This policy brief presents findings and recommendations for policymakers on how negotiations over political authority play out in ‘real’ transactional politics across multiple levels of government under conditions of competitive rentierism using Nigeria as a case study. It addresses how identity is intentionally and unintentionally activated and exploited in the pursuit of power. In doing so, the brief seeks to contribute to a broader understanding of how political competition in rentier political marketplaces can drive local level violence, and the implications this has for understanding how to build peace in these environments. The brief outlines key findings and recommendations for policymakers on how to better analyse the intersection of identity, violence, and politics in similar contexts. This is the second in a series of policy briefs and research papers that examine the nature of violent conflict within political marketplace countries and efforts to build lasting peace.
Read the accompanying report: Governing for Whom? The Intersection of Identity, Violence, and Political Competition in Political Marketplaces
