[20190715]IF10174_尼日利亚.pdf

https:/crsreports.congress.gov Updated July 15, 2019NigeriaSuccessive U.S. Administrations have viewed the U.S.-Nigeria relationship as one of the most important in Africa, given Nigerias size, political role, and economic weight in the region. It is Africas largest economy and most populous country, with Muslims and Christians constituting nearly equal shares of the population. Nigeria has one of the worlds largest Muslim communities and Lagos, Nigerias commercial center, is among the worlds largest cities. In the United States, Nigerians represent the largest African diaspora group. Nigeria faces serious social, economic, and security challenges. Its politics have been scarred by ethnic, geographic, and religious conflict. Corruption and misrule have undermined the states authority and legitimacy. Years of social unrest, criminality, and corruption in the souths oil-rich Niger Delta have hindered oil production, delayed development, and contributed to piracy in the Gulf of Guinea. Perceived neglect and economic marginalization have fueled resentment in the predominantly Muslim north. Meanwhile, intercommunal grievances, competition for resources, and banditry drive mounting conf