Nigeria

Table of Contents

Introduction & Quick Facts
Land
- Relief
- Drainage
- Soils
- Climate
- Plant and animal life
People
- Ethnic groups
- Languages
- Religion
- Geographic regions
  - South
  - Central region
  - North
- Settlement patterns
  - Rural settlement
  - Urban settlement
- Demographic trends
Economy
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing
- Resources and power
- Manufacturing
- Finance
- Trade
- Services
- Labour and taxation
- Transportation and telecommunications
  - Roads
  - Railroads
  - Shipping and air transport
  - Telecommunications
Government and society
- Constitutional framework
- Local government
- Justice
- Political process
- Security
- Health and welfare
- Housing
- Education
Cultural life
- Cultural milieu
- Daily life and social customs
- The arts
- Cultural institutions
- Sports and recreation
- Media and publishing
History
- Early Nigerian cultures
  - The Nok culture
  - Igbo Ukwu
- Kingdoms and empires of precolonial Nigeria
  - Kanem-Borno
  - Hausaland
  - Yorubaland and Benin
  - Igboland and the delta city-states
  - The Sokoto jihad
  - The collapse of Oyo
- The arrival of the British
- Nigeria as a colony
- Independent Nigeria
  - The civil war
  - The Second Republic
  - Military regimes, 1983–99
  - Return to civilian rule
    - The 1999 elections
    - Nigeria under Olusegun Obasanjo
      Domestic unrest and insecurity
      Bakassi Peninsula dispute
    - Controversies surrounding the 2007 presidential election
    - Nigeria under Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan
      Yar’Adua’s ill health
      The 2011 elections
      Rise of Boko Haram
    - The 2015 elections and electorate concerns
    - Nigeria under Buhari
      Recession, fight against corruption, and insecurity
      The 2019 elections
    - The 2023 elections

References & Edit History Facts & Stats

Images, Videos & Interactives

Hausa musicians

Yoruba women dancing

Nigeria: Religious affiliation

Nigeria: Urban-rural

Nigeria: Age breakdown

For Students

Nigeria summary

Discover

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Nigeria: Facts & Stats

Written and fact-checked by The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

News •

Kenya-based content moderators mourn Nigerian colleague who 'was desperate to go home' • Mar. 12, 2025, 5:49 AM ET (AP)

Nigerian authorities confirm meningitis outbreak in northwest has killed 26 people since January • Mar. 11, 2025, 2:48 PM ET (AP)

Nigerian lawmakers approve $200 million to offset shortfall from US health aid cuts • Feb. 14, 2025, 3:50 AM ET (AP)

Facts

Also Known As	Federal Republic of Nigeria
Head Of State And Government	President: Bola Tinubu
Capital	Abuja
Population	(2025 est.) 233,560,000
Form Of Government	federal republic with two legislative houses (Senate [109]; House of Representatives [360])
Official Language	English
Official Religion	none
Official Name	Federal Republic of Nigeria
Total Area (Sq Km)	923,768
Total Area (Sq Mi)	356,667
Monetary Unit	Nigerian naira (₦)
Population Rank	(2023) 6
Population Projection 2030	263,839,000
Density: Persons Per Sq Mi	(2025) 654.8
Density: Persons Per Sq Km	(2025) 252.8
Urban-Rural Population	Urban: (2024) 55% • Rural: (2024) 45%
Life Expectancy At Birth	Male: (2022) 59.5 years • Female: (2022) 63.3 years
Literacy: Percentage Of Population Age 15 And Over Literate	Male: (2018) 71% • Female: (2018) 53%
Gni (U.S.$ ’000,000)	(2023) 432,497
Gni Per Capita (U.S.$)	(2023) 1,930

Did You Know?

Nigeria's movie production industry, nicknamed "Nollywood", is the second-largest in the world by volume.
Nigeria has the highest rate of twin births per year globally.
To gain weight and conform with African standards of beauty, Nigerian girls can consume food all day in "fattening rooms".

Photos and Videos

Hausa musicians

Yoruba women dancing

woman removing husks from millet

offshore oil rig

Nigerian two hundred-naira banknote

Nigeria: Funmilayo Sessi, organized labour leader

The ecological disaster of oil spills in the Niger delta

See how Nigerian farmers employ pesticides and fertilizers to increase crop yields and agricultural efficacy

National anthem of Nigeria

See All Videos, Images, Audio and Interactives →

Topics

list of cities and towns in Nigeria member states of the Commonwealth OPEC Commonwealth The role of Nigerian women Economic Community of West African States nation-state Nigerian Civil War Nollywood Aladura United States India United Kingdom China Canada Russia Germany Australia Japan France

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Quiz

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