Nigeria at 59: What Has Changed Since Independence?

Nigeria gained independence from Britain on October 1, 1960, beginning a new chapter as a sovereign nation under a parliamentary system of government.

At independence, executive authority rested largely with Prime Minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and his cabinet, while legislative powers were exercised by a bicameral parliament. Nnamdi Azikiwe initially served as Governor-General before becoming Nigeria’s first President when the country became a republic in 1963.

The political arrangement that ushered Nigeria into independence followed the 1959 federal elections, after which Azikiwe’s National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC) entered into a coalition with the Northern People’s Congress (NPC), led by Ahmadu Bello. Balewa, an influential NPC figure, continued as Prime Minister.

However, the optimism that accompanied independence was soon tested by ethnic competition, regional inequalities, political rivalries and disputes over the distribution of national resources.

The controversial 1962–63 census highlighted some of those divisions, as questions surrounding population figures became deeply intertwined with political representation and the allocation of resources.

In August 1963, the Mid-Western Region was created from the Western Region, bringing the number of regions in the federation to four.

Political tensions intensified in the years that followed. The Western Region experienced a serious political crisis, while controversies surrounding the 1964 federal election and the 1965 Western Region election further weakened confidence in the democratic system.

Nigeria’s First Republic eventually collapsed following the military coup of January 1966. Major-General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi subsequently became Head of State before he was overthrown and killed during a counter-coup in July 1966. Lieutenant-Colonel Yakubu Gowon thereafter emerged as the country’s military leader.

The years that followed were dominated by political instability, military governments and, between 1967 and 1970, the Nigerian Civil War.

Nigeria subsequently experienced alternating periods of civilian and military rule.

Another defining moment came with the June 12, 1993 presidential election, widely believed to have been won by Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola. The annulment of the election by the military government of General Ibrahim Babangida triggered a major political crisis, while the subsequent regime of General Sani Abacha further delayed the country’s return to democracy.

That democratic transition eventually came on May 29, 1999, when Olusegun Obasanjo was sworn in as President, marking the beginning of the Fourth Republic.

Obasanjo was re-elected in 2003, but despite improvements in some areas of the economy and governance, Nigeria continued to struggle with ethnic and religious tensions, corruption, infrastructure deficiencies, unemployment and disagreements over government economic policies.

Umaru Musa Yar’Adua succeeded Obasanjo in 2007. His administration introduced a seven-point agenda and pursued reforms in several sectors, but his presidency was affected by prolonged health problems.

Following Yar’Adua’s death on May 5, 2010, Vice President Goodluck Jonathan became President. Jonathan subsequently won the 2011 presidential election.

His administration faced major security challenges, particularly the growing Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East. The conflict resulted in thousands of deaths and displacement, while the April 2014 abduction of more than 200 schoolgirls from Chibok in Borno State attracted worldwide condemnation.

Ahead of the 2015 general election, several opposition parties, including the Action Congress of Nigeria and Congress for Progressive Change, merged to form the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Running on a campaign centred on “change,” Muhammadu Buhari and his running mate, Yemi Osinbajo, defeated Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party, bringing about the first transfer of presidential power from a ruling party to an opposition party through the ballot box in Nigeria’s history.

The Buhari administration inherited significant economic and security challenges, including declining government revenues, unemployment, corruption, infrastructure deficits and the Boko Haram insurgency.

Nigeria entered a recession in 2016 following consecutive quarters of negative economic growth before emerging from it in 2017. The government subsequently placed greater emphasis on economic diversification, particularly agriculture and other non-oil sectors.

Foreign reserves also recovered from their earlier decline, while the administration introduced measures aimed at stabilising the economy and attracting investment.

The Buhari government made the fight against corruption one of its major priorities, with anti-graft agencies pursuing several investigations and recovering assets allegedly obtained through corrupt practices.

Security operations also resulted in the recovery of territories previously controlled by Boko Haram in the North-East, although insurgency, banditry, kidnapping and communal violence continued to pose serious challenges.

Some of the Chibok schoolgirls were eventually released or rescued, while most of the Dapchi schoolgirls abducted in Yobe State in February 2018 were also released following negotiations.

Infrastructure became another major focus of the administration, with investments in roads, railways, electricity projects and other public facilities.

The government also introduced several social intervention initiatives, including the National Social Investment Programme, N-Power, the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme, the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme and Conditional Cash Transfers.

These programmes were designed to provide employment opportunities, support small businesses, feed schoolchildren and provide financial assistance to vulnerable households.

The partial closure of Nigeria’s land borders in 2019 was also defended by the government as a measure aimed at combating smuggling and encouraging domestic agricultural production, although it generated debate over its economic consequences.

After 59 years of independence, Nigeria had undoubtedly made progress in areas including democratic governance, infrastructure, telecommunications, education and economic development. Yet considerable challenges remained.

Poverty, unemployment, insecurity, corruption, inadequate electricity, poor healthcare, infrastructure deficits and ethnic and religious divisions continued to affect millions of Nigerians.

Nigeria’s journey since October 1, 1960, therefore presented a mixture of achievements and setbacks.

The country had survived a civil war, numerous military coups, political crises and economic difficulties while maintaining its territorial integrity and, since 1999, sustaining its longest period of uninterrupted civilian government.

At 59, the central question was not simply how far Nigeria had travelled since independence, but whether its political and economic institutions were delivering the prosperity, security, justice and opportunities envisioned by those who fought for independence.

While there was reason to acknowledge the country’s achievements, there remained considerable work to be done to translate Nigeria’s enormous human and natural resources into better living conditions for its citizens.