Nigeria: Frustration, Polarization, and Violence

Abstract

Hashim, Kew, and Walker highlight Nigeria as a unique case where oil wealth greatly outpaces development and peacebuilding aid, and peacebuilders remain unclear on how to address globalized religion and to counteract divisive global trends that have an impact on local violence dynamics. In this context, donors have little leverage and influence, especially among state elites. The primary donor modality, therefore, is the use of programs that focus on civil society capacity building. They argue that statebuilding efforts provide elites with access to donor resources that have been allocated to particular regions and identity groups for political purposes. To date, there is evidence that social cohesion interventions have been effective at the hyper-local level. Peacebuilding programs, however, have not had a detectable impact at national level where ethno-religious bi-polarization remains a key driver of inter-group frustration and conflict.