Urban Violence in Nigeria: Challenges, Opportunities, and Recommendations

Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, will host some of the fastest growing and largest cities on the continent in the coming decades. Nigeria is a bellwether of issues arising from rapid urbanization. For many, migration to cities brings the prospect of job opportunities and better lives. Yet, when this population explosion happens alongside poor governance, lack of urban planning and infrastructure development, and deep social divisions, conflict and violence prevail. Academics and practitioners in Abuja, Lagos, Kano, and Port Harcourt gathered to discuss urban violence in Nigeria’s growing cities, and identified six key characteristics of and risk factors for urban violence and opportunities to prevent further escalation.