Democracy and Regional Economic Inequality in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic

The study investigates the complex linkage between democracy and regional economic inequality in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic, emphasizing marked inequalities between the Northern and Southern regions. Irrespective of Nigeria’s status as one of Africa’s largest economies, economic benefits remain unevenly distributed, exacerbated by historical, socio-cultural, and governance factors. In terms of methodology, the study adopts a mixed-methods approach involving 1,536 questionnaires, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. The study found significant regional inequality hinged heavily on governance quality. The findings show that poor institutional transparency, elite patronage, and weak democratic institutions perpetuate inequality, particularly disadvantaging the Northern zones. Crucially, respondents affirm that well-designed, context-specific public policies can efficiently and substantially reduce these inequalities if accompanied by governance reforms promoting accountability and inclusiveness. The study’s inevitable conclusion points to the fact that addressing regional economic inequality requires integrated policy approaches crafted to Nigeria’s diverse socio-political landscape to promote balanced development and strengthen democratic consolidation. Recommendations echos region-focused development, governance reforms, and participatory policy formulation to support inclusive growth and social stability.