nigeria case study

• Where is Nigeria located?

  Nigeria is a country located in north-west Africa on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean.
• What makes Nigeria regionally important?

  • 4th largest economy in Africa

  • Lagos (city in Nigeria) is the financial centre for the whole of west Africa

  • Lots of immigrants from bordering countries such as Chad and Niger
• What makes Nigeria globally important?

  • 10th largest producer of oil in the world - political influence over other countries

  • Home to many global companies

  • Lagos (major coastal Nigerian city) has 2 international ports and an airport that are important for global trade
• What is the environment like in Nigeria?

  • Located 5-12 north of the Equator

  • Nigeria has a variety of landscapes (e.g. hot desert, tropical rainforest, savanna grassland)

  • This means many different crops are grown and there are a variety of different living conditions - large areas of natural vegetation have been replaced by agriculture
• How has the manufacturing industry in Nigeria stimulated economic development?

  • People have a more secure income through regular paid work

  • Growth in manufacturing leads to the multiplier effect - other industries develop to supply parts

  • Tax revenue increases because more people are in formal employment

  • Foreign investment is attracted by a thriving industrial sector - leads to further economic growth.
• What are the most influential transnational corporations (TNCs) in Nigeria?

  Oil companies.
• Give example of TNCs in Nigeria and what they do.

  • Foreign companies (e.g. French company 'Total' or the USA's 'Exxon-Mobil') invest in Nigeria and buy rights to export oil from the country

  • Nigeria has its own TNC - 'Transcorp' - which provides hospitality services across the globe, as well as energy.
• What are the advantages of foreign TNCs to the host country (Nigeria)?

  • Foreign oil TNCs can invest in new production & mining sites which provide more jobs.

  • TNCs can share technology across countries - e.g. new safety measures or mining practices developed in a different country can be shared with Nigerian oil workers.
• What are the disadvantages of foreign TNCs to the host country (Nigeria)?

  • Oil is very damaging to the local environment - oil spills can damage habitats and harm wildlife. The Niger river has regular oil spills, affecting wildlife and local residents' health.

  • Burning fossil fuels like oil contributes to Global Warming, which impacts Nigeria''s environment directly (droughts & desertification in some places as well as increased flooding and extreme weather in other regions of Nigeria).
• How are Nigeria's trading relationships changing?


  • Nigeria primarily imports refined petroleum products from the EU and USA, automobiles from Brazil and mobile devices from China.

  • Nearly half of Nigeria's exports are to the EU, comprising of commodities such as crude oil, natural gas, rubber, cotton and cocoa.

  • Nigeria is a member of multiple trade associations such as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) which as its headquarters in Abuja, and the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
• What is official development assistance (ODA)?

  Aid given by governments and funded through taxes, which can sometimes be unpopular with citizens due to the use of public funds.
• What are the two types of ODA?

  Multilateral and bilateral aid.
• What is multilateral aid?

  Aid provided by international organisations like the World Bank to assist other nations.
• Give an example of multilateral aid in Nigeria.

  Charities such as Oxfam and WaterAid provide aid through small bottom up projects aimed at supporting local communities rather than focusing on the whole country development.
• What is bilateral aid?

  Aid that flows directly from one country to another. It is sometimes conditional, requiring the receiving country to purchase goods from the donor nation.
• Give an example of bilateral aid in Nigeria.

  In 2020 the UK provided £220 million of aid to Nigeria.
• What is voluntary aid?

  Aid offered by individuals or companies, typically distributed by charities or non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
• What are 'bottom up' strategies?

  Strategies that are completed on a small/ local scale. They aim to help a community or small area to develop and are usually run by charities. E.g. WaterAid building wells to provide communities with access to clean and safe water.
• What are 'top down' strategies?

  Projects that are completed on a large scale. They aim to develop a whole country or region, for example building dams that provide hydroelectric power for the whole population. In these projects, the government decides where and how funds will be spent.
• What is the difference between short-term and long-term aid?

  Short-term aid is provided immediately after a crises (e.g. natural disasters or war). It can help fund rescue operations and emergency supplies, but it does not provide a long-term solution. Long-term aid supports economic and social development over a more prolonged period, aiming to improve quality of life for people.