A look ahead to the Nigerian elections

With President Goodluck Jonathan soon expected to announce his bid to run for another term in office, attention is quickly turning to Nigeria’s general election, which is now just over six months away. In this Watch, we outline some of the key factors for investors to look out for. In particular, the likelihood of a close contest has increased the chances of looser fiscal and monetary policy, while it could also lead to a flare-up of violence. But over the longer-term, a strong performance from the opposition could be what is required to jolt the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP), under President Jonathan’s leadership, into implementing more ambitious reforms.