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Africa Center Dean, Raymond Gilpin, and former Dean, Monde Muyangwa, assess the recently concluded Nigerian presidential election, considered the most transparent and peaceful in Africa’s most populous democracy. The outcome highlights the professionalism of the national election commission, the active engagement by civil society, and the statesmanship of President Goodluck Jonathan. While a host of governance,... Continue Reading
The ideological appeal of violent Islamist insurgencies in Nigeria predates Boko Haram. Without addressing the region’s grievances, extremism will live on.
Part 1: Identity Part 2: Nigeria’s Faultlines Part 3: Extremism Part 4: Boko Haram Part 5: Strategies for combating extremism Part 6: Military professionalism Part 7: Maritime security Part 8: Governance Nigeria’s most talked about faultline is the economic and social imbalance between the relatively underdeveloped, historically marginalized and mainly Muslim north, and the wealthier,... Continue Reading
The 2015 Nigerian election was expected to bring violence throughout the country, as elections have in the past. However, when former President Goodluck Jonathan conceded power to the newly elected Muhammadu Buhari, it was surprisingly peaceful. Active Twitter use by Buhari was a new aspect to this election, credited as contributing to a peaceful process.... Continue Reading
Part 1: Identity Part 2: Faultlines Part 3: Extremism Part 4: Boko Haram Part 5: Strategies for combating extremism Part 6: Military professionalism Part 7: Maritime security Part 8: Governance After a hard-fought and competitive election, Muhammadu Buhari became Nigeria’s 4th democratically elected president. Observers from around the world commended Nigeria for the smooth transition... Continue Reading
In Nigeria’s recent campaign to contain an Ebola outbreak within its borders, there was little margin for error. Scientists had warned in a September 2014 study that the probability that Ebola would spread internationally would increase if the virus were not contained in Nigeria due to the country’s extensive international linkages. “Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra... Continue Reading
Increased U.S. oil production in 2013 and 2014 resulted in a sharp drop in world oil prices from triple digits at the start of 2014 to $83 per barrel by the end October. While this drop is welcome news for consumers, it could have dire economic, political and security challenges for strategic oil-producing nations, like... Continue Reading
The multifaceted nature of militant groups in northern Nigeria such as Boko Haram, as well as a lack of clear understanding of the factors that drive regional extremism, reflects larger aspects of Nigeria’s struggle for unity, a panel of scholars told the audience at a roundtable organized by the Africa Center for Strategic Studies on... Continue Reading
Mitigating radicalism, in northern Nigeria as elsewhere, requires a sustained approach targeting every stage of the radicalization spectrum.
Download this Brief as a PDF: English | Français | Português Summary Nigeria’s long-running “indigene-settler” conflict in and around Jos, Plateau State has escalated in recent years and may spread to other ethnically mixed regions of the country, heightening instability. Navigating such inter-communal fault lines is a common challenge for many African societies that requires... Continue Reading
Program materials for the Africa Center's 2019 program, “National Security Strategy Development Workshop: Central and Southern Africa.” Click here for syllabus, readings, and presentation slides.
Burkina Faso’s first militant Islamist group, Ansaroul Islam, has faced setbacks, pointing to the weaknesses of violent extremist organizations lacking deep local support and facing sustained pressure.