Oil and economic muscle. Thanks to its size and abundant resources, Nigeria has both regional and global strategic importance. The country of 150 million people is Africa's most populous and its biggest market. Its booming economy is on track to surpass South Africa's next year to become the continent's largest.
As the world's fourth largest oil exporter to the United States, Nigeria generates billions of dollars in oil revenues. As a key regional peacekeeper, Nigeria's democratic processes are also seen as a benchmark for other African nations.
'The stability and success of its political process is crucial to the stability and growth of Africa," says Peter Cunliffe-Jones, author of 'My Nigeria: Five Decades of Independence.'
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