The Federal Solution: Assessment and Prognosis for Nigeria and Africa

Federalism has not been a resounding success in Africa, althoughunitary regimes have had no better record One promising politicalsystem has been the consistently federal and periodically democraticgovernment of Nigeria. The principal challenges facing Nigeria,which are not unlike those facing other heterogeneous Africancountries, are national unity, democratic politics, and socioeconomicdevelopment. Examined here are the nature of these challenges,Nigeria's responses, potential alternatives, and possible implicationsof Nigeria's experience for federal democracy in Africa.