President Goodluck Jonathan was sworn in for his first full elected term at the helm of Africa's most populous nation on Sunday faced with the challenge of driving reform and trying to heal regional rifts.
Heads of state from across Africa, foreign dignitaries, religious leaders and traditional rulers gathered in Eagle Square in the centre of Abuja for the ceremony and a military parade to mark the start of his four-year term.
"Together we will unite our nation, improve the living standards of all our people, whether in the north or in the south, in the east or in the west," Jonathan said in a speech after taking the oath of office.
The former zoology student won 59% of the vote last month, but his People's Democratic party has been chastened by a weaker parliamentary majority and the loss of several powerful state governorships.
Jonathan, a Christian from the south, swept to victory in his home region while his rival, ex-military ruler Muhammadu Buhari, performed strongly in the mainly Muslim north.
Buhari, one of the few living former heads of state absent from the ceremony, has challenged the result.
Hundreds of people were killed in riots and sectarian violence in northern towns after Jonathan's victory was announced, with homes, churches and mosques razed.
"President Goodluck Jonathan's election has seriously polarised Nigeria along ethnic, sectional and religious lines and this will be his challenge," said Shehu Sani, president of the northern-based Civil Rights Congress of Nigeria.
Jonathan first came to power after the death of his predecessor, northerner Umaru Yar'Adua, last year.
Jonathan pledged to create jobs and drive economic growth, voicing commitment to banking reforms, the privatisation of the domestic power sector and promising to develop infrastructure and agriculture in Africa's third biggest economy.
He also vowed better management of the Opec member's oil revenues, saying the creation of a sovereign wealth fund he signed into law on Friday would avoid "boom and bust" cycles.
Jonathan's first big test will be his choice of ministers. "It is a delicate balancing act," said Dapo Oyewole, director of the Centre for African Policy and Peace Strategy. "He has to balance out the regional interests to ensure the cabinet displays a federal character, he has to reflect a religious colouration that ensures different parts of the country are carried along, but he is also going to have to reward some of the people that backed him."
Jonathan is the first president from the troubled Niger Delta oil region. He brokered an amnesty in 2009 which ended years of attacks on oil facilities, but thousands of former gunmen remain without jobs.
"People are very optimistic based on hope rather than reality," said Bismarck Rewane, head of Lagos-based consultancy Financial Derivatives.
"If those expectations are not managed, a few months down the road he will be getting the blame for things that are beyond his control."
Jonathan will also have to deal with the growing threat from radical Islamist sect Boko Haram in the remote north-east region, which has been carrying out almost daily killings and firebombings of police stations.
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everydayHeads of state from across Africa, foreign dignitaries, religious leaders and traditional rulers gathered in Eagle Square in the centre of Abuja for the ceremony and a military parade to mark the start of his four-year term.
"Together we will unite our nation, improve the living standards of all our people, whether in the north or in the south, in the east or in the west," Jonathan said in a speech after taking the oath of office.
The former zoology student won 59% of the vote last month, but his People's Democratic party has been chastened by a weaker parliamentary majority and the loss of several powerful state governorships.
Jonathan, a Christian from the south, swept to victory in his home region while his rival, ex-military ruler Muhammadu Buhari, performed strongly in the mainly Muslim north.
Buhari, one of the few living former heads of state absent from the ceremony, has challenged the result.
Hundreds of people were killed in riots and sectarian violence in northern towns after Jonathan's victory was announced, with homes, churches and mosques razed.
"President Goodluck Jonathan's election has seriously polarised Nigeria along ethnic, sectional and religious lines and this will be his challenge," said Shehu Sani, president of the northern-based Civil Rights Congress of Nigeria.
Jonathan first came to power after the death of his predecessor, northerner Umaru Yar'Adua, last year.
Jonathan pledged to create jobs and drive economic growth, voicing commitment to banking reforms, the privatisation of the domestic power sector and promising to develop infrastructure and agriculture in Africa's third biggest economy.
He also vowed better management of the Opec member's oil revenues, saying the creation of a sovereign wealth fund he signed into law on Friday would avoid "boom and bust" cycles.
Jonathan's first big test will be his choice of ministers. "It is a delicate balancing act," said Dapo Oyewole, director of the Centre for African Policy and Peace Strategy. "He has to balance out the regional interests to ensure the cabinet displays a federal character, he has to reflect a religious colouration that ensures different parts of the country are carried along, but he is also going to have to reward some of the people that backed him."
Jonathan is the first president from the troubled Niger Delta oil region. He brokered an amnesty in 2009 which ended years of attacks on oil facilities, but thousands of former gunmen remain without jobs.
"People are very optimistic based on hope rather than reality," said Bismarck Rewane, head of Lagos-based consultancy Financial Derivatives.
"If those expectations are not managed, a few months down the road he will be getting the blame for things that are beyond his control."
Jonathan will also have to deal with the growing threat from radical Islamist sect Boko Haram in the remote north-east region, which has been carrying out almost daily killings and firebombings of police stations.
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