Nigeria

Nigeria faces a host of internal problems that threaten its political legitimacy and stability: the growing violence in the oil rich Niger Delta; ethno-religious struggles; and political conflict that manifests in electoral violence and the struggle for political advantage. Nigeria’s size, its political importance and its oil reserves mean that a large-scale crisis in the country will have negative consequences far beyond its borders.

USIP is working to address the interrelated roots of Nigeria’s conflicts in all three arenas of conflict, with an emphasis on Niger Delta, which is the principal flash point and source of insecurity. USIP's current work in Nigeria seeks to:

• Support movement towards a peace agreement that resolves the principal conflicts in the Niger Delta;
• Increase the coordination between key actors in the Niger Delta;  
• Strengthen Nigeria’s growing infrastructure of conflict management professionals and institutions.
• Contribute to progress towards reform of Nigeria’s electoral institutions and political culture;
• Increase capacities of religious institutions and actors to foster peaceful coexistence between Nigerian Muslims and Christians.