The Nigerian aviation authority is considering approving Chinese COMAC aircraft for domestic airlines. The move underlines China's influence in Africa's most populous country.
By Fabian Peltsch
Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is the most populous country in Africa and plays an important role on the African continent. With a rich cultural diversity, an impressive history and a dynamic economy, Nigeria plays a prominent role in Africa. From a turbulent colonial past to political challenges and a thriving creative economy, Nigeria is a fascinating and diverse country that plays an important role in the region and globally. Characterized by terrorism from Islamist organizations, conflicts over fertile land, unrest within the government and the consequences of the corona pandemic and the Ukraine war, Nigeria's politics and economy are facing a major challenge today. Politics in Nigeria Politics in Nigeria is characterized by a multitude of challenges: growing insecurity, an ailing economy, enormous debts, deep poverty and a corrupt political class. 2023 saw Bola Ahmed Tinubu elected as the new president of Nigeria. Tinubu has been considered a powerful mastermind of the ruling APC party for years. Tinubu was governor of Lagos for a long time, which is why he was nicknamed the "Godfather of Lagos". Due to his influence on politics, the then military dictator Sani Abacha forced Tinubu into exile. But his past is not untarnished: He was part of a drug investigation in the '90s. The allegations were never finally clarified and Tinubu only won the 2023 elections in Nigeria with 36.6%. The entire election was overshadowed by mishaps and allegations of fraud. The opposition did not recognize the election and complained of massive vote rigging. Before and after the elections, there were riots and unrest throughout Nigeria. There were many reasons for this. The most obvious is security, as violent crime, which used to be confined to the outskirts, has now reached the major urban centers, and in the economic sphere, as most people are now much worse off than in 2015, when outgoing President Muhammadu Buhari took office for the first of his two terms. Furthermore, in recent weeks, a self-inflicted crisis resulting from a poorly executed attempt by the authorities to replace the country's banknotes has caused acute hardship and inconvenience. The lack of naira makes it impossible for the poorest to buy basic foodstuffs or go to the polls. Corruption is also an issue for voters. Corruption is a widespread problem in Nigeria, affecting government efficiency, economic development and the standard of living of the population. Although efforts have been made to curb corruption, further action is needed. According to the Corruption Perceptions Index, Nigeria was ranked 150th The main political parties in Nigeria are: It is important to note that there are other smaller political parties that play a role in Nigeria, but the APC and PDP have historically been the most politically significant and have the most seats in parliament. Which international organizations is Nigeria a member of? What international agreements and bilateral treaties has Nigeria signed? International treaties and agreements signed by Nigeria: Bilateral treaties between Nigeria and Germany: Nigeria: Boko Haram & other unrest In addition to the political unrest in the wake of the 2023 elections, the terrorist militia Boko Haram is active in northern Nigeria, thousands of people are dying in conflicts over fertile land, separatists are fighting in the south-east and the police and security forces are accused of serious human rights violations.Boko Haram is an Islamist terrorist organization from Nigeria that aims to establish its own Islamic state. Since 2009, the group has officially been known as "Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati wal-Jihad", which translates as "Association of Sunnis for the Call to Islam and Jihad".Boko Haram dominates north-eastern Nigeria. The conflict is spreading to the neighboring countries of Cameroon, Chad and Niger. Boko Haram advocates the introduction of Sharia law throughout Nigeria and a ban on Western education. The organization rejects participation in elections. It is known for murdering Christians and Muslims who do not support it. Boko Haram did not emerge for religious reasons, as had been assumed, but from local causes and dynamics: development deficits and social injustice. This is because Boko Haram's core area in the north-east is the most disadvantaged region in the country. However, the main reason for the failure of economic and social development lies in the fact that Nigeria's rulers have been personally enriching themselves from the high state revenues from oil exports for decades. Since the end of the '60s, the state has collected hundreds of billions of US dollars, but almost all of this revenue has been lost to corruption and is still not benefiting the development of the country and its people. Boko Haram has formally joined the Islamic State (IS) terrorist militia. In 2016, Boko Haram split: one part remained under the leadership of Abubakar Shekau, while another formed the West African province of IS under the leadership of IS-appointed Abu Musab al-Barnawi. Nigeria: Economy and inflation Nigeria is considered an emerging country. Today, the Nigerian economy is the largest on the continent. In terms of gross domestic product, Nigeria is the 26th largest economy in the world and, if it continues to develop, it is expected to be one of the ten largest economies in the world in 50 to 100 years. Nevertheless, the Nigerian economy suffers from a high inflation rate and national debt. Energy and food prices have risen as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and the war in Ukraine. An unemployment rate of 40% is forecast for 2023. Nigeria's gross domestic product fell in 2022 compared to the previous year – mainly due to the decline in oil production. This is because Nigeria is Africa's largest oil exporter. Almost 90% of Nigerian exports are based on oil production. Historically, this has led to an increased deindustrialization of the country, as domestic production is heavily focused on oil production and agriculture has been and is increasingly being replaced by imports. Nigeria's main importers are China, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. In contrast, almost 70% of the population is employed in agriculture. The country's dependence on oil is making itself felt. For some years now, the government has been increasingly focusing on economic diversification to counteract the problem.
