Risk Analysis

Overview

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Risk Statement

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Crime

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Non-Violent Crime

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Some 90 oil thieves arrested in Niger Delta -

May 16, 2013

Nearly 80 oil thieves arrested -

Apr 29, 2013

Oil firm shuts down major pipeline -

Apr 01, 2013

Death penalty proposed for oil thieves -

Mar 29, 2013

Oil thieves say "no choice" but to steal oil -

Jan 16, 2013

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Violent Crime

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Opposition leader killed by captors -

Apr 12, 2013

Foreign national killed in Lagos -

Apr 12, 2013

Nearly 30 killed in tribal attack in Plateau State -

Mar 27, 2013

Tribal attack leaves 10 dead in northern village -

Mar 22, 2013

Robbers attack airport in Lagos -

Mar 14, 2013

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Organized Crime

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Five sailors kidnapped off Niger Delta -

Apr 30, 2013

Nine oil workers kidnapped in Bayelsa -

Apr 29, 2013

Oil firm shuts down major pipeline -

Apr 01, 2013

Death penalty proposed for oil thieves -

Mar 29, 2013

Oil theft and delays hurt revenue -

Mar 14, 2013

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Corruption

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President Jonathan reacts to US charges of corruption -

Apr 21, 2013

Corrupt ex-governor pardoned -

Mar 13, 2013

MPS threaten to arrest central bank chief, 14 others over corruption -

Dec 13, 2012

Government owes state oil firm over US$8 billion in subsidies -

Nov 21, 2012

Billions lost to corruption, mismanagement in oil industry -

Oct 25, 2012

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Kidnapping & Extortion

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Abducted Lebanese woman freed -

May 21, 2013

Gunmen kidnap wife, daughter of Supreme Court judge -

May 16, 2013

Pirates attack 10 boats in Bayelsa -

May 14, 2013

Pirates release five hostages from cargo ship -

May 14, 2013

"Baby factory" raided in Imo -

May 13, 2013

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Terrorism

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Government to release women affiliated with Boko Haram -

May 22, 2013

Some 120 Boko Haram fighters arrested - military -

May 21, 2013

Boko Haram in disarray after military raid - military -

May 20, 2013

Military begins air raids in north, 21 dead; Attack in Katsina leaves five dead -

May 17, 2013

Massive military campaign declared in northeast -

May 16, 2013

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Nigeria suffers from widespread internal turmoil which is exacerbated by religious and ethnic disputes. Approximately 50% of the nation is Muslim, while the other half is largely Christians. More than 250 African ethnic groups live in Nigeria: Hausa, Yoruba, and Fulani communities make up the majority. Nigerian society is deeply rooted in ethnic affiliations and is therefore prone to bouts of rampant violence and clashes between religious and tribal groups. Tens of thousands of people have been killed and nearly one million others displaced since the late 1990s. The tensions are rooted in decades of resentment between indigenous groups, mostly Christian, who are vying for control of fertile farmlands as well as economic and political clout with settlers from the north, who are mostly Muslim. Nigeria's federal system was designed to balance power among the country's leading groups, with the Muslims based predominantly in the north and Christians located in the south. The adoption of the Sharia law by 12 predominantly Muslim states of northern Nigeria in 1999 solidified religious divisions and prompted thousands of Christians to flee the north. In addition, many experts fear certain politicians intentionally manufacture instability during election periods in order to gain political advantage.

There is a critical risk of terrorism in northern Nigeria due to the recrudescence of an Islamic extremist group known as Boko Haram. Members of Boko Haram rioted and attacked police stations and private homes in Maiduguri in July 2009, triggering a violent police crackdown in which more than 700 people died. Police stormed the home of Mohammed Yusuf, Boko Haram's leader, and killed him. Additionally, many of those arrested in the wake of the attacks were held at the Bauchi prison. However, armed gunmen attacked the Bauchi prison in September 2010, freeing as many as 800 inmates including suspected members of Boko Haram. Since then, there has been a severe resurgence of bombings and killings committed by Kalashnikov-carrying men riding motorcycle taxis in the cities of Maiduguri and Jos, among others. Over 80 people were killed in attacks perpetrated by Boko Haram in the second half of 2010. The primary targets in these attacks are northern politicians and police officers. Nigerian authorities believe that Boko Haram has resorted to armed robbery to steal money in order to bankroll their operations throughout northern territories. Sect members were blamed for at least six robberies in Maiduguri in November and December 2010. In February 2011, the Borno State police chief reported that Nigerian authorities had killed Salifu Damaturu, who was believed to be a financier of Boko Haram, and five others while engaging police in a gun battle. Law enforcement officials have also arrested hundreds of suspected terrorists in recent months and deployed military reinforcement to places such as Jos and Maiduguri.

Regardless of increased security, Boko Haram has been waging a brutal campaign of terror in recent months. Said a sect leader, "My message to my Muslim brethren is that they should know that this war is a war between Muslims and infidels. This is a religious war." In April 2011 during the general elections, members of Boko Haram exploited the unstable atmosphere in many northern cities to carry out machine gun and bomb attacks at various polling stations. In March 2011, police in Maiduguri discovered two home-made bombs in a car carrying three suspected Boko Haram extremists heading for a political rally of the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP). Upon discovery, police officers immediately opened fire, killing one passenger and wounding another; the third managed to escape. In February 2011, Boko Haram gunmen attacked a police station and a bank during simultaneous attacks in the town of Darazo, leaving four people dead. Those dead included two assailants, one security guard, and one civilian. In January 2011, the ANPP governorship candidate was killed by motorcycle-riding gunmen along with six others. These are just a handful of the most recent terrorist incidents, which seem to occur weekly at the hands of Boko Haram-affiliated criminals.

Boko Haram's most shocking terrorist attacks occurred in December 2010. Four explosions on Christmas Eve in villages near Jos and in Maiduguri killed at least 32 people and left 74 critically injured. In response, armed Christian and Muslim groups barricaded roads and attacked passersby as soldiers patrolled the streets and security officials cordoned off the areas where the violence had erupted. Days later, the death toll from the Christmas Eve bombings and reprisals in Jos and surrounding areas rose to at least 80, with 190 others injured. On New Year's Eve, at least four people were killed and dozens injured when a bomb struck the Mogadishu military barracks complex in Abuja. U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced in January 2011 that Washington would send Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents to help investigate the attacks.

The most prominent separatist group in Nigeria is the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), which has resorted to car bombings, terror attacks, kidnappings, and strikes on pipeline and oil facilities. The Niger Delta, which is made up of the Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers states, is also one of Nigeria's most troubled areas due to ethnic divisions, uneven distribution of oil wealth, and government inattention. MEND is not the only separatist organization operating in the Niger Delta, which is rife with hundreds of affiliated, favorable, and inimical organizations operating in the area. These organizations have been known to disobey MEND ceasefires and engage in profit-making enterprises such as kidnapping and oil bunkering.  In August 2009, the Nigerian government began granting amnesty to militant groups who agreed to lay down their weapons, and also provided job training, stipends, educational opportunity, land, and other payments. The political insecurity that accompanied President Umaru Yar'Adua's illness in late 2009 and early 2010 slowed efforts to carry out the government's promises. These delays helped give rise to fresh attacks against oil facilities and kidnappings in the Niger Delta and greater Gulf of Guinea region. In March 2011, MEND claimed responsibility for the bombing of a Bayelsa oil facility run by an Italian oil firm.

On October 1, 2010, two car bombs detonated in Abuja outside the justice ministry and a third bomb detonated near a venue where the president was celebrating the nation's 50th independence anniversary, killing 12 people and leaving 38 injured. MEND reportedly issued numerous warnings of impending bomb attacks just one hour before the explosions occurred. These militants have used car bombs before. In March 2010, they detonated two car bombs near a government building in the Niger Delta where officials were discussing the amnesty deal, wounding two people. However, certain Nigerian experts have downplayed this suspicion; many believe a small terrorist group based outside Nigeria carried out the bombings. All those arrested have direct links with former militant leader Henry Okah, who is only loosely affiliated with MEND. Meanwhile, Okah was charged in South Africa for engaging in terrorist activity and detonating explosives and was arrested in Johannesburg.

Al-Qaida supposedly maintains a presence in Nigeria and several alleged terror attacks have been thwarted. In November 2007, five men were charged with training with Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and plotting to blow up government buildings in Nigeria. The accused were allegedly in possession of firearms, dynamite, and other explosives when they were arrested. The growth in AQIM operations in neighboring Niger may herald the arrival of transnational terrorists in Nigeria. Foreign nationals are advised to remain vigilant near government sites, military bases, religious buildings, tourist sites, and entertainment venues popular with foreign nationals. Nigeria is an ideal target or operating base for terrorist groups due to widespread religious and ethnic divisions, severe poverty, dissatisfied ethnic groups open to Islamist influence, and the large concentration of Western targets in the country. In February 2010, the alleged leader of AQIM, Abdelmalek Droukdel, offered to arm and train Nigerian Muslims to fight Christians in the country following an outbreak of sectarian and ethnic violence in Jos.

Civil Unrest

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President Jonathan declares emergency in north; over 50 killed in tribal violence -

May 15, 2013

Some two dozen police officers killed by militia in Nasarawa -

May 09, 2013

Some 40 killed in ethnic clashes in Taraba State -

May 06, 2013

Violence in two villages near Jos leaves 10 dead -

Apr 16, 2013

Some 20 killed in raid on village -

Apr 02, 2013

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In the months leading up to Nigeria's elections, politically-inspired ethnic or religious violence flared in many parts of the country. In February 2011, there were clashes between police and opposition protesters in Lafia in Nasarawa state. Officers fired tear gas and shot into the air to disperse the crowds who were burning tires in the streets. The protests prevented the flow of traffic while causing widespread closures of banks and shops. The unrest followed the stoning of President Goodluck Jonathan's convoy in Lafia earlier in the week while he was campaigning for the election, which prompted the arrest of Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, Nasarawa's opposition gubernatorial candidate representing the Congress for Progressive Change party. One month earlier, angry Christian youths descended on Hausa-Fulani ethnic group workers who were conducting a voter registration exercise ahead of the general elections. The unruly mob burned a mosque in Jos and hacked an electoral worker to death. Two other people were shot dead when soldiers escorting the workers opened fire after being pelted with rocks thrown by a Christian gang. That same month, Christians and Muslims carried out back-to-back protests in Jos amid a recent wave of violence. The first protest consisted of hundreds of women who took to the streets demanding withdrawal of Nigerian military troops after soldiers opened fire on protesting students the previous weekend, killing two people. Only hours later, hundreds of young Islamic men rallied for the removal of Jonah Jang, the Christian governor of Plateau state. Jang is accused of intentionally stirring up violence against Muslims.

Due to widespread violence in past elections and an upsurge of civil unrest in certain parts of the country, Nigerian lawmakers were on high alert for the April 2011 general elections. The government deployed of 240,000 security personnel across the country to ensure social order. Nigerian authorities identified certain "hot spots" and sent officers to handle security matters and maintain public order in those areas during the elections. Intensified security notwithstanding, election-related violence and public disorder ripped across Nigeria, particularly in the northern parts of the country. Public disturbances occurred in several states, including Kano, Katsina, Kaduna, Adamawa, Yobe, Bauchi, Gombe, Taraba, Lafia, Yola, and Zamfara, even before the election results were declared. A 24-hour curfew was imposed in Kano and Kaduna, while a dusk-to-dawn curfew was enforced in Bauchi and Katsina. The presidential poll undoubtedly ignited the fiercest unrest; criminal activity abounded as riots paralyzed numerous towns and cities. Angry supporters of Muhammadu Buhari and the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) went on rampage in numerous locations after provisional results showed that Goodluck Jonathan topped the presidential poll. Reprisal attacks among communities of different political persuasions began almost instantly after provisional results went public. Hundreds suffered gunshot and machete wounds, some of them children, and thousands were displaced. By the end of the month, an international human rights group claimed that more than 800 people had died in post-election violence.

Labor disputes and economically-related protests are usually ongoing, year-round risks in Nigeria, and this risk is likely to continue into the future. In January 2011, unionists within the Federal Ministry of Labor and Productivity protested against non-payment of a N90 million (US$584,000) incentive package provided by the Nigerian government for workers in 2010. Approximately 500 protesters crowded the lobby of the minister's office chanting war songs against the Director of Finance and Accounts and other top ministers. In November 2010, government offices and banks shut down and public bus services in Lagos ground to a halt during a nationwide strike by government employees. Gas stations remained open as tens of thousands of commuters ignored the strike call, and privately-run minibuses and motorcycles used as taxis were operating normally. In July 2010, the Nigerian government and union leaders settled for a 240% pay hike to 18,000 naira (US$120), but the government has yet to enact the measure into law.

Labor strikes have the potential to disrupt public services. Oil and gas operations in Nigeria are frequently disrupted by coalitions demanding jobs and a fairer distribution of industry revenue, as well as protests against environmental degradation. Other groups, such as air traffic engineers, tanker drivers, and medical workers have threatened and launched strikes over wage disputes. In February 2011, oil workers began a nationwide strike over the planned decision of certain petroleum companies to fire 50% of their employees. That same month, health workers and doctors in federal and state health institutions conducted a strike in Lagos and other states for a week, barring hospital patients from accessing federal and state healthcare facilities. In the past year, the Nigerian health sector has been plagued by constant unrest and strikes. In December 2010, management staff of a U.S.-based oil company in Nigeria began an indefinite strike after 84 local employees were fired. Administrative operations at the company's offices in Eket in southern Akwa Ibom State, Lagos, and Port Harcourt were halted as a result of the strike. In August 2010, an Anglo-Dutch petrol company shut down their Otumara-Escravos flowstation in Delta State because of a major protest by women from Ugborodo community. The incident came a week after a group of Ugborodo women blocked access to a Chevron natural gas pipeline to protest poor living conditions in their community. That same month, nearly 40,000 electricity workers launched an indefinite strike over wages, one day ahead of a major speech by President Goodluck Jonathan on reforming the ailing power sector. President Jonathan has made improved access to power a key goal in a country where electricity outages are a daily occurrence despite Nigeria's huge oil resources.

There is a local perception that foreign companies are exploiting Nigerian resources while providing little benefit to native communities. Thus, demonstrations are common outside of foreign facilities operating within the country, especially in the Niger Delta region. Such protests are seen most frequently at oil installations, which are often the target of massive demonstrations by members of local communities. In some instances, oil production has been temporarily suspended by angry locals demanding jobs and monetary compensation.

Political Risk

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Military begins air raids in north, 21 dead; Attack in Katsina leaves five dead -

May 17, 2013

Massive military campaign declared in northeast -

May 16, 2013

President Jonathan declares emergency in north; over 50 killed in tribal violence -

May 15, 2013

Over 50 killed in Boko Haram raid in Borno State -

May 08, 2013

Some 40 killed in ethnic clashes in Taraba State -

May 06, 2013

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The 1999 constitution of Nigeria set up a federal republic divided in 36 states and a Federal Capital Territory encompassing Abuja. The states themselves are divided into some 774 local government areas. The constitution also set up a bicameral legislature, known as the National Assembly, which is made up of the 360-member House of Representatives and the 109-member Senate. The president retains strong federal powers, including command over the armed forces.

Nigeria's strong economic divisions are highly apparent in government and business, with few elite players controlling much of the country's wealth and power. Positions of power are generally used as means of distributing patronage in order to consolidate political support, which leads to rampant corruption and the unequal distribution of wealth, sometimes along ethnic lines. The Ijaw, for example, make up Nigeria's fourth largest ethnic group, but have been marginalized by the others. Despite the fact that they inhabit the oil-rich Niger Delta region, the Ijaw live in poverty because oil revenues from the region primarily end up in the home states of powerful politicians. Extreme poverty in the Niger Delta continues to be a source of hostility for the Ijaw, with radical elements staging violent protests or in some cases taking hostages from foreign oil facilities in the region. Separatist aspirations have been simmering in the Niger Delta, a troubling reminder of the bitter civil war over the breakaway Biafran republic in the late 1960s. One of Nigeria's political bellwether regions is the southeastern state of Anambra, where politics remain dominated by so-called "godfathers," unelected political figures who use their wealth, network of patrons and clients, and violence to place chosen candidates in positions of power.

Human rights studies report that corruption fuels and rewards Nigeria's violent brand of politics at the expense of the general populace; voters are reportedly denied a voice in the electoral process as politicians recruit youths into violent gangs to rig elections. These killings appear to be linked to a feud between rival "cults," a word used to refer to university campus gangs originally sponsored by politicians to commit abuses around elections.

Jonathan's ascendance to the presidency disrupted Nigeria's political balance. Jonathan, a southern Christian from the oil-rich Bayelsa state, replaced Umaru Yar'Adua, a Muslim from the more populous north. An unwritten gentleman's agreement within the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP), however, established that the presidency (and the lucrative political positions and oil money attached to it) would be alternated between a Muslim northerner and a Christian southerner. Many northerners felt they were cheated out of a full term with Yar'Adua and clamored for the PDP not to endorse Jonathan's candidacy for president in 2011. Political appointments in Nigeria are often seen as means to secure one's position and many supporters are believed to see these positions as key sources of income and power. After his installment in March 2010, Jonathan replaced a series of government officials in a show of power and to place his supporters in key positions. In January 2011, Jonathan secured his party's nomination for the presidency.

In April 2011, Nigeria conducted National Assembly, presidential, and gubernatorial/state assembly elections that were initially scheduled for April 2nd, April 9th, and April 16th, respectively. On April 3rd, Independent National Election Commission (INEC) chief Attahiru Jega postponed all three rounds of elections by one week following widespread logistical failures at several polling stations and subsequent requests from political parties and civil society organizations. Problems arose one day earlier when materials and personnel failed to arrive on time for the legislative elections at many balloting stations across the country. The only states with fully available materials were Lagos, Kaduna, Kebba, Delta, Zamfara, and Enugu. The elections were subsequently moved to April 9th for the legislative poll, April 16th for the presidential poll, and April 26th for the gubernatorial and state assembly poll.

More than 1,000 international observers arrived in Nigeria to monitor the presidential election. The team was comprised of members from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the European Union (EU), the African Union (AU), and some other international organizations. The State Council deployed 240,000 security personnel across the country to ensure social order. Nigerian authorities identified certain "hot spots" and sent officers to handle security matters and maintain public order in those areas during the elections. Approximately 7,000 police personnel were deployed in the northern state of Sokoto alone. Riot police and military personnel were stationed at their posts 48 hours prior to each round of elections. Nigeria deported 87 Niger nationals over fears they could be involved in election rigging during the polls, said senior immigration official Haruna Sa'idu Dawop. Dawop claimed voter registration cards were found on the immigrants at polling stations, but the Nigeriens would not reveal how they obtained the cards. There have been allegations in the past of politicians recruiting Nigerien youths and others to help rig elections. Nigerian police issued a warning to citizens that unruly behavior would not be tolerated under any circumstances. The State Security Service (SSS) combed the streets of major urban centers for weapons and bombs while also removing any extraneous debris from street corners. Military troops were given permission to shoot on sight any person attempting to foment civil unrest.

Approximately 53% of Nigeria's 73 million eligible voters turned out in their respective states for the presidential election, more so than for the other two rounds. In that stage of elections, although 20 candidates were vying for presidency, there were only four candidates that had a realistic chance of winning: incumbent Goodluck Jonathan of the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP); Muhammadu Buhari, retired army general and former military head of state, for the Change for Progressive Congress (CPC) party; Nuhu Ribadu of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN); and Ibrahim Shekarau of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP). President Jonathan was declared the winner of the election by a substantial margin over his nearest competitor, Muhammadu Buhari.

Intensified security notwithstanding, election-related violence and public disorder ripped across Nigeria, particularly in the northern parts of the country. Public disturbances occurred in several states, including Kano, Katsina, Kaduna, Adamawa, Yobe, Bauchi, Gombe, Taraba, Lafia, Yola, and Zamfara, even before the election results were declared. By the end of the month, a Nigerian human rights group claimed that more than 500 people had died in post-election violence in Nigeria, with a death toll that could be higher. The worst hit areas were the towns of Zonkwa and Kafanchan in rural Kaduna, where more than 300 people died.

Tabulating results from the 120,000 polling units scattered across Nigeria has historically been riddled with inefficiencies; widespread electoral irregularities were observed in the 1999, 2003, and 2007 general elections. But Nigerian officials reassured voters that adequate logistic arrangement was made and all electoral officers were empowered to hire vehicles for transporting the materials and staff to their designated points. According to a Nigerian election monitor, however, there were electoral irregularities throughout the country and independent electoral observers did not thoroughly supervise the collation of poll results. Some election workers refused to turn up for work because some were specifically targeted in the previous rounds of voting. Voter fatigue was a factor in attendance, given the lengthy election period. It was also unclear whether or not the estimated 75,000 displaced citizens in northern areas were able to vote smoothly. Mahammadu Buhari alleged that the provisional results of the 2011 presidential poll showed that the election was rigged in favor of President Jonathan. He cited the case of a specific polling unit in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, in which he alleged that 168 people were accredited to vote but that 4,000 votes were declared for Jonathan at the polling unit.

International observers characterized the Nigerian presidential election as logistically well-run and more peaceful than those of previous years. However, rioting, looting, bomb blasts, and mass killings demonstrated that using the term "peaceful" is extremely relative and to some extent misleading. Nigeria's elections in 2011 may have been less violent and run more smoothly than in the past, but the country's electoral process was not up to international standards and civilian safety was in serious jeopardy, highlighting Nigeria's ongoing political deficiencies. Massive security deployment was one of few reasons that violence did not spiral completely out of control. Even then, security forces were still unable to quell deadly riots and electoral irregularities in Kaduna, Bauchi, and elsewhere.

The central issue to Nigerian policy makers is how to reduce such security risks in the future, especially as Nigeria assumes a more dominant role in African and international politics. Many believe that the victory of President Jonathan ignited political tensions along religious lines because northern citizens generally supported Muslim candidates, while southern citizens generally supported Christian candidates. The Boko Haram extremist group allegedly left a long written statement outside a newspaper office in Maiduguri that read, "We do not respect the Nigerian government because it is illegal. We will continue to fight its military and police because they are not protecting Islam." In the northern city of Kano, many Christians were forced to celebrate Easter in police and military barracks where they had to take shelter from the violent fracas. Northern and southern Nigerians also have cultural, ethnic, and linguistic differences. However, local experts said the violence had more to do with latent poverty and economic marginalization than religious and ethnic differences. It is estimated that most of Nigeria's underprivileged plebiscite lives in the country's northern regions. Power outages are common, education is lackluster, youth employment is nearing 40%, and healthcare provision is scant. Early reports even indicated that the first instances of unrest were directed at the local northern politicians who were perceived to be agents of oppression and impoverishment. Additionally, provisional results from the gubernatorial ballots showed that the PDP, not some northern-aligned party, won elections in Bauchi and Kaduna. From this perspective, then, the elections seemed to be an avenue through which impoverished divisions of Nigerian society vented their collective frustrations regarding truncated social welfare. Attacks perpetrated by Boko Haram were most likely the result of the group taking advantage of the already unstable atmosphere. If this is the case, then sound policy-making, smart fiscal management, and economic stability—important factors for welfare expansion—could help reduce the risk of political violence in future elections. Further, the underlying economic and political risk factors may be easier to deal with than religious or ethnic rifts, which cannot necessarily be eradicated through good governance.

There is a low risk of expropriation and nationalization in Nigeria, although the possibility cannot be discounted. The government of Nigeria has not engaged in any significant expropriation or nationalization of foreign assets since the late 1970s. A 1995 law allows 100% foreign ownership of firms outside the petroleum sector, where state intervention is heavy. In April 2010, the government passed a law giving preference to local firms in the oil industry and establishing local worker employment requirements for international firms.

War / International Conflict

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Two Nigerian pilots killed in plane crash in Niger -

May 07, 2013

American student rescued from kidnappers -

Apr 29, 2013

Pirates kidnap four off coast of Equatorial Guinea -

Apr 26, 2013

Bayelsa State community petitions UN over oil exploration -

Apr 24, 2013

Military, Boko Haram clash, nearly 200 killed -

Apr 22, 2013

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On the whole, Nigeria maintains good relations with its neighbors but has been involved in some disputes, including a territorial conflict with Cameroon over access to the oil-rich Bakassi Peninsula. Moreover, foreigners should avoid the Chad-Nigeria border area, where there are frequent reports of border incursions by Chadian troops. In January 2011,  President Goodluck Jonathan is the current chairman of West African bloc ECOWAS, which Nigeria threatened to use force in Ivory Coast if Laurent Gbagbo did not step down in favor of his internationally recognized rival Alassane Ouattara. Nigerian officials said the use of "legitimate force" did not necessarily mean invasion and could include a naval blockade to enforce sanctions.

At the end of 2010, Nigerian customs officials uncovered multiple shipments of contraband that originated from Iran, which created tensions between the two countries. In October 2010, customs officials in Port Lagos discovered military-grade weapons, including rocket launchers and mortars, concealed in 13 crates that were shipped from Iran. In a 2007 resolution stepping up sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program, the UN Security Council banned Iranian arms exports, forbidding the sale or supply of weapons by Iran, whether directly or indirectly. It requires nations to prevent any such transfers and prevent their citizens from obtaining any weapons from Iran. The intended destination of the weapons was unknown, but investigations focused on two Iranians believed to be members of al-Quds, an elite unit of the Revolutionary Guards which specializes in foreign operations on behalf of Iran. Nigeria filed an official report with the UN Security Council. The next month, Nigeria's National Drug Law Enforcement Agency seized 30kg of top-grade heroin hidden inside a shipment of auto parts sent from Iran. The agency allegedly received intelligence about the drug shipment four months earlier from undercover foreign collaborators.

Nigeria and Cameroon have nearly gone to war over the Bakassi Peninsula on several occasions and have engaged in a number of violent scuffles. Nigeria handed over control of Bakassi to Cameroon in August 2008 after a series of international arbitration rulings, despite protests by locals and a threat by armed groups to launch violent attacks after the handover. Cameroonian authorities, however, have carried out operations to remove Nigerians from the territory in order to assert Yaounde's control on the region, creating tensions with Abuja. In November 2009, the Nigerian House of Representatives called on the government to complain to the United Nations (UN) and the African Union (AU) over alleged attacks by Cameroonian security forces on Nigerian civilians in Bakassi, which forced out some 700 people.

Nigeria and Benin argued over several villages located along the Okpara River; however, in June 2005, Nigeria agreed to cede seven villages to Benin in an effort to resolve the crisis. To reciprocate the gesture, Benin handed over three villages that had been under its control to Nigeria.

Relations between Nigeria and the United States strengthened in late 2007, when President Yar'Adua met with former U.S. President George W. Bush and expressed support for AFRICOM, the U.S. military's new Africa-wide military command. Nigerian officials have vowed, however, that they will not allow the U.S. to establish AFRICOM headquarters on Nigerian soil. Nigeria is the fifth-largest exporter of oil to the United States and as such, is a strategic region for the U.S. In spite of improving relations, issues of corruption and democracy occasionally trouble the relationship. In April 2010, then acting President Goodluck Jonathan made his first foreign trip as the leader of Nigeria to Washington, DC, where he participated in U.S. President Barack Obama's nuclear summit.

Nigeria has forged closer relations with the People's Republic of China (PRC). In recent years, the PRC has pledged enormous investment in Nigerian energy, telecommunication, and rail transportation industries. In May 2010, the state-operated Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) signed with China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) a US$23 billion agreement to build three refineries and a fuel complex in Nigeria.

Relations between Nigeria and European countries are relatively strong due to trade, development, humanitarian aid, and regional cooperation. In May 2010, President Jonathan traveled to France to an African summit hosted by French President Nicolas Sarkozy where the latter pledge to support a permanent seat for Africa in the United Nations Security Council. The European Commission, meanwhile, announced in November 2009 a US$1 billion development deal with Nigeria to tackle corruption and promote peace in the Niger Delta.

Nigeria is a member of the UN and many of its member agencies, as well as the African Union (AU), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Africa, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States (ACP), the African Development Bank (ADB), Commonwealth of Nations, the International Criminal Court (ICC), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, the World Trade Organization (WTO), the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL), the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), and the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA).

Environment

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Health

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Measles outbreak kills 34 in north -

Mar 06, 2013

Polio vaccinators killed in Kano -

Feb 08, 2013

Flooding causes spread of disease -

Oct 29, 2012

Over 75 cases of polio found in north -

Sep 10, 2012

Malnutrition to hit peak soon across Sahel -

Aug 07, 2012

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Natural Disaster

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Nearly 80 oil thieves arrested -

Apr 29, 2013

Oil spill reported in Niger Delta -

Apr 15, 2013

Oil firm shuts down major pipeline -

Apr 01, 2013

Oil company blames pipeline spill on thieves -

Mar 04, 2013

Oil thieves say "no choice" but to steal oil -

Jan 16, 2013

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Infrastructure

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Transportation

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Military helicopter crashes in Niger Delta -

May 09, 2013

Five sailors kidnapped off Niger Delta -

Apr 30, 2013

Pirates kidnap four off coast of Equatorial Guinea -

Apr 26, 2013

Seven killed in road accident in Kogi -

Apr 21, 2013

At least three dozen killed in road accident -

Apr 08, 2013

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Telecommunications

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Mobile phone carriers attacked by suicide bombers -

Dec 24, 2012

Terrorists cut fiber-optic line -

Sep 20, 2012

China offers US$1.1 billion loan for infrastructure improvements -

Sep 12, 2012

Army kills seven Boko Haram fighters -

Sep 10, 2012

Boko Haram attack over 20 telecom masts across nation -

Sep 06, 2012

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Utilities

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Some 90 oil thieves arrested in Niger Delta -

May 16, 2013

Oil exports to fall to lowest since 2009 -

May 01, 2013

Five sailors kidnapped off Niger Delta -

Apr 30, 2013

Pirates kidnap four off coast of Equatorial Guinea -

Apr 26, 2013

Bayelsa State community petitions UN over oil exploration -

Apr 24, 2013

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Emergency Services

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Police

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Hospital closed in Maiduguri after assault -

May 13, 2013

Nearly 100 kidnap, robbery suspects killed in Delta State -

Jan 09, 2013

Police in Ogun arrest over 2,000 criminals -

Dec 19, 2012

Death toll at military base church rises to 30; Two policeman killed in police station raid -

Nov 27, 2012

Over two dozen gunmen arrested in Kano -

Nov 05, 2012

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Medical

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Hospital closed in Maiduguri after assault -

May 13, 2013

Doctors fired over strike in Lagos -

May 08, 2012

Doctors strike in Lagos -

Apr 12, 2012

Government needs ambulance points on highways – health official -

Sep 14, 2011

Floods kill four, displae 1,800 in Bauchi State -

Aug 22, 2011

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Fire

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Massive fire in Lagos slum -

Jan 09, 2013

Warehouse explosion causes major fire to spread in Lagos -

Dec 26, 2012

Two killed in explosion at Lagos port -

Nov 22, 2011

Oil fire rages in southern Nigeria, emergency workers battle blaze -

May 25, 2011

Niger Delta raid kills 14 -

Dec 16, 2010

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