Nigeria became independent from British rule in 1960 but remained a member of the British Commonwealth. British Cameroon was incorporated into the state a year later and adopted the name Federal Republic of Nigeria. Since then, Nigeria has come to be marked by divisions between the Muslim North and the Christian and Animist South as well as inter-ethnic tensions.
Alternating between civilian and military rule since the 1960s, political liberalization was ushered in with the return of civilian rule again in 1999. However, inter-ethnic tensions heightened in Nigeria and a vast number of non-state armed conflicts erupted in the 2000s. In 2009, violent clashes broke out in northern Nigeria between security forces and the radical Islamic sect Boko Haram but abated when the group’s leader was killed. The group resurfaced in late 2010 and over the next two years, the conflict escalated. The war received wide international media coverage after the abduction of nearly 300 schoolgirls, sparking global outrage and inspiring the movement #BringBackOurGirls.
Another conflict, over land in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, between predominantly Christian farmers and mainly Muslim Fulani nomads, also continues at the war level. In June 2022, there was a violent attack on a Catholic Church in Ondo resulting in the deaths of 38 people. This region has faced increasing tensions between Christian farmers and Muslim pastoralists. The number of herder-farmer conflicts is the greatest contributor to violence and death in the country since 2017.
Recent years have seen an increase in conflict between Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), a previous sect of Boko Haram, over control of the area near Lake Chad. In March 2021, ISWAP fighters attacked a UN base, burned down offices, and abducted workers. Further, abductions and other forms of violence committed by Boko Haram have increased since 2020, with a recorded 2,800 kidnap victims in 2021.
By 2024 and 2025, the security landscape in Nigeria remains complex and volatile. The election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2023 was followed by widespread protests and allegations of electoral irregularities. Violence related to political tensions, separatist movements in the southeast (especially by the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB), and continued terrorism in the northeast have persisted. Boko Haram and ISWAP continue to conduct attacks in Borno and Yobe States, while intercommunal clashes in Plateau, Benue, and Kaduna have worsened due to climate stress and desertification driving migration and competition over land. In the northwest, criminal banditry and mass kidnappings have become increasingly frequent, with entire villages displaced. Over 3 million people are internally displaced, and humanitarian agencies estimate that over 8 million Nigerians face acute food insecurity in 2025.
Peace attempts:
In an effort to end Boko Haram’s violent activities in Nigeria and Cameroon, the states of France, Niger, Chad, Benin, Nigeria, and Cameroon participated in an international summit in May 2014 and agreed upon an action plan. This included the strengthening of cross-border intelligence, the intensification of mutual border controls, and the establishment of a Multinational Joint Task Force, which deployed a 1,700-strong contingent in November 2014.
Nigeria’s elections in 2015, in which opposition candidate Muhammadu Buhari won over incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan, were closely watched by the international community and declared democratic by the UN.
Also in Nigeria, four peace agreements were signed throughout 2014 between militants of the Fulani tribe and pastoralist communities, but none of the accords were successful in curbing violence between the groups.
The nation remains weak, and efforts to achieve peace have been minimal and often ineffective. Recent peace attempts have included the efforts of local community organizations and civil society to promote social cohesion, peace education, and dialogue forums.
In 2023 and 2024, President Tinubu launched a “Renewed Hope” national security framework, pledging to unify military operations against Boko Haram, ISWAP, and bandit groups, while initiating local reconciliation programs in Borno and Zamfara. Nigeria has also expanded cooperation with neighboring Niger, Chad, and Cameroon through the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), despite political disruptions caused by coups in Niger and Chad. International organizations, including the UNDP and African Union, have renewed calls for addressing the root causes of violence—poverty, governance failures, and climate impacts in the Sahel.
Despite ongoing violence, some localized peacebuilding successes have occurred: community dialogue platforms in Plateau and Kaduna have reduced reprisal attacks in some villages, and rehabilitation programs for former Boko Haram fighters continue under the “Operation Safe Corridor” initiative. However, deep corruption, weak governance, and widespread poverty continue to undermine the sustainability of peace. As of 2025, Nigeria’s path to stability depends on effective reforms, the demilitarization of conflict zones, and the reintegration of marginalized communities across its diverse regions.
