08.2006 - Source: Norwegian Country of Origin Information Center

Extended families as support networks ("Report on Fact-finding trip to Nigeria (Abuja, Lagos and Benin City) 12-26 March 2006") [ID 18720]

"In a country without a welfare system, people mainly rely on their immediate and extended family in times of need and crisis. Even though several sources stated that family ties seem less binding today than they used to, people generally have few others they can rely on. As long as other support networks are limited, most people do try to maintain close ties with relatives in order not to jeopardise this network for times when they may have to rely on their help. Therefore, most Nigerian migrant – both inside Nigeria and outside – keep in close touch with relatives in their place of origin in Nigeria. Nigerians living in other parts of Nigeria than their place of origin also tend to go back to the villages where they have extended family regularly to maintain such ties – that may be crucial in times of crisis. Relying on immediate and extended family is not the only option, however – many Nigerians try to establish other support networks that may complement or (in some cases) replace the extended family. Examples of such support networks are religious congregations, religious organisations, age grades/sets,8 political organisations, charities, secret societies and guilds. Many such organisations are expected to aid their members in ways that would be fairly unusual in a European context. For instance, it would not be very unusual for a grassroot level member of a political group to appeal to the local leader of the organisation for financial assistance towards a child’s hospital bill and the like. Support networks like these may be limited to a certain ethnic group, but not necessarily."

Document(s): Open document