Which of the following is a feature of Nigerian Federalism?

1. Analyze the question The question asks for a feature of Nigerian federalism, meaning an arrangement that characterizes how power is shared between the federal (central) government and the other tiers (states and local governments) in Nigeria.

2. Explain the concept Federalism is a system in which power is constitutionally divided between a central government and component units. Nigeria's federalism has these notable features:

• Three tiers of government (federal, state, local)
• A written, supreme constitution
• Division of powers (Exclusive, Concurrent and Residual Lists)
• Revenue sharing through the Federation Account
• A strong central government, because the federal government holds the most powers (for example, defence, currency, immigration and the police), and the Exclusive Legislative List is very long. This is largely a legacy of years of military rule.

3. Evaluate each option

• A. Single-party system: Wrong. Nigeria operates a multi-party system. A single-party system is not a feature of federalism.
• B. Centralized fiscal system: This is partly arguable, since the federal government collects most revenue (e.g., oil revenue) and shares it. However, the usual textbook description is "revenue allocation/fiscal federalism," and "centralized fiscal system" is not the standard feature listed.
• C. Autonomy of local government: Although the constitution recognizes local governments as a third tier, in practice they depend heavily on state governments (e.g., through the State Joint Local Government Account). So full autonomy is not a standard feature, even though it is a long-running reform debate.
• D. Strong central government: Correct. The federal government has wide powers, a long Exclusive List and control over major revenue sources. This is the classic feature identified in Nigerian federalism.

4. Answer The best answer is **D.

5. Exam tip For Nigerian federalism, remember: "Strong Centre". Whenever you see a Nigerian federalism question, look for options such as "strong central government," "revenue allocation," "division of powers," or "supremacy of the constitution." Eliminate options like "single-party system" that belong to unitary or one-party states.