NIGERIA Part 1

conflict in the Niger Delta –MEND (Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta) –goal: greater oil profits should go to people of the Delta states –methods: violence, kidnapping, siphoning, gun running –effects: foreign oil companies have left Nigeria or cut production –Army has attempted to contain the rebels, but violence continues structural adjustment –international oil prices fell in early ’80s, Nigeria developed enormous debt, turned to World Bank, IMF –shock treatment: (1) restructure and diversify Nigerian economy, decrease dependence on oil (2) reduce government spending and privatize parastatals –very mixed results

Global economic crisis, 2008: –good news: successful bank reform initiative in Obasanjo’s second term debt actually reduced under structural adjustment agricultural production and prices remained strong –bad news: decrease in oil prices led to currency devaluation Stock Exchange declines, housing prices dropped, international tourism dried up inability to provide electricity  privatization of power companies reversed

“federal character” –federalism: desirable in theory power shared, representation enhanced, contact points with government increased, democratic rule achieved –“federal character” in Nigeria: recognize people of all ethnicities, religions and regions, taking their needs into account –Federal character embodied in Nigerian constitution Electoral representation, regional thresholds –Negative effects of federalism: divide rather than unify bloat and promote corruption within the bureaucracy competition for government resources and political benefits –demand for devolution Niger Delta region demands for control of revenue Northerners lack resources – support redistribution, oppose ‘true federalism’

democratization: –change since Nigeria’s last military regime, 1999 some privatization alleviation of poverty: public wages increased, some illegally diverted funds returned to state treasury –some checks and balances between branches of government Obasanjo’s bid to change constitution to allow 3 rd term rejected by legislature –some judicial independence –revival of civil society –independent media has made it more difficult to hide electoral fraud –peaceful transition of power intertwining of economic and political problems: main stumbling block to democratization