The demise of Gen Sani Abacha removes a difficult figure from the African and international stages, but leaves in place a raft of sanctions and problems about how to deal with Nigeria's laggardly return to the democratic straight and narrow.
The death of the 54-year-old military ruler from cardiac arrest was confirmed yesterday after unusual activity had been observed around the state residence in Nigeria's political capital, Abuja. Some reports even said that Gen Abacha had already been buried, in accordance with Islamic practice.
Gen Abacha was Nigeria's seventh military head of state since it won independence from Britain in 1960. The country has spent 27 years under military rule.
The general became an obsession for Commonwealth and EU countries struggling to balance concern about human rights abuses against the raw economic power of crude oil exports of two million barrels per day.
"Frankly a lot of people will breath a sigh of relief," one observer said in London last night. "Provided the right noises are made this could be an opportunity for a new beginning."
Whoever does succeed him after nearly five years will find a country that has been moving higher up the international agenda since April, when it became clear that multi-party elections that were supposed to bring the restoration of civilian rule would have only one candidate - Gen Abacha himself.
Last month the G8 countries said they were "deeply concerned" about human rights abuses and demanded the start of a "credible" transition to democracy.
Britain led the Commonwealth in imposing sanctions in 1995 after the execution of author Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other Ogoni minority rights activists. But they have had little effect as Nigeria has managed to divide both the Commonwealth, where there is much furtive support for the west African giant, and the EU.
The EU condemned the military's transition to democracy plan as a "failure," but the implementation of even its minor sanctions, such as on visas for government officials, has been at best patchy.
France, whose influence in other parts of Africa has declined, has become Nigeria's closest contact in the West. French firms are leading the drive to win offshore oil exploration rights.