Tagged: Nigeria

According to Petsinclude, the government of Nigeria is a federal presidential republic, with the President as the Head of State and the Prime Minister as Head of Government. The President is elected by popular vote for a four-year term and is responsible for appointing the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister, in turn, appoints a Cabinet to run the government. The legislative branch consists of a bicameral National Assembly made up of the Senate with 109 members elected to four-year terms and the House of Representatives with 360 members elected to four-year terms. Both chambers are responsible for making laws and approving budgets. The judicial branch is composed of a Supreme Court which interprets and applies laws, as well as lower courts that handle criminal and civil cases. Nigeria has a decentralized system of local government with autonomous municipalities that have their own elected governments. Local governments are responsible for providing basic services such as education, health care, public works and sanitation. They also have some responsibilities in areas such as housing and urban development, environment protection and natural resource management. Local governments receive financial assistance from the central government in order to carry out these tasks effectively. The Constitution guarantees citizens’ rights such as freedom of speech and press, freedom of assembly and association, freedom of religion, protection against arbitrary detention or exile and protection from torture or cruel or degrading treatment or punishment. It also provides for equal rights regardless of gender or social status. In recent years there has been an increase in civil society organizations working on issues such as human rights violations in Nigeria. Nigeria’s foreign relations are mainly focused on promoting regional economic integration, international security, and development. Nigeria is a member of the African Union, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the United Nations (UN), the Commonwealth of Nations, and many other international organizations. It also has diplomatic relations with over 150 countries around the world. Nigeria’s foreign policy is centered around its commitment to Africa’s economic and political development, as well as its desire to promote democracy and good governance. Nigeria supports multilateralism in international affairs and works closely with other African countries in areas such as peacekeeping operations, human rights protection, and HIV/AIDS prevention. It is also a major contributor to UN-led peacekeeping operations in Africa. In addition to this, Nigeria is active in negotiations for a comprehensive settlement of conflicts in Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia-Eritrea, Cote d’Ivoire and Liberia. Nigeria has strong ties with the United States due to its large population size and strategic location at the Gulf of Guinea. The two countries share mutual interests such as promoting economic growth through investment opportunities and trade promotion activities. The US provides assistance to Nigeria through programs such as USAID’s Global Health Initiative which helps support healthcare infrastructure projects in Nigeria. Additionally, both countries have cooperated extensively on security issues related to terrorism through intelligence exchanges and military training exercises. In terms of its relationship with Europe, Nigeria has strong ties with France due to its large Nigerian diaspora population living there. France provides development assistance for education projects in Nigeria’s northern region which is affected by poverty levels higher than those found elsewhere in the country. Additionally, France has provided technical assistance for some infrastructure projects within Nigeria such as providing expertise for railway construction projects between Lagos and Kano states within the country. See relationshipsplus for Nigeria defense and foreign policy.