Nigeria
Updated July 15, 2019
Nigeria
Successive U.S. Administrations have viewed the U.S.-
Figure 1. Nigeria at a Glance
Nigeria relationship as one of the most important in Africa,
given Nigeria’s size, political role, and economic weight in
the region. It is Africa’s largest economy and most
populous country, with Muslims and Christians constituting
nearly equal shares of the population. Nigeria has one of the
world’s largest Muslim communities and Lagos, Nigeria’s
commercial center, is among the world’s largest cities. In
the United States, Nigerians represent the largest African
diaspora group.
Nigeria faces serious social, economic, and security
challenges. Its politics have been scarred by ethnic,
Source: CRS. Map data from Department of State and Esri, Figures
geographic, and religious conflict. Corruption and misrule
have undermined the state’s authority and legitimacy. Years
are from CIA World Factbook and IMF, 2019.
of social unrest, criminality, and corruption in the south’s
Buhari won reelection in February 2019, defeating former
oil-rich Niger Delta have hindered oil production, delayed
vice president Atiku Abubakar of the PDP. Buhari’s APC
development, and contributed to piracy in the Gulf of
won large majorities in the National Assembly. The polls
Guinea. Perceived neglect and economic marginalization
were marred by allegations of fraud, widespread procedural
have fueled resentment in the predominantly Muslim north.
irregularities, and election-day violence that killed dozens.
Meanwhile, intercommunal grievances, competition for
The electoral commission’s widely criticized decision,
resources, and banditry drive mounting conflict and
hours before polls were due to open, to postpone the vote
displacement in central and northern Nigeria.
by one week likely contributed to historically low voter
With its neighbors, Nigeria continues to wage military
turnout. State elections held the following month also
operations in the country’s northeast against Boko Haram
featured significant shortcomings. One international
and an Islamic State-affiliated splinter faction. Corruption,
observer mission concluded that the 2019 elections “did not
mismanagement, and abuses on the part of Nigeria’s
meet the expectations of many Nigerians,” noting serious
security services have hamstrung counterinsurgency efforts.
irregularities such as vote buying and intimidation of voters
A severe humanitarian crisis in northeast persists: over
and election officials. Others described “systemic failings.”
seven million people are in need of aid in the worst affected
The elections represented backsliding from the 2015 polls,
states, with some isolated areas at risk of famine.
which were widely hailed as a step forward for Nigeria’s
Politics and Governance
democratic trajectory.
Nigeria is a federal republic with a political structure
Key human rights challenges include extrajudicial killings,
similar to that of the United States. The country was ruled
torture, arbitrary detention, and harsh prison conditions;
by the military for much of the four decades after
impunity for security sector abuses is widespread. The State
independence in 1960 before transitioning to civilian rule in
Department describes corruption as “massive, widespread,
1999. Subsequent elections were widely viewed as flawed.
and pervasive...affect[ing] all levels of government and the
Observers viewed elections in 2011 as more credible,
security services,” notwithstanding investigations launched
although they were followed by violent protests in parts of
under Buhari, who campaigned on an anti-corruption
the north that left more than 800 people dead and illustrated
platform. A vibrant media face periodic harassment and
northern mistrust and dissatisfaction with the government.
arrest, including under harsh libel and cybercrimes laws.
Nigeria’s 2015 elections were its most competitive contest
Security Concerns
to date and were viewed as a critical test for its leaders,
security forces, and people. In what observers widely hailed
Islamist extremist violence and a heavy-handed response by
as a historic transition, the ruling People’s Democratic
state security forces have created a spiraling humanitarian
Party (PDP) and its president, Goodluck Jonathan, lost
crisis in northeast Nigeria. Boko Haram grew from 2010 to
power to Muhammadu Buhari and his All Progressives
2015 to become one of the world's deadliest terror groups,
Congress (APC). The APC also won a majority in the
calling for an uprising against secular authority and drawing
legislature. Buhari, a former military junta leader, and his
on a narrative of vengeance for state abuses to elicit recruits
opposition coalition capitalized on popular frustration with
and sympathizers. Between 2013 and 2015, it expanded its
the Jonathan government’s response to rising insecurity,
territorial control until neighboring Chad launched
mounting economic pressures, and allegations of large-
operations, alongside Nigeria’s to counter its spread. Boko
scale state corruption, among other issues. Jonathan was
Haram has killed more Muslims than Christians, who
Nigeria’s first incumbent president to lose an election.
constitute a minority in the region where the group is most
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Nigeria
active, but its attacks on Christians have fueled religious
Development Prospects and Challenges
tensions. The group’s kidnapping of over 270 schoolgirls
Nigeria’s economy is the largest in Africa. The petroleum
from Chibok in 2014 raised its international profile, as has
sector accounts for the majority of government revenues
its use of women and children as suicide bombers.
and export earnings. The country is recovering from a 2016
Boko Haram’s
recession linked to low global oil prices. The IMF estimated
leader, Abubakar Shekau, swore allegiance
GDP growth of 1.9% in 2018 and 2.1% in 2019. Inadequate
to the Islamic State (IS) in 2015, rebranding the group the
infrastructure and chronic electricity shortages threaten
Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP or IS-WA). A
development prospects, as do poor service delivery, notably
leadership dispute later fractured the group into a Shekau-
in education and health, and weak tax revenue mobilization.
led faction that remains commonly referred to as Boko
Decades of mismanagement, instability, and corruption
Haram and a larger faction that took the IS-WA name after
have stymied investment and industrial growth.
IS leadership recognized them a regional affiliate in 2016.
Unlike Shekau’s faction, known for large-scale
Nigeria ranks poorly on the U.N. Human Development
indiscriminate violence against civilians, the new IS-WA
Index. There is massive income inequality, and a majority
has focused its attacks primarily, but not exclusively, on
of the population faces extreme poverty. The situation is
state targets. It provides some basic services in its areas of
most acute in the northeast. Observers have accused the
operation, fostering ties with local communities that could
government of inadequately responding to conflict and
further complicate counterinsurgency efforts. Both groups
humanitarian crises in the country’s north and center. Relief
appear to pose a threat primarily to northern Nigeria and
efforts reportedly have been hampered by mismanagement,
surrounding areas in the Lake Chad Basin. They also pose a
systemic corruption, and abuses (including sexual violence)
threat to Western targets in the region. Boko Haram has
against displaced civilians.
issued threats against the United States, but no U.S. citizens
are known to have been kidnapped or killed by the group.
U.S. Relations and Assistance
Nigeria’s size, political role, and economic weight in Africa
In the southern Niger Delta region, local grievances related
elevate the country as a policy priority for the United
to oil production have fueled conflict and criminality for
States. President Trump’s call to Buhari in early 2017 was
over a decade. Government negotiations with local militants
the first to any sub-Saharan African leader, and then-
and an amnesty program introduced in 2009 helped reduce
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visited Nigeria in March
the violence, but attacks on oil installations continue to
2018. Buhari was the first African leader to visit the Trump
impede production and create destructive oil spills. Some
White House, in April 2018. Diplomatic engagement has
Delta militants reportedly remain involved in various
been tempered at times by Nigerian perceptions of U.S.
criminal activities, including piracy and drug and arms
intrusion in Nigeria’s domestic and regional affairs, and by
trafficking networks. These networks overlap with oil theft
U.S. concern with human rights, governance, and
networks and contribute to piracy off the Nigerian coast and
corruption issues. The two countries established the U.S.-
in the wider Gulf of Guinea. The U.N. suggests that most
Nigeria Binational Commission, a strategic dialogue to
piracy in the region can be traced back to the Niger Delta.
address issues of mutual concern, in 2010.
Involvement in the theft and illegal trade of crude oil is not
limited to Delta militants—politicians, security officers, and
The United States is the largest source of foreign direct
oil industry personnel are widely reported to be involved.
investment in Nigeria, much of it concentrated in the oil
and gas sectors. Nigeria once ranked among the largest
In Nigeria’s center and north, violent competition over
suppliers of crude oil to the United States, but imports have
resources has increased between nomadic herdsmen, many
plummeted as U.S. domestic energy production has risen.
belonging to the largely Muslim Fulani ethnic group, and
predominantly Christian settled farming communities. The
Congress oversees on average more than $600 million per
land-use conflict has been exacerbated by ethno-religious
year in U.S. foreign aid to Nigeria—one of the largest U.S.
tensions, availability of sophisticated weapons, expanded
bilateral aid packages in Africa. The United States provided
farming, and desertification. Clashes have killed thousands
$520 million in bilateral, non-emergency assistance in
and displaced hundreds of thousands over the past two
FY2018, largely focused on health programs. The State
decades. Meanwhile, hundreds have died in 2019 amid a
Department requested $432 million for FY2020. This does
surge in armed banditry in northwestern Zamfara state. In
not include humanitarian aid in response to the Lake Chad
neighboring Kaduna state, the government has cracked
Basin emergency, which totaled $435 million in FY2018,
down on a small Shia Muslim sect known as the Islamic
with $333 million for Nigeria alone. Security assistance to
Movement of Nigeria (IMN). The army killed over 300
Nigeria has historically focused on enhancing counter-
IMN members in late 2015 and has since arrested hundreds
narcotics, maritime security, and peacekeeping capacities.
of IMN anti-government protesters.
U.S. counterterrorism assistance has been constrained by
Multiple factors have undermined Nigeria’s response to
various factors, including human rights concerns and a lack
of cooperation from Nigerian officials. In 2017, the Trump
these security challenges. Corruption is systemic and drains
Administration approved the sale of 12 light attack aircraft
resources at all levels of the security apparatus. By many
to Nigeria, reversing an Obama Administration decision to
accounts, Nigerian troops are inadequately resourced and
suspend the sale over human rights concerns.
equipped. Abuses by Nigerian forces in the context of
counterterrorism operations have taken a toll on civilians
Lauren Ploch Blanchard, Specialist in African Affairs
and reportedly fueled extremist recruitment in some areas,
Tomas F. Husted, Research Associate
undermining counterinsurgency efforts and complicating
U.S. efforts to pursue greater counterterrorism cooperation.
IF10174
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Nigeria
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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF10174 · VERSION 12 · UPDATED