Nigeria

Some facts

• Total area: 923,768 sq km– slightly more than twice the size of California

• Official language: English • Population: 155,215,573

• 15-64 years: 55.9%• 65 years and over: 3.1%

• 3.3 million people living with aids• 250 ethnic groups• Muslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 10%• Capital: Abuja

Nigeria before European influence.

• Early Trade in the North

– The savanna lands in the north enabled easier transportation and communication with the southern forest.

– The Niger and the Benue rivers meet in the middle of the country, dividing Nigeria into three regions - Hausa-Fulani in the north, Igbo in the south east and Yoruba in the south west.

– Geography of the north – Trans-Saharan trade -> cultural diffusion = Arab customs started to dominate Nigeria’s Social and Political life.

Nigeria before European influence.• Early Roots of Democracy

– In south, before the European influence, small villages were run by Kinship-based-politics.

– People expected their leaders and government to serve in the interest of the people. In democratic Nigeria, Ethnic divisions have led to civil war, blood baths, and relentless instability, but the country’s traditional values gives democracy its legitimacy.

European Influence• First contact with the Portuguese who traded gold for slaves.

• Development of sugar plantations on the Caribbean islands – British, French, Dutch, Spanish and Swedish joined.

• Wiped out millions from Nigeria’s youth.

Colonization

• The need for new markets and raw material – industrial revolution and capitalism. Nigeria exported palm oil.

• 1870s Unified Germany and Italy disrupted the balance of power – Berlin Conference on Africa = carving of Africa.

Effects of Colonization

• Early ethnic divisions– Indirect rule in the north but a colonial regime in the

south.– More education in the south than the north. Later, when

New Nigerian government needed educated employees, southerners filled up nearly all the positions. The lack of competition angered the north.

– Christianity vs. Islam.• New Elite class of educated, and progressive minded people. • Emphasis changes from Hierarchical order to Merit

Effects of Colonization• Leaders stop serving for their people’s interests

– Before the European influence, the chiefs and leaders of the small villages in Nigeria served their people’s interests.

– British trained the local chiefs to achieve the economic goals of British.

– No checks on the power of chief – no longer served the people’s interests.

– The idea of no accountability and check on the power of the government created a political tradition of Nigerians passively accepting the actions of their leaders.

Independence• As Nigerians learned to read and write, they saw the contradictions

between what the British believed in and the practices they were using against Nigerians.

• WWI - Many Nigerians fought and dies for no reason.

• The British practice of using a indirect rule with the usage of chiefs backfired.

• Dependence on international markets -1929 stock market crash.

• WWII

• Independent Country on 1 October 1960.

Early Signs of Trouble

• To spur development and gain support of voters, politicians started giving out favors – corruption.

• Independence movement was organized in a stratified manner. Hence, ethnic divisions came back after independence.

Federal republic

• 1963 by declared itself a Federal Republic– Nnamdi Azikiwe first president

• elections in 1965 very corrupt

Civil war

• 1966 began the beginning of military leadership• Major Emmanuel Ifeajuna and Chukwuma

Kaduna Nzeogwu lead the first partially successful military coup – Murdered Prime Minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa,

Premier Ahmadu Belloof, and Premier Ladoke Akintola

– President Nwafor Orizu was pressured to give the Nigeria Army, under the command of General JTU Aguyi-Ironsi, command of the contry

Civil war

• coup was counter-acted by another by another coup– Northern military officers and Northerners who

favored the Nigerians Peoples Congress • Lt Colonel Yakubu Gowon became head of

state– The Northern coup was mostly motivated by

ethnic and religious reasons – led to an increase in ethnic tension and violence

Civil war

• 1967 Eastern Region declared itself an independent state called the Republic of Biafra – leadership of Lt Colonel Emeka Ojukwu

•War began as the Nigerian side attacked Biafra on July 6 1967•30 month war ended in January 1970•Estimate between 1-3 million dead

Military rule• 1970s Nigeria joined OPEC

– Money flowed to the north and military• 1979 Brief return to democracy when Obasanjo

transferred power to the civilian regime of Shehu Shagari – The Shagari government corrupt and incompetent

• Overthrown by the military coup of Mohammadu Buhari after the regime's fraudulent re-election in 1984– Was generally viewed as a positive development by most of

the population at first• overthrown by yet another military coup in 1985

Military rule• New head of state Ibrahim Babangida declared himself

president and commander in chief of the armed forces – set 1990 as the deadline for a return to democracy– religious tensions by enrolling Nigeria in the Organization of the

Islamic Conference• pushed back the promised return to democracy to 1992

– fair elections were held on 12 June 1993– Babangida declared that the results showing a presidential

victory for Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola false• sparking mass civilian violence in protest which effectively shut down

the country and forced Babangida to relinquish office to a civilian run government

Military rule

• Late 1993 General Sani Abacha took power in another military coup– Brutal military dictator– Bribed generals with government money to

avaiod another coup

• 1998 Abacha was found dead ending military rule

Effects of years of Instability• Need for authoritarian rule

– Series of Military coups

– Military regimes brought more stability than the democratic ones. The ethnic divisions are so deep, a strong will of the government is necessary to avoid instability.

– These military regimes set a precedent for future rulers to rule with an iron fist.

– Without a firm, strict rule, Nigeria is not a country but simply a group of independent states. The national identity of a Nigerians gets replaced by the ethnicity name.

Democracy

• 1999 Olusegun Obasanjo the former military head of state was elected as President of Nigeria– End to almost 33 years of military rule

• Elections in 1999 and 2003 were seen as unfree and unfair but Nigeria has shown improvements in attempts to tackle government corruption

• Umaru Yar'Adua of the People's Democratic Party won the 2007 election– Still seen as flawed

Where we are now

• Yar'Adua died on 5 May 2010. Dr. Goodluck Jonathan was sworn on 6 May 2010– Nigeria's 14th Head of State– Upon taking office Jonathan spoke of anti-

corruption and electoral reform as focuses of his administration

– upcoming April 2011 general election

Government structure

• Nigeria is a Federal Republic modeled after the United States– bicameral legislature– Supreme Court of Nigeria– President

• legal system is similar to the common law systems used in England

• Sharia law is used only in the Hausa and Muslim north of the country

• http://www.motherlandnigeria.com/govtstructure.html

Effects of years of Instability• Loose national organization

– The heavy emphasis of individualism meant leaders ruling to maximize their personal gains, not the good of the whole society. The military coups, civil war and continued violence created a fragile politics that is constantly under ethnic pressure.

Political Culture

• Patron-Clientelism Loss of trust in Government• Religious and Ethnic Conflicts Lack of political participation in rural areas

and vice-versa.

Patron Clientelism

• Patron Clientelism (prebendalism)– Extremely personalized system of rule in which all

public offices are treated as personal fiefdoms.

– Leads to skyrocketing corruption.

– Patrimonialism: president is the head of the patron-client system and gives out government positions and other favors to his/her supporters.

State Corporatism• State Corporatism

– government allows political input from selected interest groups outside the government structure.

– Para-statals: government agencies that provide commercial and social welfare services.

• Corrupt and inefficient• EX. N.E.P.A (Never Expect Power Again) created by former

President Obasanjo to provide electricity. • Renamed it Power Holding Company – “Please Hold Candle.”

– These para-statals act as a contact point between Government and businesses.

Current Event

• http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/how-fg-plans-to-grow-nigerias-economy/88012/

Economic Data• Economy:• One of the fastest growing economies in the world –

6.8% 27th in the world• $368.8 billion GDP• GDP per capita = $2,400• Labor force of 48.33 million (31.79% in the labor

force) • 13.9% Inflation Rate• Central Bank Discount rate 6%• Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate 18.36%

Nigerian Economy

• Population• Most populous country in Africa - 152,217,341• 70% below poverty level• oil

Nigerian Economy• Industries: crude oil, coal, tin, columbite; rubber products, wood; hides

and skins, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food products, footwear, chemicals, fertilizer, printing, ceramics, steel

• Oil Production - 2.211 million bbl/day (2009)

• Oil Exports – 2.327 million bbl/day (2007) fifth highest

• Oil Proved reserves – 37.5 billion bbl (10 highest)

Net Exports• Exports $76.33 billion

– 95% of the exports are petroleum and petroleum products– Exports partners

• US 35.08%, India 10.43%, Brazil 9.32%, Spain 7.19%, France 4.65%

• Imports $34.18 billion (2010 est.)– Imports Commodities :machinery, chemicals, transport equipment,

manufactured goods, food and live animals– Import Partners– China 14.89%, US 8.88%, Netherlands 8.18%, South Korea 5.46%, UK

4.63%, France 4.19% (2009)

Discussion

• Is the government legitimist

• Can you compare what is happening with Libya and Egypt to Nigeria

• Do you think Nigeria will stay stable?

Nigeria vs. California

• Nigeria152,217,341• California37,000,000

Size Comparison

Nigeria

California

Labor Force Distribution (48.33 million)

20%

70%

10%

Services Agriculture Industry

Nigerian Economy ($369.8 nillion GDP)

35%

32%

33%

Services Agriculture Industry

Problems of Nigerian Economy

13.90%

6%

18.36%

0.00%

2.00%

4.00%

6.00%

8.00%

10.00%

12.00%

14.00%

16.00%

18.00%

20.00%

Inflation Rate Central Bank Discountrate

Commercial bank Primelending rate

Nigeria's Major Imports Partners

14.89%

8.88%

8.18%

5.46%4.63%

4.19%

53.77%

China US Netherlands South Korea UK France Other

Nigeria's Major Export Partners

35.08%

10.43%9.32%7.19%

4.65%

33.33%

US India Brazil Spain France Other

Nigeria's Net Exports

Exports69%

Imports31%

Nigerian Exports ($76.33 billion)

5%

95%

Petroleum and petroleumProducts

Other

South Africa vs NigeriaSouth Africa vs Nigeria

70%

50%

13.90%

18.36%

11.71%

4.50%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

Nigeria South Africa Nigeria South Africa Nigeria South Africa

Exports vs Imports

77.33 77.86

34.18

77.04

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Nigeria South Africa Nigeria South Africa

Bill

ion

s o

f U

S D

olla

rs

South African Economic Composition

3%

31.20%

65.80%

Agriculture Industry Services

South Africa's Labor Force (17.32 million)

9%

26%

65%

Agriculture Industry Services

South Africa's Net Exports

Exports, 76.86Imports, 77.04