"President Yar'Adua's periodic illness since 2007, beyond depriving Nigeria of its leading regional role," states John Campbell, "has also created a succession crisis that raises the stakes for military adventurism."

John Campbell discusses how Nigeria's response to U.S. security measures against the country exposes its need for clear leadership.

Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab's links to al-Qaeda are not what define him, writes John Campbell. Instead, we must look to his Nigerian upbringing to understand the roots of his rage.

The leadership void caused by the illness of Nigerian President Umaru Yar'adua could lead to domestic upheaval and a succession crisis, writes CFR's John Campbell.

The charging of a Nigerian with trying to blow up a U.S. airliner casts new attention on Nigeria's growing Muslim militancy and social challenges, writes CFR's John Campbell.

Listen to CFR's John Campbell discuss Christian-Muslim Relations in Nigeria as part of CFR's Religion and Foreign Policy series.

Learn more about CFR's Religion and Foreign Policy Initiative.

Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua's efforts to reform the oil and gas industry have the potential to upset the fragile Nigerian internal political balance among the regions, ethnic and religious groups, and patronage networks, writes John Campbell.

Ambassador John Campbell writes that under the presidency of Umaru Yar'adu, Nigeria is moving away from its corrupt system and towards the rule of law.

Nigeria's underdeveloped but oil-rich Niger Delta region currently is the site of a crippling insurgency. Fueled by a complex mixture of protest, crime, and political corruption, the network of armed groups that create this instability pose serious problems both for Abuja and for oil-importing countries across the globe. This Working Paper provides insights into these militias' origins, characteristics, and interactions with one another.

In this Peace Briefing, the United States Institute of Peace examines the unfolding humanitarian and political crisis in the Niger Delta.

Jean Herskovits warns not to look at the recent spate of violence in Nigeria through the lens of radical Islam, but rather as a reaction to the rampant corruption and lack of governance in the country.

Nigeria expert Jean Hershkovits says that Nigeria's political processes "have more or less ground to a halt," leading to desperation and disillusionment.

A conversation with Ojo Maduekwe, Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs

A conversation with Ojo Maduekwe, Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs

This module features teaching notes by World Peace Foundation president Robert I. Rotberg, author of Nigeria: Elections and Continuing Challenges, along with other resources to supplement the text. In the report, Rotberg describes what steps might be taken to strengthen democracy in the near-term and to tackle Nigeria's long-term challenges of governance, security, and development.

This article examines political violence in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, and the future of the Niger Delta.

After flawed elections, the president of oil-rich Nigeria faces the looming shadow of his predecessor and popular disillusionment with the country’s political system.

Nnamdi Obasi, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group in Abuja, Nigeria, discusses what to expect from Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua and the opportunities he has to “try to bring a human face” to Nigeria's economic policies.

Nigeria's elections last April were among the most seriously flawed in the country's history, thanks largely to the manipulations of the U.S.-backed ruling party. With Nigerians increasingly clamoring for accountability, Washington's continuing support could generate more unrest -- and could pose a risk both to oil supplies coming out of Nigeria and to the stability of West Africa.