Problems of Nation-building in Africa

Contents & notes: what this topic covers

Under Problems of Nation-building in Africa, the JAMB History syllabus expects you to study:

• 5. Problems of Nation-building in Africa a. Political and economic challenges and constraints b. Physical and environmental challenges iii. de c. Ethnic and religious pluralism iv. ex Af d. Military intervention and political v. ex instability. Af e. Neo-colonialism and under -development. vi. hi f. Boundary disputes and threat to African vii. esta unity pro viii. exa g. Civil wars and the refugee problem. soc ix. enume h. Terrorism i. Globalisation.
• RECOMMENDED Adesote S. and Falade, D. (2020) District Comprehensive 3) Ondo, Unique Mercy and Features.
• Ayandele, A. E. et al (1986) The Making of Modern Africa Akinloye, S. A. (1976) Emergent African States: Topics i Anene J. C. and Brown, G (1966) African in the 19th and Anene, J. C and Brown, G (eds) (1972) African in the Nin Teachers and Students, Ibadan: University Asiwaju A. I., Crowder, M and Denzel, I. R. (eds) Tarikh Africa, Vol. 7, London: Longman.
• Barkindo, B. et al (1989) Africa and the Wider World, Vo Barkindo, B. et al (1996) Africa and the Wider World, Vo Boahen, A (1969) The Revolutionary years: Africa since 1 Boahen, A (1969) The Revolutionary years: West Africa si Sokoto Caliphate: History and Legacies, 1804 – 2004, vol Coleman, J. S. (1986) Nigeria: Background to Nationalism Crowder, M. West Africa: An introduction to its History, Crowder, M. Nigeria: An introduction to its History, Lon Ekeh, P. P and Ashiwaju, G. (eds) (1989) Nigeria since I VII, Ibadan: Heinemann.
• Falola, T. et al (1989) History of Nigeria Vol. I, Lagos Falola T. et al (1989) History of Nigeria Vols. 2 and 3, Ikime, O and Osoba, S. O. (eds) Tarikh: Independence Mov Longman.
• Ikime, O and Osoba, S. O. (eds) Tarikh: Government in Pr Longman Ikime, O and Osoba, S. O. (eds) (undated): Peoples and K Period, Vol. 5, No. 1 London: Longman.
• Ikime, O and Osoba, S. O. (eds) (undated) Tarikh: Europe Vol. 4, London: Longman.
• Ikime, O (1977) The Fall of Nigeria: The British Conques Ikime, O. (ed) (1980) Ground work of Nigerian History, I Isichei, E. (1983) A History of Nigeria, London: Longman Jorre, J. D. (1972) The Nigeria Civil War, London: Hordd Kani, A. M. and Gandi, K. (1990) A State and Society in University, Sokoto.
• Mohammed, B. (1982) Africa and Non-alignment: A study in Triumph Publishers.
• Offiong, D. A. (1980) Imperialism and Dependency: Obstac Publishers.
• Ojigbo, O. (1982) Shehu Shagari: The Biography of Nigeri Mlandiska Knjiga.
• Okafor, I. (1989) History for Senior Secondary Schools, Oliver, T. and Atmore, A. (1996) Africa since 1880 (Four Press.
• Olaniyi, R.O. History for Senior Secondary Schools Ibada Olusanya G. O. (1973) The Second World War and Politics Omolewa, M. (1986) Certificate History of Nigeria, Lagos Onoja, I. (1998) Peace-keeping and International Securit Onwubiko, K. (1983) School Certificate History of West A Tamuno, T. N. and Atanda A. (eds) (1989) Nigeria since I Ibadan: Heinemann.
• Tamuno, T. N. and Ukpabi, S. C. (eds) (1989) Nigeria sin War years). Vol. IV, Ibadan: Heinemann.
• Thompson, L. A. (2000) History of South Africa, Yale: Ya Usman Y. B. (ed) (1979) Studies in the History of Sokoto Usman Y. B. (ed) and Alkali M. N. (1983) Studies in the Usman Y. B. and Kwanashei, G. A. (eds) Inside Nigeria Hi (Presidential Panel on Nigeria: Since Indep Usman Y. B. (ed) (1989) Nigeria since Independence: The Heinemann.
• Usman Y. B. (2002) Election Violence in Nigeria: The Ter Smith Centre for Historical Research.
• Webster, J. B. and Ikime, O. (eds) Tarikh: Early African Wilmot, P. F. (1980) Apartheid and African Liberation: T Press.
• Yakubu, A. M., Jumare, I and Saeed, A. G. (eds) (2005) N 1903 – 2003, Kaduna: Arewa House.

Study notes & guidance

Study Problems of Nation-building in Africa using a recommended History textbook that follows the JAMB syllabus. Work through the contents listed above one by one, make brief notes in your own words, and then practise as many questions on this topic as you can — in History, understanding and steady practice matter far more than memorising. Use the objectives below as a checklist: if you can do each one confidently, you have mastered this topic.

Objectives — candidates should be able to

After studying Problems of Nation-building in Africa, you should be able to:

1. Examine the political and economic problems faced by African countries in nation-building;
2. Assess the effects of natural disasters on Africa termine the role of ethnic and religious problems in Africa; amine the role and implications of military interventions in rican politics; amine the role and implications of neo-colonialism in rica; ghlight the problems of boundary disputes; blish the relationship between civil wars and refugee blems in Africa mine the consequences of terrorism for African states and ieties rate the effects of globalisation on African nations. TEXTS History for Senior Secondary Schools (1- , The Twentieth Century Vol 2., Longman. n Twentieth Century African History, Longman. 20th centuries, Ibadan: University Press. eteenth and Twentieth Centuries: A Handbook for Press and Nelson. 25, Grassroots Leadership in Colonial West l. 1. Lagos: Longman. ls. 2 and 3, Lagos: Longman 800 Longman publishers. nce 1800, Longman Publishers s. I and II, Kaduna: Arewa House. , Benin: Broburg and Wistrom. Longman, 1977. don Longman, 1979. ndependence: The First 25 Years: Culture, Vol. : Longman. Lagos: Longman. ement in Africa (Part I), Vol. 3, No. 4 London: e-Colonial Africa, Vol. 4, No. 2 London, ingdoms of West Africa in the Pre-colonial ans Conquest and African Resistance (Part 2), t, London: Heinemann. badan: Heinemann. . er and Stoughton. the Sokoto Caliphate, Series I, Usman Danfodio the Foreign Relations of New Nations, Kano: les to Development, Enugu: Fourth Dimension a’s First Executive President, Yugoslavia Onitsha, Jet Publishers. th Edition) New York: Cambridge University n, Bounty Press, 2017 in Nigeria, 1939 – 1953, Ibadan: Evans. : Longman. y in a Changing World., Jos: Mono Expressions. frica, Onitsha: African – First Publishers. ndependence: The First 25 Years. Vol. III, ce Independence: The First 25 Years (The Civil le University Press. Caliphate, New York: Third Press International. History of Pre-Colonial Borno, Zaria: NNPC. story 1950-1970: Events: Issues and Sources endence), University of Ibadan. First 25 Years: The Society Vol.I, Ibadan: rible Experience, 1952 – 2002, Zaria: Abdullahi Christianity, Vol. 2. No. 1. London: Longman. he Grief and the Hope, Ife: University of Ife orthern Nigeria: A century of Transformation,

These objectives are from the official JAMB syllabus. Use them as a checklist — if you can do each one confidently, you have mastered this topic.

Source: official JAMB UTME History syllabus (IBASS, jamb.gov.ng). Reproduced for study use. Last checked: 17 Sept 2026. Always confirm the current syllabus on the official portal.