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Sub Saharan Africa

Nigeria
Last reviewed: 13 February 2008

Country information

POLITICS

Nigeria operates an Executive Presidential system of government. This American-style model was first introduced in 1979, during the last period of civilian rule, and retained on the return to civilian rule in 1999. It replaced the Westminster system that had been inherited at independence. The federal bi-cameral legislature comprises a Senate with 109 elected members and a 360-member House of Representatives. Each of the 36 States has an elected Governor and an elected State Assembly of between 24 and 40 seats depending on the size of the population. All elected offices have a 4-year tenure. The third tier comprises 774 Local Government Areas. There is a 2-term constitutional limit on the tenure of the President and the State Governors.

Nigeria is a multi-party state. Nearly 50 political parties are officially registered but only 3, the ruling PDP, the ANPP and the AC, have electoral strength. The PDP is the largest party with a national spread, the ANPP heartland is in the north, while the AC is a new opposition alliance with support across the country. The 1999 elections, which returned Nigeria to civilian rule, brought retired General Obasanjo to power with 62% of the vote. He was returned in 2003 with a similar mandate. The PDP took control of 21 State Governorships in 1999, 28 in 2003 and 28 in 2007.

The most recent elections, held in April 2007, were heavily criticised by foreign and domestic observer groups for poor organisation and large-scale rigging. The PDP’s Presidential candidate, Umaru Yar’Adua, was returned with 70% of the vote. A number of legal challenges to the declared Presidential and Gubernatorial results have been mounted. Several Gubernatorial election results overturned as a result.

BBC News Country Profile: Nigeria

BBC News: Africa

HUMAN RIGHTS

Nigeria's human rights situation has improved since the return to civilian rule. The Obasanjo government set up the Oputa Panel to investigate human rights abuses during military rule. His government also established a National Human Rights Commission. Nigeria has a large and active civil society and a free and vibrant press. Human rights abuses still occur, largely at the hands of the ill-trained security forces. The use of torture, beatings and extra-judicial killings are still reported. In carrying out security operations in the early years of Obasanjo’s rule, the Army committed serious abuses of human rights – notably in Bayelsa State in 1999 when 1,000 were killed, and in Benue State in 2001 when 200 civilians were killed. Nigeria retains the death penalty and several hundred prisoners remain on death row. A number of executions have been carried out over the past few years, with little publicity. Homosexuality remains illegal under Federal law, although individuals are rarely prosecuted.

The introduction of the Sharia penal code in 12 northern, largely Muslim states in 1999, provoked tensions between Muslims and Christians. Outbreaks of violence in Kano in 2000 and Kaduna in 2002 left several thousand dead. Hudud punishments meted out by Sharia courts have caused international disquiet. Amputations have taken place, but so far no sentences of death-by-stoning have been carried out.

In January 2003, the first UK/Nigeria human rights dialogue took place in Abuja. In 2004, the UK and Nigeria signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Co-operation to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in persons. The UK has funded a number of projects over the past few years on a range of human rights issues. We have supported work aimed at bringing an end to torture and the death penalty.

Annual Human Rights Reports

Country information

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Travel Advice

Travel Advice: Nigeria

See Also

Useful Links

• BBC News Country Profile: Nigeria BBC News: Africa
• IMF Country Reports - Nigeria
• DFID - Nigeria Country Assistance Plan
• United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
• World Bank
• African Union
• The New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD)
• ECOWAS
• Nigerian Government website
• UK Trade and Investment Country Profile: Nigeria
• Hansard website
• British Council
• 

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