Nigeria
Top Sights & Landmarks
Background
In ancient and pre-colonial times, the area of present-day Nigeria was occupied by a variety of ethnic groups with different languages and traditions. These included large Islamic kingdoms such as Borno, Kano, and the Sokoto Caliphate dominating the north, the Benin and Oyo Empires that controlled much of modern western Nigeria, and more decentralized political entities and city states in the south and southeast. In 1914, the British amalgamated their separately administered northern and southern territories into a Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria. Nigeria achieved independence from Britain in 1960 and transitioned to a federal republic with three constituent states in 1963 under President Nnamdi AZIKIWE. This structure served to enflame regional and ethnic tension, contributing to a bloody coup led by predominately southeastern military officers in 1966 and a countercoup later that year masterminded by northern officers. In the aftermath of this tension, the governor of Nigeriaās Eastern Region, centered on the southeast, declared the region independent as the Republic of Biafra. The ensuring civil war (1967-1970), resulted in more than a million deaths, many from starvation. While the war forged a stronger Nigerian state and national identity, it contributed to long-lasting mistrust of the southeastās predominantly Igbo population. Wartime military leader Yakubu GOWON ruled until a bloodless coup by frustrated junior officers in 1975. This generation of officers, including Olusegun OBASANJO, Ibrahim BABANGIDA, and Muhammadu BUHARI, who would all later serve as president, continue to exert significant influence in Nigeria to the present day. Military rule predominated until the first durable transition to civilian government and adoption of a new constitution in 1999. The elections of 2007 marked the first civilian-to-civilian transfer of power in the country's history. National and state elections in 2011 and 2015 were generally regarded as credible. The 2015 election was also heralded for the fact that the then-umbrella opposition party, the All Progressives Congress, defeated the long-ruling (since 1999) People's Democratic Party and assumed the presidency, marking the first peaceful transfer of power from one party to another. Presidential and legislative elections in 2019 and 2023 were deemed broadly free and fair despite voting irregularities, intimidation, and violence. The government of Africa's most populous nation continues to face the daunting task of institutionalizing democracy and reforming a petroleum-based economy whose revenues have been squandered through decades of corruption and mismanagement. In addition, Nigeria faces increasing violence from Islamic terrorism, largely in the northeast, large scale criminal banditry, secessionist violence in the southeast, and competition over land and resources nationwide.
Location
Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Benin and Cameroon
Area
Elevation
Detailed Geography Information
Coastline
853 km
Geography - note
the Niger River enters the country in the northwest and flows southward through tropical rainforests and swamps to its delta in the Gulf of Guinea
Irrigated land
2,188 sq km (2017)
Major aquifers
Lake Chad Basin, Lullemeden-Irhazer Aquifer System
Major lakes (area sq km)
fresh water lake(s): Lake Chad (endorheic lake shared with Niger, Chad, and Cameroon) - 10,360-25,900 sq km note - area varies by season and year to year
Major rivers (by length in km)
Niger river mouth (shared with Guinea [s], Mali, Benin, and Niger) - 4,200 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km) Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Lake Chad (2,497,738 sq km)
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Natural hazards
periodic droughts; flooding
Natural resources
Terrain
southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus; mountains in southeast, plains in north
Population & Growth
Age Distribution
Demographic Longevity
Vital Dynamics
Detailed People & Society Information
Alcohol consumption per capita
4.49 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
24.4% (2021 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
67.6% (2018 est.)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 78 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 72.2 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 5.9 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 17 (2025 est.)
Education expenditure
0.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 3% national budget (2024 est.)
Ethnic groups
Gross reproduction rate
2.23 (2025 est.)
Health expenditure
4.1% of GDP (2021) 4.3% of national budget (2022 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 65.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 58.9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 48.2 deaths/1,000 live births
Languages
Literacy
total population: 63.2% (2021 est.) male: 73.7% (2021 est.) female: 53.3% (2021 est.)
Major urban areas - population
15.946 million Lagos, 4.348 million Kano, 3.875 million Ibadan, 3.840 million ABUJA (capital), 3.480 million Port Harcourt, 1.905 million Benin City (2023)
Maternal mortality ratio
993 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth
20.4 years (2018 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49
Nationality
noun: Nigerian(s) adjective: Nigerian
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
8.9% (2016)
Physician density
0.38 physicians/1,000 population (2023)
Population distribution
largest population of any African nation; significant population clusters are scattered throughout the country, with the highest density areas being in the south and southwest, as shown in this population distribution map
Refugees and internally displaced persons
Religions
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Tobacco use
total: 2.6% (2025 est.) male: 4.8% (2025 est.) female: 0.3% (2025 est.)
Climate & Issues
varies; equatorial in south, tropical in center, arid in north
Land Cover
Air & Carbon Emissions
Water Resources & Use
Detailed Environmental Information
International environmental agreements
Urbanization
urban population: 54.3% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.92% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 27.615 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 4.7% (2022 est.)
Capital & State Profile
Executive Branch
Legislative Branch
National Identity & Symbols
three equal vertical bands of green (left side), white, and green
Detailed Government Information
Administrative divisions
36 states and 1 territory*; Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Federal Capital Territory*, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara
Citizenship
citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Nigeria dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 15 years
Constitution
history: several previous; latest adopted 5 May 1999, effective 29 May 1999 amendment process: proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of both houses and approval by the Houses of Assembly of at least two thirds of the states; amendments to constitutional articles on the creation of a new state, fundamental constitutional rights, or constitution-amending procedures requires at least four-fifths majority vote by both houses of the National Assembly and approval by the Houses of Assembly in at least two thirds of the states; passage of amendments limited to the creation of a new state require at least two-thirds majority vote by the proposing National Assembly house and approval by the Houses of Assembly in two thirds of the states
Country name
conventional long form: Federal Republic of Nigeria conventional short form: Nigeria etymology: named for the Niger River that flows through the west of the country to the Atlantic Ocean; the name of the river probably comes from the local Tuareg name, egereou n-igereouen (big rivers)
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
International organization participation
Judicial branch
highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 15 justices) judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the president upon the recommendation of the National Judicial Council, a 23-member independent body of federal and state judicial officials; judge appointments confirmed by the Senate; judges serve until age 70 subordinate courts: Court of Appeal; Federal High Court; High Court of the Federal Capital Territory; Sharia Court of Appeal of the Federal Capital Territory; Customary Court of Appeal of the Federal Capital Territory; state court system similar in structure to federal system
Legal system
mixed system of English common law, Islamic law (in 12 northern states), and traditional law
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites: 2 (both cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Sukur Cultural Landscape; Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove
Political parties
Accord Party or ACC Africa Democratic Congress or ADC All Progressives Congress or APC All Progressives Grand Alliance or APGA Labor Party or LP New Nigeria Peopleās Party or NNPP Peoples Democratic Party or PDP Young Progressive Party or YPP
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economic Overview
largest African market economy; enormous but mostly lower middle income labor force; major oil exporter; key telecommunications and finance industries; susceptible to energy prices; regional leader in critical infrastructure; primarily agrarian employment
Size & Performance
GDP Sector Breakdown
Trade Balance
Budget Balance
Export Profile
Top Export Partners
Major Export Commodities
Labor & Employment
Income Inequality
Family Income / Consumption Share
Detailed Economic Data
Agricultural products
Current account balance
$17.215 billion (2024 est.) $6.423 billion (2023 est.) $1.019 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Debt - external
$45.009 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
Exchange rates
nairas (NGN) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 1,478.965 (2024 est.) 645.194 (2023 est.) 425.979 (2022 est.) 401.152 (2021 est.) 358.811 (2020 est.)
Industrial production growth rate
2.4% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
Industries
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
33.2% (2024 est.) 24.7% (2023 est.) 18.8% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Remittances
11.3% of GDP (2024 est.) 5.4% of GDP (2023 est.) 4.2% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$38.612 billion (2024 est.) $32.035 billion (2023 est.) $35.564 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Grid Infrastructure
Generation Mix
Fossil Fuels Production
Intensity & Nuclear
Digital Access
Active internet users as a percentage of the total population.
Fixed Broadband
Mobile Cellular
Broadcast Media
Aviation
Railways
Ports & Harbors
Merchant Marine
Military Expenditures
Active Duty Strengths
information varies; estimated 140,000 active Armed Forces (2025)
Service & Defense Details
Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN): Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy (includes Coast Guard), Nigerian Air Force Ministry of Interior: Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC); Ministry of Police Affairs: Nigeria Police Force (NPF) (2025) note 1: the NSCDC is a paramilitary agency commissioned to assist the military in the management of threats to internal security, including attacks and natural disasters note 2: some states have created local security forces in response to increased violence, insecurity, and criminality that have exceeded the response capacity of federal government security forces, but official security forces remained the constitutional prerogative of the federal government; in 2023, the federal government began deploying thousands of "agro rangers" across 19 states and the Federal Capital Territory to help safeguard farmland and mediate conflicts, especially in areas hit by farmer-herder clashes
180 Sudan/South Sudan (UNISFA); 200 Gambia (ECOWAS); 150 Guinea-Bissau (ECOWAS) (2025) note: Nigeria has committed an Army combat brigade (approximately 3,000 troops) to the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), a regional counter-terrorism force comprised of troops from Benin, Cameroon, Chad, and Niger; MNJTF conducts operations against Boko Haram and other terrorist groups operating in the general area of the Lake Chad Basin and along Nigeria's northeast border; national MNJTF troop contingents are deployed within their own country territories, although crossāborder operations are conducted periodically
the military's inventory consists primarily of imported weapons systems from a range of countries, including Brazil, China, France, Russia/former Soviet Union, South Korea, Türkiye, and the US; Nigeria is developing a defense-industry capacity, including small arms, light armored personnel vehicles, and small-scale naval production (2025)
the Nigerian military is responsible for defending against external aggression, maintaining the country's territorial integrity, securing national borders, participating in international peacekeeping and other security missions, suppressing insurrection, and aiding civil authorities in restoring order, as well as other duties such as providing humanitarian assistance; its primary concerns are internal and maritime security; in the northeast part of the country, the military is conducting operations against the Boko Haram (BH) and Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham in West Africa (ISIS-WA) terrorist groups, where it has deployed as many as 70,000 troops at times and terrorist-related violence has killed an estimated 35-40,000 people, mostly civilians, since 2009; in the northwest, the military faces threats from criminal gangs--locally referred to as bandits--and violence associated with long-standing farmer-herder conflicts, as well as BH and ISIS-WA terrorists; the military also continues to protect the oil industry in the Niger Delta region against militants and criminal activity and since 2021, has deployed troops alongside other security forces to quell renewed agitation in the state of Biafra; maritime security concerns include piracy and the protection of natural resources in the Gulf of Guinea the Nigerian military traces its origins to the Nigeria Regiment of the West African Frontier Force (WAFF), a multi-regiment force formed by the British colonial office in 1900 to garrison Great Britain's West African colonies; the WAFF (the honorary title "Royal" was added later) served in both World Wars; in 1956, the Nigeria Regiment of the Royal WAFF was renamed the Nigerian Military Forces (NMF) and in 1958, the colonial government of Nigeria took over control of the NMF from the British War Office; the Nigerian Armed Forces were established following independence in 1960 (2025)
18-25 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2025)
Space Agency
National Space Research and Development Agency (NARSDA; established 1999); Defense Space Administration (DSA; established 2014) (2025) note: NARSDA originated from the National Centre for Remote Sensing, the National Committee on Space Applications (both established in 1987), and the Directorate of Science (established 1993)