Which of the following is a concurrent power in the Nigerian federal system?

1. Analyze the question The question asks which item is a concurrent power, meaning a power that both the Federal (National) Government and the State Governments can legislate on. These powers are listed in the Concurrent Legislative List in the 1999 Constitution (Second Schedule, Part II).

2. Explain the concept Nigeria's federal system divides legislative powers into three groups:

• Exclusive List: only the Federal Government can legislate. Examples: defence, foreign affairs, currency and coinage, immigration, customs, aviation, and the police.
• Concurrent List: both federal and state governments can legislate. Examples: education (post-primary and tertiary), health, agriculture, electricity, and the collection of certain taxes. If a state law conflicts with a federal law on a concurrent matter, the federal law prevails.
• Residual List: matters not mentioned in either list, which are left to the states.

3. Work through the options

• A. Currency and coinage: Exclusive. Only the Federal Government can control money and the Central Bank of Nigeria.
• B. Education and Healthcare: Concurrent. Federal, state, and local governments all run schools and hospitals, such as federal universities and teaching hospitals alongside state universities and general hospitals.
• C. Foreign affairs and international relations: Exclusive. Only the Federal Government deals with other countries.
• D. Defence and national security: Exclusive. The armed forces and national security are federal responsibilities.

4. Answer The correct option is B. Education and Healthcare.

5. Exam tip Think of the concurrent list as the "shared services" that touch citizens' daily lives, such as schools, hospitals, farms, and electricity. The exclusive list covers the "national symbols of sovereignty": army, money, passports, and foreign relations. If an option is about sovereignty or national security, it is almost always exclusive.