Nigeria: What to expect after the election

Saturday’s election will almost certainly spark a brief period of political violence when (as seems likely) the losing candidate refuses to accept the result. Beyond this, another term for incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan would prolong the current period of policy drift, while the election of Muhammadu Buhari would result in significant political and economic uncertainty. Neither candidate has articulated a coherent plan for dealing with the recent fall in oil prices, suggesting that Nigeria faces a period of weaker economic growth.