This monograph describes how a failed state in 2030 may im
pact the United States and the global economy. It also identifies
critical capabilities and technologies the US Air Force should have
to respond to a failed state, especially one of vital interest to the
United States and one on the cusp of a civil war.
Nation-states can fail for a myriad of reasons: cultural or religious
conflict, a broken social contract between the government and the
governed, a catastrophic natural disaster, financial collapse, war,
and so forth. Nigeria with its vast oil wealth, large population, and
strategic position in Africa and the global economy can, if it fails,
disproportionately affect the United States and the global economy.
Nigeria, like many nations in Africa, gained independence from
the United Kingdom in 1960. It is the most populous country in
Africa and will have nearly 250 million people by 2030.
