Ethnic mobilisation and state fragility in Nigeria: an instrumentalist perspective

Abstract

This paper explores how Nigerian political elites instrumentalise ethnic identity to gain power, undermining development and fuelling insecurity. Using instrumentalist theory, it argues that ethnicity in Nigeria is not fixed but strategically mobilised during elections, such as in 2011, 2015, and 2019, to polarise voters and entrench elite control. This manipulation fosters separatist agitations and insurgencies, deepens societal divisions, and weakens state institutions. While elites benefit politically, the broader effects include eroded trust, delegitimised governance, and stalled nation-building. The paper concludes that sustainable development and peace require dismantling the incentives for identity mobilisation and fostering a shared national identity beyond ethnic lines.