo. “Nigeria.” Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica.
Web. Mar. 26 2012. http://www.britannic.com/EBchecked/topic/414840/Nigeria.
“Taxes-Accountability and Revenue in Nigeria- Nigerian Curiosity.” Nigerian Curiosity. Web. Mar. 25 2012.
http://www.nigeriancuriosity.com/2009/11/taxes-accountability-revenue-in-nigeria.html
“This Is Nigeria.” Embassy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Web. Mar. 25 2012.
http://www.nigeriaembassyusa.org/.