Today, Nigeria remains one of Africa's most influential countries. Its vast oil reserves and unique human resources create the
capacity for enormous prosperity and regional leadership. The fate of its struggle for democracy and national unity will have
profound implications for the entire continent. Both the potential and the obstacles are on the giant scale of the country itself. British
conquest brought together within Nigeria's borders, a wide range of cultures and ethnic groups. The colonial "unity," however, was a
top-down authoritarian creation. In spite of the efforts of the nationalist movement for independence to foster a sense of national
identity, particularly after World War II, building a nation based on popular participation remains a work in progress.
There are solid foundations for democratic culture and a diverse civil society. Nigeria has a rich array of private entrepreneurs,
energetic and diverse communications media, labor unions, professional associations, a literary scene with world-renowned authors,
religious bodies, and many other groups that have contributed to a sense of national identity and pride. It also has a history of military repression, civilian corruption, and ethnic tensions. Currently it is dominated by a military regime
which has no solution for economic problems and only the thinnest veneer of "transition" painted over systematic denial of democratic
rights. As in many other African countries, Nigerians await--and struggle for--a "second independence" that will bear real fruits in
political participation and economic progress.
Ethnic groups: Hausa, Fulani, Yoruba, Ibo, Kanuri, Ibibio, Tiv, Ijaw
Religions: Muslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 10%
Languages: English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Ibo, Fulani
