Federalism and Group-Based Inequalities in Nigeria
Publication Date: March 2017
Nigeria is one of Africa’s most diverse and deeply divided states. Ethnic and religious tensions stemming from the divide-and-rule practices of British colonialism have persisted for much of Nigeria’s modern history and have erupted in open conflict in several instances. Nigeria’s federal model has helped to mitigate violence to some extent and attempted to address the persistence of widespread inequalities. How effectively has the federal model functioned as a remedy for group-based “horizontal” inequalities and as mechanism for addressing group grievances? How has Nigerian federalism adapted to new challenges such as the rise of religious radicalization and its effects?