Journal of Religion, Local Politics, and Law
Vol. 2 No. 3 (2026): Institutional and Social Transformation in Contemporary Society

Geopolitics of Nigeria: A Politically Divided but Socially Connected Country

Muhammad Abdullahi Maigari (Al-Qalam University Katsina)
Dikko Umaru Radda (Al-Qalam University Katsina)
Ibrahim Arafat (Gombe State University)



Article Info

Publish Date
30 Jul 2026

Abstract

Nigeria is among the world's most ethnically divided countries, with more than 250 ethnolinguistic groups coexisting. The objectives of this paper are to examine the influence of domestic borders on Nigerians. It also analyzes how the country has remained undivided despite the existence of colonial, post-colonial, and political borders. The researchers approached this problem by collecting secondary data from documented sources and analyzing it using content analysis. The study found that Resource allocation, political appointments, and electoral contests are among the considerations, along with religion and ethnic affiliations. On the surface, geopolitical and ethnoreligious factors are blown out of proportion in Nigeria, where some citizens politicize almost all government policies, programs, and projects. Despite overt political boundaries created and institutionalized by those in government, beneath the surface, citizens interact without considering such demarcations. People carry out their routine financial transactions with customers from different regions of the country without considering geopolitical and ethnoreligious divisions, which aligns with the constructivist theory of border studies. Therefore, this article concludes that politicians create tangible boundaries to realize their political motives. Still, ordinary citizens, in their daily interactions with people from different political divides, move across those boundaries without knowing they exist.

Copyrights © 2026






Journal Info

Abbrev

jrlpl

Publisher

Subject

Law, Crime, Criminology & Criminal Justice

Description

This journal, published four times a year, in January, April, July, and September, covers broad topics that discuss the interrelationships of society, Religion, and Local politics from multiple perspectives; Sociology, Communication Studies, community technology, Social Network Analysis, Political ...