Emerging Political, Economic and Security Trends in the Sahel Region of Africa: Implications and Ways-Forward for Nigeria

Abstract

The Sahel Region of Africa is the news for having abundant natural  resources and notoriety for the attendant resource curse, governance  failure and underdevelopment. Its countries are enmeshed in political and security challenges that have formed a trend. This review adopted the literature and desktop research method. It aimed to locate the Sahel Region  of Africa geographically and attribute-wise and ascertain the problems facing its countries. It sought to identify the political, economic and security 
trends in the region and to these out the implications and ways-forward for Nigeria – part of the region, ironically the poverty capital of the world and second most unsafe nation. Nigeria battles with the effects of rapid population growth and climate change. It is mired in chronically fragile governance, corruption, internal tensions, violent extremism and radicalization, illicit trafficking, among others. A discussion of these challenges, their trends and implications enabled thesing out ways-forward for Nigeria.