Nigeria

Full name of country: Federal Republic of Nigeria

Region: Africa

Official language: English

Population: 236,747,130 (2024 est.)

Nationality: Nigerian(s) (noun), Nigerian (adjective)

Land area: 910,768 sq km (351,649 sq miles)

Water area: 13,000 sq km (5,019 sq miles)

Capital: Abuja

National anthem: "Arise Oh Compatriots, Nigeria's Call Obey", by John A. Ilechukwu, Eme Etim Akpan, B. A. Ogunnaike, Sotu Omoigui And P. O. Aderibigbe/Benedict Elide Odiase

National holiday: Independence Day (National Day), October 1 (1960)

Population growth: 2.52% (2024 est.)

Time zone: UTC +1

Flag: The flag of Nigeria is a tricolor design with three vertical and equal bands of green, white, and then green. The two green stripes are said to represent the fertility of the land and agriculture, while white represents unity and peace. The flag was officially adopted in 1960.

Motto: “Unity and Faith, Peace and Progress”

Independence: October 1, 1960 (from the UK)

Government type: federal republic

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Legal system: mixed legal system of English common law, Islamic law (in 12 northern states), and traditional law

The Federal Republic of Nigeria, situated in West Africa and bordered by Benin, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon, is the most populous country in Africa. Its population includes members of more than 250 distinct ethnic groups, including the Hausa, Fula, Yoruba, Igbo, and Ijaw peoples. A former British colony, Nigeria joined the Commonwealth of Nations in 1960.

Note: unless otherwise indicated, statistical data in this article is sourced from the CIA World Factbook, as cited in the bibliography.

People and Culture

Population: Nigeria is home to members of more than 250 distinct ethnic groups. According to 2018 estimates, the largest are the Hausa (30 percent of the population), the Yoruba people (15.5 percent), the Igbo (also called Ibo) people (15.2 percent), and the Fula (also called Fulani or Fulbe) people (6 percent). Smaller ethnic groups include the Ijaw/Izon, Kanuri/Beriberi, Ibibio, and Tiv peoples.

About 53.5 percent of the population identifies as Muslim, 10.6 percent as Roman Catholic, and 35.3 percent as other Christian denominations (2018 estimates).

Nigeria comprises thirty-six states and one federal territory, the Federal Capital Territory. The population is relatively distributed throughout the country, but the south and southwest have the highest density. The nation's largest cities by population are Lagos (15.946 million people), Kano (4.348 million), Ibadan (3.875 million), and Abuja (3.840 million), the capital (2023 estimates).

Nigeria was ranked 161 out of 193 countries and territories on the 2022 United Nations Human Development Index, which measures quality-of-life indicators.

Indigenous People: The Igbo people of the east, the Yoruba people of the Guinea coast, and the Hausa and Fula peoples of northern Nigeria are some of the largest tribes in Africa. The Igbo people comprise over two hundred distinct groups, each with its own village system, while the Yoruba people are clustered into more than fifty distinct "kingdoms." Both the Igbo and Yoruba languages are classified as Volta–Niger languages, a subset of the Niger–Congo language family.

Unlike many other African tribes, the Hausa people have a long written history, due to their having adopted an Arabic-based alphabet in or before the early fifteenth century. They are primarily Muslim, although some traditional animist beliefs survive, having been incorporated into modern religious and ritual practices. Their neighbors the Fula are also primarily Muslim. Because they migrate with their cattle, they have been a strong force in the spread of Islam through West Africa.

After World War I, the Tiv people were isolated from the changes happening in the rest of Nigeria. The Dutch Reformed Church of South Africa established a mission in Tivland in 1911. American fundamentalist missionaries replaced the Dutch in the 1950s, and as a result many Tiv today identify as Christian, and only a few are Muslim. The Tiv people protested in 1960 and 1964 on National (or Independence) Day in order to assert their own independence and integrity as a people.

Education: Education in Nigeria typically consists of six years of primary school, three years of lower secondary school, and three more years of upper secondary school. Basic education, consisting of primary and lower secondary, is ostensibly free and compulsory. However, much of the population struggles with poor educational outcomes.

In 2018, the literacy rate among those fifteen years and older was estimated 62 percent. There was also a significant gender gap: 71.3 percent of males were literate, compared to 52.7 percent of females.

Health Care: Nigeria has long struggled with an inadequate health care system and major public health challenges. There is high risk for numerous infectious diseases, including yellow fever, malaria, dengue fever, bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, typhoid fever, and schistosomiasis. In 2018, the ratio of physicians to population was estimated at just 0.38 doctors for every 1,000 people.

The infant mortality rate in Nigeria is high, with 53.7 deaths for every 1,000 live births (2024 estimate). For this reason, in many tribes an infant is traditionally not considered to be a viable human being until they can walk and speak a few words. Average life expectancy at birth is 62.2 years (2024 estimate), among the lowest in the world.

Food: For the Hausa people, grains comprise the bulk of the diet. Their main evening meal often consists of a thick porridge called tuwo, seasoned with a spicy stew known as miya. For lunch, they serve dough called fura. Hausa get most of their meat and dairy products by trading with their neighbors, the pastoral Fula.

The Tiv people often suffer somewhat from a lack of protein in their diet, but due to their farming of yams, millet, and sorghum, hunger is rare. The Igbo people raise livestock such as sheep, goats, chickens, and ducks to provide protein for the diet. They also eat fish from the Cross River.

The Yoruba people are also farmers and grow much of their own food. Cocoa trees thrive in the forested areas to the south. Yams are planted just prior to the rainy season and harvested at the end of the season, in October. Maize is planted once the rain begins, and beans, cassava, cowpeas, cotton, and peanuts are also grown. Citrus fruits, peppers, and plantains may also be found in Yoruba gardens.

Arts & Entertainment: Igbo women are known for their pottery, the sales of which are important to family income. Craftspeople produce thatched mats and woodcarvings. The Igbo people are particularly fond of riddles, some told as tales and others more like proverbs.

The Yoruba people have long been famous for their brass and terra cotta artwork. They are also known for their brightly colored robes, worn by both men and women, and are famous for their weaving, blacksmithing, and woodcarving. From the British, the Yoruba learned tailoring, shoemaking, carpentry, and construction.

Nigerian music features call-and-response songs, in which the words and commentary of a soloist are echoed by a chorus. One of the most popular practitioners of this style was Fela Kuti, a musician, composer, and political activist who coined the term "Afrobeat" to describe the combination of African percussion and vocal styles with American funk music.

Famous authors from Nigeria include Chinua Achebe, best known for his classic novel Things Fall Apart (1958). In 1986, Nigerian playwright Wole Soyinka became the first African to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Holidays: Nigeria established its independence from the United Kingdom on October 1, 1960. Consequently, each October 1 is celebrated as National Day, or Independence Day.

In February and March, the Argungu International Fishing Festival is held near Sokotu, with thousands of fishermen competing to wrestle the fish from the river. This tradition began in the 1930s and has grown to include other events such as canoe races and diving competitions.

Many communities celebrate harvest festivals, which in the south are centered on the harvesting of yams. Tribes in the southern delta region of Nigeria hold special festivals to celebrate regional water spirits, culminating in the appearance of the deity itself (actually a masked dancer).

Environment and Geography

Topography: Hausaland in northern Nigeria is a vast, rolling savanna, between 300 and 600 meters (1,000 and 2,000 feet) above sea level. Occasional outcroppings of rock and forests along rivers punctuate this landscape, which is bordered on the north by dry and hot semi-desert.

The Igbo live between the southern savanna and a low, flat region that becomes a 96-kilometer (60-mile) wide mangrove swamp during the wet season. This area collects an average of 195 centimeters (77 inches) of rain per year, most of which falls between May and October. The Yoruba live on a vast, rocky plain in the western part of the country that yields to dense tropical forests to the south.

The Niger River from the west and Benue River from the east merge in the middle of the country and then flow southward to the ocean. The highest point in Nigeria is the crest of Mount Chappal Waddi, at 2,419 meters (7,935 feet), and the lowest point is at sea level along the South Atlantic coast.

Natural Resources: Nigeria's most important natural resource is petroleum. Although the country’s oil production is subject to global price fluctuations, the country is generally one of the world's top oil producers, with large reserves both offshore and in the Niger Delta.

There are also large deposits of iron ore, tin, and columbite (used in steel manufacturing) throughout Nigeria. Other mined resources include coal, lead, limestone, and zinc.

Another important resource is arable land, which covers approximately 37.3 percent of the country (2018 estimate), most of which is found in the southern part of the country. More than one-third of this land is cultivated by Nigerian farmers.

Like many countries, Nigeria faces several environmental challenges, including oil pollution (in the air and water), soil degradation, deforestation, and desertification. Global climate change has exacerbated many of these issues.

Plants & Animals: Tropical hardwood trees found in the southern forests include iroko, mahogany, and obeche. Common animals include antelope, buffaloes, crocodiles, hyenas, hippopotamuses, leopards, lions, monkeys, and many different species of migrating birds.

One of the most dangerous animals in Nigeria is a tiny insect known as the tsetse fly. These carry a disease known as human African trypanosomiasis, or sleeping sickness, and also spread trypanosomiasis in cattle.

Climate: Vast rolling plains and occasional gallery forests (formed along rivers) that receive between 100 and 115 centimeters (40 and 45 inches) of rainfall per year characterize the northern savanna. The southern savanna receives more rainfall and is therefore more densely forested.

In the southwestern part of the country, near Cameroon, rainfall totals approach 200 centimeters (80 inches) per year, and this increased level of moisture makes for denser forests and even swampland during the rainy season.

The rainy season throughout Nigeria begins and ends with dramatic thunderstorms. The rainy season begins in March in the south, and in May farther to the north. The dry season in the north lasts four months longer than in the south, making for dramatic climatic differences in Nigeria based on latitude. The climate is classified as arid in the north, tropical in the central region, and equatorial in the south.

Economy

Thanks to its large population and oil wealth, Nigeria is one of Africa's largest economies, with an overall gross domestic product (GDP; purchasing power parity) of US$1.275 trillion according to 2023 estimates. However, this has not resulted in a significant decline in poverty. In 2018 about 40.1 percent of the population lived below the poverty line, and the 2023 GDP per capita was just US$5,700.

Industry: Nigeria is an oil-rich nation, and oil production is a leading source of government revenue. Other industries include agriculture, animal hide production, coal and columbite mining, printing, steel production, and shipbuilding. Manufactured goods include cement, ceramics, chemicals, fertilizers, textiles, and footwear.

Agriculture: Most of Nigeria's agriculture is subsistence-level, meaning that farmers grow food for their own consumption. More than half of the labor force is engaged in agriculture. Nigeria once exported a substantial amount of agricultural products, but due to rapid population growth, the country must now import food.

Important crops grown in Nigeria include cocoa, corn, cotton, cassava, millet, palm oil, peanuts, rice, rubber, sorghum, and yams. Many farmers also keep livestock, primarily cattle, goats, sheep, and pigs.

Guinea corn is grown in the northern savanna regions, and cassava and kola nuts thrive in the rainier south. The Igbo people are primarily yam farmers, though they also grow cassava and fruits such as oranges, mangoes, and bananas.

Timber and fish are natural resources that also contribute to Nigeria's agricultural economy.

Tourism: The Nigerian government launched a National Tourism Policy in 1990 to encourage tourism and encourage economic development. However, the industry has remained a relatively small part of overall GDP. As in many countries, Nigeria's tourism sector also suffered sharp decline in 2020 due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent travel restrictions.

Nigeria's tourist draws include the bustling urban atmosphere of Lagos, diverse cultural events, and natural scenery. In addition to more than 700 kilometers (435 miles) of beaches, Nigeria also boasts several national parks and many wildlife and game reserves and other protected natural areas. The most popular of these is the Yankari Game Reserve, in Bauchi. The government has made efforts to attract ecotourism to the country.

Government

The Federal Republic of Nigeria is divided for administrative purposes into thirty-six states and one territory, the Federal Capital Territory.

The executive branch is headed by the president, who serves as both head of the government and the chief of state. Presidents are elected by popular vote and may not serve more than two four-year terms. The president's council of advisers, known as the Federal Executive Council, is appointed by the president and must include representatives from each of the thirty-six states.

The legislative branch comprises the bicameral National Assembly, consisting of a 109-seat Senate and a 360-seat House of Representatives. All National Assembly members are directly elected by popular vote and serve four-year terms.

The head of the judicial branch is the Supreme Court, consisting of a chief justice and fifteen additional justices. Justices are appointed by the president, on the recommendation of the independent twenty-three-member National Judicial Council, and are confirmed by the Senate.

Major political parties in Nigeria include the Accord Party (ACC), the All Progressives Congress (APC), the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), the Democratic People's Party (DPP), the People's Democratic Party (PDP), and the Labour Party (LP).

Bola Tinubu, of the the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), won the February 2023 presidential elections against the opposition People's Democratic Party's (PD) Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi of the Labour Party.

Interesting Facts

• According to anthropologists, the Yoruba people of Nigeria worship more than four hundred deities.
• Portuguese traders were the first Europeans to come into contact with Nigerian tribes in the fifteenth century.
• Nigeria's film industry, known as Nollywood, is one of the three largest film industries in the world, along with Bollywood in India and Hollywood in the United States.

Bibliography

"Human Development Insights." Human Development Reports, United Nations Development Programme, 13 Mar. 2024 hdr.undp.org/data-center/country-insights#/ranks. Accessed 9 Jan. 2025.

"Nigeria." UNICEF Data: Monitoring the Situation of Children and Women, UNICEF, data.unicef.org/country/nga/. Accessed 1 July 2022.

"Nigeria." The World Bank, data.worldbank.org/country/nigeria. Accessed 9 Jan. 2025.

"Nigeria." The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency, 2 Jan. 2025., www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/nigeria/. Accessed 9 Jan. 2025.

"Nigeria Country Profile." BBC News, 28 July 2023, www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-13949550. Accessed 9 Jan. 2025.