The Intersectionalities of Land Grabs in Nigeria: Engaging the New Scramble for African Lands

Abstract

A new scramble for African lands is certainly the best way to describe Africa’s land experiences in contemporary terms. This contemporary scramble for and partition of Africa follows a somewhat identical pattern to the nineteenth century’s, when African lands were shared among European nations. This is seen against the realisation of the shrinking of arable land in the developed world, compared to Africa, with over 60 per cent of the world’s untapped arable land. This article, therefore, examines the intersectionalities and ramifications of land grabs in Nigeria by referring to the three case studies of land grabs in Lagos, Taraba and Kwara and their implications for Africa. International and local contours of land grabs are engaged through these case studies. These cases present a mix of trajectories and outcomes relative to inclusion, sustainability and glocal acknowledgements and are presented in this article.