Can Nigeria Make a Peaceful Transition to Democratic Governance?
On October 23, 1997, the United States Institute of Peace and the U.S. Department of State cosponsored a one-day roundtable discussion of diplomats, scholars, and nongovernmental organization specialists from the United States, Nigeria, and the United Kingdom on the current transition in Nigeria. The purpose was to assess the current sociopolitical conditions of Nigeria, evaluate the transition, and offer policy options for the United States.
About the Report
On October 23, 1997, the United States Institute of Peace and the U.S. Department of State cosponsored a one-day roundtable discussion of diplomats, scholars, and nongovernmental organization specialists from the United States, Nigeria, and the United Kingdom on the current transition in Nigeria. The discussion was opened by Thomas Pickering, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs. The purpose was to assess the current sociopolitical conditions of Nigeria, evaluate the transition, and offer policy options for the United States.
This report summarizes the discussion and highlights the principal conclusions and policy recommendations offered by the sixty-five participants (a list of the fifteen presenters is provided at the end of the report). The views presented in this report reflect those of the participants and the report's author, the Institute's coordinator of Africa activities, Dr. David Smock; this report is not a statement of the Institute's views, nor is it a statement of U.S. government policy.
For further information on the Africa activities of the Institute, contact Dr. David Smock or Dr. Timothy Sisk.
The views expressed in this report do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Institute of Peace, which does not advocate specific policies.
