Attitudes towards citizenship in Nigeria
Published: 1/Dec/2012
Source: Improving Institutions for Pro-Poor Growth (iiG) - Network
Summary
Nigerians who live in states other than their states of ancestral origin are referred to as non-indigenes, no matter how long they and their parents have lived in the state. This is important, because non-indigenes are often prevented from exercising the full citizenship rights enjoyed by indigenes. One of the most significant implications of this ‘two-tier’ system of citizenship is the exclusion of non-indigenes from access to services provided by state and local governments, in spite of a constitutional provision prohibiting discrimination on grounds of belonging to ‘a particular community, ethnic group, place of origin, sex, religion or political opinion’. A recent study investigates the attitudes of Nigerians resident in eleven cities towards non-indigenes being granted equal access to government services and elective public offices.
Key findings
- Nigerians, indigenes and non-indigenes alike, agree that everyone resident in a state should have equal access to government services within the states
- A majority of indigenes and non-indigenes agree that only indigenes of states should be eligible for election into public offices within a state
- Indigenes are in favour of the exclusion of non-indigenes from elective offices within the states.
Improving Institutions for Pro-Poor Growth (iiG) is an international network of applied research institutes across Africa, Asia, the USA and Europe, working to generate new insights about institutions’ influence on pro-poor growth through an innovative programme of research, capacity building, and dissemination. iiG research is funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID), The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and the Open Society Institute. The views expressed in this document are not necessarily those of the funders. Briefing paper prepared by Etannibi Alemika.