Religion and the Dynamics of Farmer–Pastoralist Conflict in Nigeria

One of the deadliest conflicts in Africa is that between nomadic pastoralists and sedentary farmers over land and water resources. Although these clashes are often attributed to the adverse effects of climate change, such as drought and rising temperatures, do they also have a religious dimension? Nigeria, the country with the highest incidence of such conflicts, forms an insightful case study. The West African country sees both the greatest incidence of conflicts between nomadic pastoralists and sedentary farmers and the highest number of related fatalities anywhere in Africa. Perceptions of such conflict differ by faith: Christians are significantly more likely to attribute the violence to religious causes, whereas Muslims tend to view these armed clashes as a direct consequence of climate change. Bouts of conflict are, on average, less frequent in areas with a predominantly Muslim population compared to those that are predominantly Christian. This is because shared religious identity between nomadic pastoralists and Muslim farmers fosters a baseline of trust, which serves to mitigate tensions and reduce the risk of violence breaking out.