Nigeria

List of Nigeria articles

Nigerian students living in London head for Nigeria House to celebrate Nigeria's Independence from British rule in London on Oct. 1, 1960.
Nigerian students living in London head for Nigeria House to celebrate Nigeria's Independence from British rule in London on Oct. 1, 1960.

Nigeria’s Unhappy Birthday

As the country marks 63 years of independence, insecurity and corruption continue to drive highly educated Nigerians to live and work abroad.

An illustration shows a reimagined Nigerian flag with planes and arrows and the word "Japa" for the country's emigrant population who have fled the country.
An illustration shows a reimagined Nigerian flag with planes and arrows and the word "Japa" for the country's emigrant population who have fled the country.

The Word That Captures Nigerians’ Feelings About the Future

“Japa” contains both the hope and the pain of wanting to leave one’s country behind for better opportunities.

Supporters of Niger’s ruling junta gather for a protest in Niamey, Niger, on Aug. 3.
Supporters of Niger’s ruling junta gather for a protest in Niamey, Niger, on Aug. 3.

Niger’s Coup Is a Turning Point for Africans

The crisis has created a truly geopolitical moment for intra-African politics.

A military officer salutes while a helicopter carries the Nigerian flag during a swearing-in ceremony for President Bola Tinubu in Abuja, Nigeria on May 29.
A military officer salutes while a helicopter carries the Nigerian flag during a swearing-in ceremony for President Bola Tinubu in Abuja, Nigeria on May 29.

Will Nigeria Reclaim Its Role as a Regional Power?

Bola Tinubu’s new role as ECOWAS chair, and the coup in Niger, present an opportunity for a foreign-policy reset.

Sculptures known as the “Benin Bronzes” are pictured at the German Foreign Ministry during a ceremony for the signing of an agreement of intent to return them to Nigeria, in Berlin, Germany, on July 1, 2022.
Sculptures known as the “Benin Bronzes” are pictured at the German Foreign Ministry during a ceremony for the signing of an agreement of intent to return them to Nigeria, in Berlin, Germany, on July 1, 2022.

The Moral Flaw in the Case Against Returning African Art

The argument that African countries should be disqualified from getting back their stolen artifacts because of past sins is deeply hypocritical.

A man wearing a matching patterned shirt and pants leans close to a display case of food next to a bus station on a cloudy day. Next to the display case is a campaign poster showing images of the president and vice president, along with green and red text reading "The team to reconnect Nigeria."
A man wearing a matching patterned shirt and pants leans close to a display case of food next to a bus station on a cloudy day. Next to the display case is a campaign poster showing images of the president and vice president, along with green and red text reading "The team to reconnect Nigeria."

Will Bola Tinubu’s Reforms Help or Harm Nigeria?

Removing fuel subsidies and floating the naira’s exchange rate may please international lenders, but the policies could trap millions in poverty.

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Hero-podcast-women-gender-foreign-policy-gates-foundation-1500x1000_site

Religious Leaders as Advocates for Female Success

What a pastor and a prince tell us about the path towards gender equity.

Kenyan lawyer Mercy Mutemi (center) speaks to the media after filing a lawsuit against Meta, Facebook's parent company, at Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi.
Kenyan lawyer Mercy Mutemi (center) speaks to the media after filing a lawsuit against Meta, Facebook's parent company, at Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi.

Big Tech Is in Crisis in Africa

A landmark case against Meta in Kenya could reshape the way tech giants operate on the continent.

Two people sit at a bus stop in front of a billboard that features an image of Tinubu and Shettima with the slogan "The team to reconnect Nigeria."
Two people sit at a bus stop in front of a billboard that features an image of Tinubu and Shettima with the slogan "The team to reconnect Nigeria."

The Revolutionary Potential of the ‘Lagos Model’

Bola Tinubu turned Lagos into a great city. Can he transform all of Nigeria?

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu stands at the center of a group of guests and security personnel with his fist raised in the air. He is wearing a hat, sunglasses, and a white robe.
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu stands at the center of a group of guests and security personnel with his fist raised in the air. He is wearing a hat, sunglasses, and a white robe.

Nigeria’s Last General Departs the Political Stage

Democracy is holding despite social and regional divisions.

A man walks past campaign banner of Lagos gubernatorial candidate of Labour Party Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour in Lagos, on March 7.
A man walks past campaign banner of Lagos gubernatorial candidate of Labour Party Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour in Lagos, on March 7.

Is the Party Over in Nigeria?

Personality rules in a country where political parties were once kingmakers.

All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate Bola Tinubu (C-L) and his wife Oluremi Tinubu (C-R) arrive to vote at a polling station in Lagos on Feb. 25.
All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate Bola Tinubu (C-L) and his wife Oluremi Tinubu (C-R) arrive to vote at a polling station in Lagos on Feb. 25.

Nigeria’s Kingmakers Are Still in Control

Divisive politics and historical power structures helped Bola Tinubu win.

A voter casts her ballot at a polling station in Amatutu, Nigeria, on Feb. 25.
A voter casts her ballot at a polling station in Amatutu, Nigeria, on Feb. 25.

Nigeria’s Flawed Election Risks a Democratic Backslide

The international community cannot afford to give up on Nigeria’s vast democratic promise.

Nigerian President-elect Bola Tinubu (R) and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman Mahmood Yakubu (L) look on during the presentation of the certificate of return to the president-elect by the INEC in Abuja on March 1.
Nigerian President-elect Bola Tinubu (R) and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman Mahmood Yakubu (L) look on during the presentation of the certificate of return to the president-elect by the INEC in Abuja on March 1.

It’s Tinubu’s Turn to Fix Nigeria’s Broken System

For the president-elect to make the next four years a success for Nigeria, he’ll have to create a new political ethos for his country.

A man reads newspaper at a newsstand as candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Bola Tinubu is declared president-elect after the presidential election in Lagos, on March 1.
A man reads newspaper at a newsstand as candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Bola Tinubu is declared president-elect after the presidential election in Lagos, on March 1.

Bola Tinubu’s Pyrrhic Victory

Nigeria’s new president will immediately face pressures from within his party, the opposition, and the majority of voters who didn’t back him.

People watch an Independent National Electoral Commission official in Nigeria.
People watch an Independent National Electoral Commission official in Nigeria.

U.S. Hailed Nigeria Election Results While Election Observers Cried Foul

When and how Washington congratulates foreign leaders on contentious election victories matters.

Voters look for their names on a voter roll at a polling station in Abuja on Feb. 25.
Voters look for their names on a voter roll at a polling station in Abuja on Feb. 25.

Tensions Escalate After Nigeria Election Results

Former President Obasanjo warns: “Danger looming ahead.”

A man walks past a mural depicting Labour Party  presidential candidate Peter Obi in Awka, Nigeria, on Feb. 24.
A man walks past a mural depicting Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi in Awka, Nigeria, on Feb. 24.

What Would It Mean for Nigeria to Elect an Igbo President?

Peter Obi doesn’t want to be defined by his ethnicity. But in a country still haunted by the Biafran War, his election would be a symbolic milestone.

Rickshaws drive past a campaign billboard for Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi and other party candidates along a road in Kano, northwestern Nigeria, on Feb. 8.
Rickshaws drive past a campaign billboard for Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi and other party candidates along a road in Kano, northwestern Nigeria, on Feb. 8.

What Nigeria’s Next President Can Learn From China

The country’s hope lies in the example of a rapidly reforming China at the turn of the 1980s.

Drivers wait in line to buy fuel at a gas station in Lagos, Nigeria, on Jan. 30.
Drivers wait in line to buy fuel at a gas station in Lagos, Nigeria, on Jan. 30.

Will Nigeria’s Cash Chaos Impact Elections?

Less than two weeks before the tightest presidential vote in Nigeria’s history, the country is running short on cash, gas, and patience.

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