Country Profile

Nigeria is the 14th-largest country in Africa, and with a population of 189m people and home to more than 250 ethnic groups, the country is rightly famed for its cultural diversity. A successful presidential election in 1999 ushered in a period of relative stability, with nearly 18 years of democratic polls. This greatly improved political situation has brought economic dividends, particularly between 2003 and 2014, when GDP growth averaged more than 8%. Still, the steady growth and increasingly robust democracy have not resolved all of the country’s problems: the recent fall in oil prices has led to a recession, while a terrorist insurgency by Boko Haram has destabilised some of the northern states. However, Nigeria is known for its resiliency and shows little sign of letting these troubles slow its ascendancy.

This chapter contains interviews with President Muhammadu Buhari; and Brigitte Zypries, Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy of Germany.