Federalism, National Integration and the Nationality Question in Nigeria

Abstract

Abstract This study examines the relationship between federalism, national integration, and the nationality question in Nigeria. The paper argues that Nigeria’s persistent crisis of national cohesion is deeply rooted in unresolved identity-based grievances relating to constitutional arrangements, intergovernmental fiscal relations, and the marginalisation of minority ethnic groups. Adopting a qualitative research design based on a systematic review of secondary data, the study draws from scholarly literature, policy documents, and historical materials to interrogate the structural and sociopolitical foundations of Nigeria’s federal crisis. Guided by Group Theory, the study contends that the Nigerian state has been shaped largely by unequal power relations and intense competition among ethnic and regional groups for political influence and access to national resources. Findings reveal that constitutional centralisation, inequitable fiscal arrangements, and exclusionary governance practices have weakened national identity, intensified ethnic suspicion, and fuelled separatist agitations across the federation. The study concludes that genuine federalism and sustainable national integration in Nigeria require inclusive constitutional reforms, equitable fiscal federalism, protection of minority rights, and the promotion of a stronger national culture rooted in justice, fairness, and shared citizenship. Keywords: Constitutional Restructuring, Federalism, Fiscal Federalism, Minority Marginalisation, National Integration, Nationality Question