Much attention has been devoted to the causes of intrastate war in Africa. Much less attention has been paid to the equally important questions of how and why some areas of Africa manage to maintain peace. This paper examines the particular case of Nigeria which is currently the site of no less than two distinct wars: one waged by Boko Haram in the North and the other by potential separatists in the oil-rich Delta (as well as a number of smaller, localized, violent conflicts) whilst much of the rest of the country remains at peace. Using data from interviews and the mass of demographic and economic statistics, this study examines the roles of a number of potential causative factors for peace especially education, economic growth and employment. Alongside the statistical analysis is an exploration of the cultural and historical differences between the political approaches of the major ethnic groups involved, which many Nigerians consider to be crucial factors in explaining why some choose peace whilst others choose war.
