Nigerian Actor Lagos Signed Autograph Super Orlando Martins Photo Legendary Uk

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Seller: memorabilia111 ✉️ (808) 100%, Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan, US, Ships to: US & many other countries, Item: 176270372870 NIGERIAN ACTOR LAGOS SIGNED AUTOGRAPH SUPER ORLANDO MARTINS PHOTO LEGENDARY UK. AN EXTREMELY SCARCE SIGNED APPROXIMATELY 4 1/2 X 6 INCH VINTAGE ORIGINAL PHOTO INSCRIBED BY LEGENDARY NIGEERIAN AACTOR FROM LAGOS ORLANDO MARTINS  To Peggy With my very best wishes         Orlando Martins Orlando Martins was a pioneering Yoruba Nigerian film and stage actor In the late 1940s, he was one of Britain's most prominent and leading black actors, and in a poll conducted in 1947, he was listed among Britain's top 15 favourite actors.
Born December 8, 1899 in Lagos, Nigeria Died September 25, 1985 in Lagos, Nigeria  (undisclosed) Mini Bio (1) Orlando Martins was born on December 8, 1899 in Lagos, Nigeria. He was an actor, known for Simba (1955), Ivory Hunter (1951) and BBC Sunday-Night Theatre (1950). He died on September 25, 1985 in Lagos. Trivia (4) During WWII he did factory and civil defense work. Came to England after World War I, during which he served as a stoker on the old Mauretania to avenge German cruelty to his family. On arrival in England he joined Sanger's Circus and started his performing career in the chorus. Orlando Martins was Great Uncle to the Nigerian/Brazilian Epega family. Was a Professional Wrestler. In a poll conducted in 1947, Orlando Martins was listed among England's top 15 favourite actors. Pa Orlando Martins [Twitter] Film making in Nigeria dates back to the 20th century with clusters of films produced by colonialists. RECOMMENDED ARTICLES Sanwo-Olu promises to connect 100 schools to internet in May News Sanwo-Olu promises to connect 100 schools to internet in May Fire guts fabrics section of Cairo Market in Oshodi News Fire guts fabrics section of Cairo Market in Oshodi Emery gets Arsenal revenge as Villarreal set up Man Utd Europa League final Sports Emery gets Arsenal revenge as Villarreal set up Man Utd Europa League final As the unnamed industry continued to grow by leaps and bounds with Nigerians finally getting speaking roles, a Nigerian star was being made in the United Kingdom. Orlando Martin as an African Chief in 'Call Me Bwana' 1963 [Twitter/@thepaorlando] Orlando Martin as an African Chief in 'Call Me Bwana' 1963 [Twitter/@thepaorlando] Orlando Martins was born in Lagos on December 8, 1899 to a Brazilian father and a Nigerian mother from Ijebu. He moved to London after World War 1 and stumbled on acting in his search for a means of livelihood. At the Lyceum Theatre, Martins got his first theatre job as an actor in training. Orlando Martins and Ronald Reagan on a film set [Twitter/@SeeMeSeeNigeria] Orlando Martins and Ronald Reagan on a film set [Twitter/@SeeMeSeeNigeria] From the 1920s till World War II Martins featured as an extra in over a handful of films including the infamous 'Sanders of the River' directed by Alexander Korda starring the legendary American actor, Paul Robeson. The actor also explored his skill in circuses and professional wrestling. Post the second World War, Orlando's acting career shot for the skies with features in 'Men of Two Worlds' (1946), 'The Men From Morocco' (1945) , 'The Hasty Heart' (1949), 'BBC Sunday-Night Theatre' (1950), 'Where No Vultures Fly' (1951), 'Simba' (1955) among others. Orlando Martins in  'Killers of Kilimanjaro' (1959) [Twitter @thepaorlando] Orlando Martins in 'Killers of Kilimanjaro' (1959) [Twitter @thepaorlando] By the 1940s, Orlando was already a famous actor with a 1945 poll listing him among England's top 15 favourite actors. He moved back to Lagos in 1959 where he promptly took to stage performances featuring in notable stage plays including the stage adaption of Wole Soyinka's 'Kongi's Harvest' . Martins' final film role was in the film adaptation of Chinua Achebe's 'Things Fall Apart'. Pa Orlando Martins died in Lagos on September 25, 1985 at 85. Orlando Martins was the first Nigerian Hollywood star, and also one of England’s most prominent and leading black actors back in the days Orlando Martins was born on the 8th of December 1899 and died on the 25th September of 1985 at the age of 85. He was a pioneering Nigerian film and stage actor. In the late 1940s, he was one of England’s most prominent and leading black actors, and in a poll conducted in 1947, he was listed among England’s top 15 favourite actors. Orlando Martins acted with actors who later became Presidents of their countries such as Ronald Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004), the 40th President of the United States (1981–1989) The Hasty Heart, a 1949 Anglo-American co-production directed by Vincent Sherman, playing “Blossom” the African soldier in Burma and played the role of “Klova” with Jomo Kenyatta (Prime Minister and the founding father of the Kenyan nation) in “Sanders of the River”. Martins was born into a family of Ijebu and Amaro (Brazilian emancipado) descent. His parents and grandparents were steeped in the sometimes harmonious, sometimes conflicting traditional and cosmopolitan lifestyle of colonial Lagos. His father was a civil servant and part of the educated elites of that era, while his grandmother belonged to the legion of Lagos’ itinerant market women. Orlando Martins was enrolled in Eko Boys High School in 1913, obviously to be groomed in his father’s career path but he dropped out on account of his grandmother’s business losses while travelling through German-controlled West African territory during WWI. He worked briefly as a bookkeeper with a French produce-buying firm before he left Lagos in 1917 as a stoker on a merchant ship. He began acting on stage in London of the interwar years during which he joined a circus in 1919, where he worked as extra in a ballet company and in 1920s silent films. He was also a singer in the Mississippi chorus of the Theatre Royal production, Show Boat, in the 1930s. In 1923, Sanger’s Circus wanted to have someone to display pythons, Martins took the part starting his performing career in the circus. He also worked as a wrestler (known as “Black Butcher Johnson”He made one of his most enduring career relationship around this time when he appeared on stage with Paul Robeson in Stevedore (1935) and Toussaint L’Ouverture (1936). He first met Robeson on the set of Sanders of the River in which the great American tenor played Mosambo, the lead character. Orlando and Jomo Kenyatta, the man who became the first president of independent Kenya, were both cast as extras in the film. In 1948, a review of Orlando Martins’ roles in the films ‘The Man from Morocco and Man from Two Worlds’ described the actor as “a tall, powerful figure of a man with a deep bass voice, friendly, hospitable and with a grand sense of humour.” The two film roles for which Orlando Martins received the review were shot after WW II when he was arguably the best known black character actor in Britain. The role of Moghale, the influential witch doctor in Man from Two Worlds endeared him to the film going public but it did not improve his career prospects significantly. The character portrayed a friendly African native, the typical typecast of black actors as exotic, two-dimensional backdrop for white settlers, missionaries or adventurers. There were lots of exchanges and collaborations between European and Hollywood film makers at this time and Orlando struggled to secure realistic and challenging roles. Orlando Martins was part of a group of UK-based black entertainers who tried to form a Foundation for Negro Theatre in London. Their mission was to provide a forum to show the breadth of talents in the black community but the foundation never took off. Orlando did get other employment on stage and screen in Hollywood and London. He played Blossom, a Basuto warrior on the stage and screen production of Hasty Heart. The screen version starred Ronald Reagan, 40th president of the US. He appeared on the stage adaptation of Cry, the Beloved Country in London’s Trafalgar Square (1954), and The Member of the Wedding at the Royal Court (1957).   Orlando Martins’ second television role was the character John Kuma   lo in Cry, the Beloved Country (ITV, 1958), before that he played the runaway slave, Jim, in BBC’s Huckleberry Finn (1952). The 1950s was probably his most productive decade. In addition to stage and television, Orlando was typecast in no less than ten films including ‘Where no Vultures fly’ (1951), ‘The Heart of the Matter’ (1954), ‘West of Zanzibar’ (1954), ‘Simba’ (1955), ‘Safari’ (1956), ‘Tarzan and the lost Safari’ (1957) and The Nun’s story (1959) which starred Audrey Hepburn and many more. He returned to Lagos in 1959 on the eve of Nigeria’s independence and went into semi-retirement. He accepted only film roles in the 1960s and was more selective about the characters he chooses to play. He played the character of tribal chief in three films, ‘Mister Moses’ (1965), ‘Call Me Bwana’ (1963) and ‘Killers of Kilimanjaro’ (1960). Martins embarked on the last phase of his acting career in 1970, he took what was probably the most dignified character he ever played when he was cast as Dr. Gbenga in the screen production of ‘Kongi’s Harvest’. It had the reputation of being the first all-Nigerian feature film but it was a box office disaster. That did not stop Orlando from working on another all-Nigeria production, the film version of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart (1971). Martins’ stage, screen and television portfolio made him one of the most recognized name and face in entertainment at this point in his career. In spite of the limited range of character portrayals, he was severally honoured in all the places he called home. In 1970, he became one of the first black actors recognized for his contribution to British films, he was awarded honourary life membership of the British Actors’ Equity Association. In 1982, Orlando was one of the honorees who received Nigeria’s national awards, he was recognized with the medal of Membership of the Order of the Niger (MON). Not to be outdone, the government of Lagos, his home state, made him an advisory member of Lagos State Arts Council, the executive body in charge of all cultural activities and infrastructures in the state. He held that position till he passed on in 1985, after which the State founded the Orlando Martins Awards in his honour. Who was Orlando Martins? Orlando Martins was an actor born in 1899 and died in 1985 in Lagos, Nigeria. Orlando Martins was an actor who had a successful Hollywood career. Martins began his acting career appearing in various films, such as the adventure “Sanders of the River” (1935) with Leslie Banks, “The Hasty Heart” (1950) with Ronald Reagan and the Trevor Howard drama “The Heart of the Matter” (1954). He also appeared in the action flick “Simba” (1955) with Dirk Bogarde and “West of Zanzibar” (1955). He continued to act in productions like the Victor Mature action film “Safari” (1956), the Tyrone Power adventure “Abandon Ship!” (1957) and “Sapphire” (1959) with Nigel Patrick. He also appeared in the Audrey Hepburn dramatic adaptation “The Nun’s Story” (1959). Nearing the end of his career, he continued to act in “Killers of Kilimanjaro” (1960) with Robert Taylor, the comedy adventure “Call Me Bwana” (1963) with Bob Hope and the dramatic adaptation “Sammy Going South” (1963) with Edward G Robinson. He also appeared in the dramatic adaptation “Mister Moses” (1965) with Robert Mitchum. Martins last acted in the Wole Soyinka comedic adaptation “Kongi’s Harvest” (1973). Martins passed away in September 1985 at the age of 86. Orlando Martins acted with actors who later became Presidents of their countries such as Ronald Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004), the 40th President of the United States (1981–1989) in “The Hasty Heart” a 1949 Anglo-American co-production directed by Vincent Sherman, playing “Blossom” the African soldier in Burma and played the role of “Klova” with Jomo Kenyatta (1889 – 22 August 1978) in “Sanders of the River”. He has made immeasurable contributions to the motion picture industry and made an impact on the cinema screen that is yet to be surpassed by any other Africa actor. His name is synonymous with the big screen itself, dating back to the early days of the silent movies. This site is about a person who is very close to my heart i.e.  my grand-uncle, Mr Orlando Martins, one of the very first black actors, born in 1899 who as a young man left Nigeria for the UK and starred in films with other actors i.e.  President Ronald Reagan , Audrey Hepburn.  Unfortunately he has not received the recognition I believe he deserves. He lived in an era where black african actors were not given the credit they deserved as is shown on the film credits where his name is mentioned in small prints. In most of his films, he played African characters where he did not get to speak much. I am dedicating this blog to his memory. I am hoping to create a website for him very soon. However, its best to start by creating a blog for his memory and then hopefully look to move it to a bigger space.  I have been thinking about creating this page for some time. Its best I start now, start filling it up with content and data about him with a short term view of creating a dedicated website to his memory.   There are a lot of films I have seen on him in YouTube e.g. Hasty Heart, The Nun’s Story, Kongi’s Harvest ( naming a few!). He was regarded as the first world acclaimed African film actor. This was not a simple feat in those days and the world needs to be reminded of the legacy he created and left behind which is now being enjoyed by many African actors today. He has paved the way for future Black actors. Just as Orlando was full of self-pity for his penniless situation, one problem after the other befell him. He caught pneumonia and was hospitalised for about six months. His ordeal at the hospital was a horrible one as the two doctors who were supposed to treat him looked at him with contempt and said. “this Nigger would die in twenty minutes”. This was his first baptism into racial prejudice. The patient who was in the next bed to him was also an African who was recovering from a bout of pneumonia. He was being visited by a priest. Orlando watched as the African patient was given a liquid medicine in a blue glass. As he took it, the man cried in agony and shouted “Iya mi O!” which showed that he was a Yoruba man, same tribe as Orlando. After a few hours, his bed was screened off and he was wheeled away. After seeing this, Orlando made up his mind not to drink any medicine brought to him in a blue glass. Though his condition was bad, he had made up his mind and kept saying to himself, repeating several times, “I must not die, I must see my mother”. Another noteworthy experience he encountered whilst at the hospital was the change in routine. A matron usually applied morphine injection to alleviate his pain. This matron was redeployed elsewhere and the other nurse assigned to him pierced his nerves with the morphine injections. Because of this pain, Orlando unconsciously kicked her whilst she was administering the injection and she fell to the floor. After this incident, Orlando was given an injection that put him to sleep and he woke up the next morning to find himself in a strait jacket with his arms and legs tied to the bed. A few days later, he was discharged and sent to a convalescence home which provided him with temporary accommodation.  Orlando had spent a few weeks in the home when the first opportunity of stage acting opened to him. This was in 1920. The Diaghilev ballet, made up of Russian ballerinas led by the world-famous Anna Pavlova had just arrived in London to perform for a season. As news went around that they wanted to recruit three black people. Orlando applied and got the role. Orlando and the other black actors were dressed as Nubian slaves. They were escorted to the stage when they saw the girls doing the split. The ballerinas had on skin tight dresses which showed their near naked appearance on the stage. This shocked Orlando as he had never seen girls dressed in tights before.  He initially found it difficult carrying the ballerinas whilst on stage as he thought they were naked.      It was after the impresssario managed to convince him that the girls were not naked, by pulling on one of the tights, he was able to perform on stage. Orlando says he hated the playing the part of a Nubian slave. However, he was young, hungry and had no other choice. After a few stage performances in England, the ballerinas left for Russia and Orlando became jobless again for a while before he got work as a kitchen porter and later as a truck pusher at a train station.  By 1922, Orlando was unemployed and penniless and his next job was that of a snake charmer. He heard the news that a circus management wanted to recruit people to handle snakes. His job was to jog, charm and display the huge python snake with the Lord John Sangers Circus. During the circus show, Orlando mounted on an elephant’s neck and was given a wagon, a canvass bed and snakes. He was booked for a daily performance at every town. When the audience was fully seated, Orlando would appear majestically on his elephant’s neck dressed in a red velvet robe, adorned with gold fringes and a black tie to match. He would ride the elephant into the circus arena covered in saw dust. Then the elephant would kneel for him to dismount. He would then take the snakes and wound it round his neck and repeat the performance again. He also had a shaving scene with a clown called “Pinpow” who would dip a giant brush into a big bucket of water and soap, then brush Orlando’s face. The elephant would clean it by using its trunk to spread water on his face. The snake charming role took Orlando to Scotland, Wales and other parts of England. However, it was not all smiles and laughter all the time. There were occasions when one of the snakes could go wild and bite Orlando. Orlando Martins (8 December 1899 – 25 September 1985) was a pioneering Yoruba Nigerian film and stage actor[1][2] In the late 1940s, he was one of Britain's most prominent and leading black actors,[3] and in a poll conducted in 1947, he was listed among Britain's top 15 favourite actors.[4] Contents 1 Life 2 Career 3 Filmography 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External links Life Martins was born in Lagos, Nigeria, to a Brazilian civil servant father and a Nigerian mother.[citation needed] He was related to the Benjamin Epega family. In 1913 he was enrolled in Eko Boys High School but dropped out.[5] During World War I he served as a stoker on the RMS Mauretania to avenge German cruelty to his family. Following the end of the war, he moved to London; on arrival in 1919 he had no source of income and had to look for ways to earn money. Around the same time, the Lyceum Theatre was looking for "supers" at the rate of three shillings per day. Martins joined the theatre and from there took on various theatre jobs to survive. In 1923, Sanger's Circus wanted to have someone to display pythons, Martins took the part starting his performing career in the circus. He also worked as a wrestler (known as "Black Butcher Johnson").[6] Career In 1920, Martins was an extra acting with the Diaghilev ballet company, and was on the tour with the British company of Show Boat as a professional singer. He was an extra in silent films, having made his debut in If Youth But Knew (1926).[6] In the 1930s he went into acting on the London stage,playing Boukman in Toussaint Louverture - The story of the only successful slave revolt in history, a 1936 drama by C. L. R. James that starred the legendary Paul Robeson,[7] with whom Martins had featured in the 1935 film Sanders of the River.[8] After the war, Martins had films roles in The Man from Morocco (1945) and in Men of Two Worlds (1946), alongside Robert Adams, becoming a sought-after character actor who was described by Peter Noble in 1948 as "a tall, powerful figure of a man with a deep bass voice, friendly, hospitable and with a grand sense of humour."[6] Noble went on to say of Martins: "He is keenly interested in the foundation of a Negro Theatre in London. As he points out: 'If this ever comes into being it will mean not only that Negro talent in every theatre can be shown to the world, but a continuity of employment for this talent which is now going sadly to waste.'"[9] He appears in the 1949 film The Hasty Heart (starring Ronald Reagan and Patricia Neal) playing the African warrior Blossom, which role Martins also undertook in the stage production.[5] In the 1950s he made other appearances on the London stage, including in adaptations of Cry, the Beloved Country (Trafalgar Square Theatre, 1954), and The Member of the Wedding (Royal Court Theatre, 1957), before returning to Lagos in 1959.[5] He subsequently took roles in such films as Killers of Kilimanjaro (1960), Call Me Bwana (1963), Mister Moses (1965), and Kongi's Harvest (1970, Wole Soyinka's adaptation of his play of the same name). Martins died in 1985 at the age of 85 in Lagos, where he was buried at Ikoyi Cemetery.[6] Filmography Year Title Role Notes 1935 Sanders of the River Klova Uncredited 1937 The Green Cockatoo Uncredited 1945 The Man from Morocco Jeremiah 1946 Men of Two Worlds Magole 1947 The End of the River Harrigan 1949 The Hasty Heart Blossom 1954 West of Zanzibar M'Kwongi 1953 The Heart of the Matter Rev. Clay Uncredited 1954 West of Zanzibar M'Kwongwi 1955 Simba Headman 1956 Safari Jerusalem 1957 Abandon Ship Sam Holly 1957 Tarzan and the Lost Safari Chief Ogonooro 1958 The Naked Earth Tall Bearer 1959 Sapphire Barman 1959 The Nun's Story Kalulu 1960 Killers of Kilimanjaro Chief 1963 Sammy Going South Abu Lubaba 1963 Call Me Bwana Chief 1965 Mister Moses Chief 1970 Kongi's Harvest Dr. Gbenga 1971 Things Fall Apart Obierka (final film role) Lagos (Nigerian English: /ˈleɪɡɒs/;[9] Yoruba: Èkó) is the largest city in Nigeria and the second most populous city in Africa,[10][11] with a population of 15.3 million as of 2015 within the city proper. It was the national capital of Nigeria until December 1991 before the government decided to move their capital to Abuja in the centre of the country. The Lagos metropolitan area has a total population of roughly 23.5 million as of 2018, making it the largest metropolitan area in Africa. Lagos is a major African financial centre and is the economic hub of Lagos State and Nigeria at large. The city has been described as the cultural, financial, and entertainment capital of Africa, and is a significant influence on commerce, entertainment, technology, education, politics, tourism, art, fashion. Lagos is also among the top ten of the world's fastest-growing cities and urban areas.[19][20] The megacity has the fourth-highest GDP in Africa[21][2] and houses one of the largest and busiest seaports on the continent.[22][23][24] The Lagos metropolitan area is a major educational and cultural centre in Sub Saharan Africa.[25] Lagos initially emerged as a home to the Awori subgroup of the Yoruba of West Africa and later emerged as a port city that originated on a collection of islands, which are contained in the present day Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Lagos Island, Eti-Osa, Amuwo-Odofin and Apapa. The islands are separated by creeks, fringing the southwest mouth of Lagos Lagoon, while being protected from the Atlantic Ocean by barrier islands and long sand spits such as Bar Beach, which stretch up to 100 km (62 mi) east and west of the mouth. Due to rapid urbanization, the city expanded to the west of the lagoon to include areas in the present day Lagos Mainland, Ajeromi-Ifelodun and Surulere. This led to the classification of Lagos into two main areas: the Island, which was the original city of Lagos, and the Mainland, which it has since expanded into.[26] This city area was governed directly by the Federal Government through the Lagos City Council, until the creation of Lagos State in 1967, which led to the splitting of Lagos city into the present day seven Local Government Areas (LGAs), and an addition of other towns (which now make up 13 LGAs) from the then Western Region to form the state.[27] However, the state capital was later moved to Ikeja in 1976,[28] and the federal capital moved to Abuja in 1991. Even though Lagos is still widely referred to as a city, the present-day Lagos, also known as "Metropolitan Lagos", and officially as "Lagos Metropolitan Area"[29][30][31] is an urban agglomeration or conurbation,[32] consisting of 16 LGAs including Ikeja, the state capital of Lagos State.[2][33] This conurbation makes up 37% of Lagos State total land area, but houses about 85% of the state's total population.[2][27][34] The exact population of Metropolitan Lagos is disputed.[35] In the 2006 federal census data, the conurbation had a population of about 8 million people.[36] However, the figure was disputed by the Lagos State Government, which later released its own population data, putting the population of Lagos Metropolitan Area at approximately 16 million.[note 1] As of 2015, unofficial figures put the population of "Greater Metropolitan Lagos", which includes Lagos and its surrounding metro area, extending as far as into Ogun State, at approximately 21 million.[1][27][37][38] Contents 1 History 2 Geography 2.1 Cityscape 2.1.1 Island 2.1.1.1 Lagos Island 2.1.1.2 Ikoyi 2.1.1.3 Victoria Island 2.1.1.4 Iddo 2.1.2 Mainland 3 Climate 4 Demographics 4.1 Census data for Lagos 5 Economy 5.1 Ports 5.2 Entertainment industry and media 5.3 Lekki Free Trade Zone 5.4 Oil refinery 5.5 Software companies 5.6 Automotive Industry 5.7 Social situation 6 Culture 6.1 Music and film industry 7 Parks and squares 8 Sports 9 Tourism 9.1 Cuisine 10 Education 10.1 Vocational schools 10.2 Polytechnics 10.3 Universities 11 Healthcare 12 Transportation 12.1 Highways 12.2 Local public transport 12.2.1 City buses 12.2.2 Suburban rail 12.2.3 Rail transport 12.2.4 Shared cabs 12.2.5 Ferries 12.3 Air traffic 13 Notable people 13.1 Business 13.2 Politicians and rulers 13.3 Sports 13.4 Other 14 Twin towns – sister cities 15 See also 16 Notes 17 References 18 Further reading 19 External links History Main articles: History of Lagos and Timeline of Lagos Aerial view of Lagos in 1929 Lagos was originally inhabited by the Awori subgroup of the Yoruba people in the 15th century.[17][39][40][5] [41]The Awori moved to an island now called Iddo and then to the larger Lagos Island.[42][43] In the 16th century, the Awori settlement spread to the Benin and Benin became a war-camp called "Ile Ibinu" under the Oba at the time.[44][45] Eko is still the native name for Lagos.[46] Lagos (Portuguese for "lakes") was a name given to the settlement by the Portuguese. Throughout history, it was home to a number of warring ethnic Yoruba groups who had settled in the area. Following its early settlement by the Awori nobility, the state first came to the attention of the Portuguese in the 15th century.[47] Portuguese explorer Rui de Sequeira visited the area in 1472, naming the area around the city Lago de Curamo, which means Lake of Curamo. In Britain's early 19th century fight against the transatlantic slave trade, its West Africa Squadron or Preventative Squadron as it was also known, continued to pursue Portuguese, American, French and Cuban slave ships and to impose anti-slavery treaties with West African coastal chiefs with so much doggedness that they created a strong presence along the West African coast from Sierra Leone all the way to the Niger Delta (today's Nigeria) and as far south as Congo.[48] In 1849, Britain appointed John Beecroft Consul of the Bights of Benin and Biafra, a position he held (along with his governorship of Fernando Po) until his death in 1854.[49] John Duncan was appointed Vice Consul and was located at Wydah.[50] At the time of Beecroft's appointment, the Kingdom of Lagos (under Oba Kosoko) was in the western part of the Consulate of the Bights of Benin and Biafra and was a key slave trading port.[51] In 1851 and with pressure from liberated slaves who now wielded political and business influence, Britain intervened in Lagos in what is now known as the Bombardment of Lagos or Capture of Lagos[51][52] resulting in the installation of Oba Akitoye and the ouster of Oba Kosoko. Oba Akitoye then signed the Treaty between Great Britain and Lagos abolishing slavery. The signing of the 1852 treaty ushered in the Consular Period in Lagos' history wherein Britain provided military protection for Lagos.[53][54] Following threats from Kosoko and the French who were positioned at Wydah, a decision was made by Lord Palmerston (British Prime Minister) who noted in 1861, "the expediency of losing no time in assuming the formal Protectorate of Lagos".[55] William McCoskry, the Acting Consul in Lagos with Commander Bedingfield convened a meeting with Oba Dosunmu on 30 July 1861 aboard HMS Prometheus where Britain's intent was explained and a response to the terms were required by August 1861. Dosunmu resisted the terms of the treaty but under the threat to unleash a bombardment on Lagos by Commander Bedingfield, Dosunmu relented and signed the Lagos Treaty of Cession on 6 August 1861.[52][56][57] Map of Lagos' initial city boundaries, showing its contemporary districts. This definition is rarely used in the present day; the expanded metropolitan area is now a more accepted definition of Lagos. Lagos was declared a colony on 5 March 1862. The remainder of modern-day Nigeria was seized in 1887, and when the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria was established in 1914, Lagos became its capital, continuing as such after the country's independence from Britain in 1960. Along with migrants from all over Nigeria and other West African nations were the returnee ex-slaves known as Creoles, who came from Freetown, Sierra Leone, Brazil and the West Indies to Lagos. The Creoles contributed to Lagos' modernisation and their knowledge of Portuguese architecture can still be seen from the architecture on Lagos Island. Since the 19th century, Lagos gradually transformed to a melting pot of Africans and Europeans.[58][59][5][60] Railway links and telephone cables connecting Lagos to London had been established by 1886.[61][62][63] Electric street lighting was introduced in the city in 1898.[44][64] Lagos experienced rapid growth throughout the 1960s and 1970s as a result of Nigeria's economic boom.[65] Before the creation of Lagos State on 27 May 1967, Lagos, which was the country's capital had been administered directly by the Federal Government as a Federal Territory through the Federal Ministry of Lagos Affairs, while the Lagos City Council (LCC) governed the city.[27] Lagos, along with the towns from the then Western region (Ikeja, Agege, Mushin, Ikorodu, Epe and Badagry), were eventually captured to create Lagos State.[27] Lagos city was split into the present day seven Local Government Areas (LGAs), while the other towns now make up 13 LGAs in the state. Lagos played the dual role of being the State and Federal Capital until 1976 when the state capital was moved to Ikeja. Lagos was adversely affected during Nigeria's military rule.[66] Also, on 12 December 1991, the seat of the Federal Government was also formally relocated to Abuja. However, Lagos remains the financial centre of the country, and also grew to become the most populous conurbation in the country.[27] Geography Lagos is loosely classified into two main geographical areas—the "Island" and the "Mainland". Cityscape Main article: Architecture of Lagos Lekki Conservation Centre canopy walk Lagos has the tallest skyline in Nigeria. The architectural styles in Lagos are diverse and range from tropical and vernacular to colonial European and ultramodern buildings or a mixture. Brazilian style architecture brought by the creoles is evident in buildings such as Water House and Shitta Bey Mosque.[67][68][69] Skyscrapers and most high rise buildings are centered on the islands, while the mainland has some high rise buildings.[70] In recent years, the Lagos State government has renovated existing parks and green areas, with a long-term goal of expansion. Many good quality buildings are interspersed across the city.[71][72][73][74][75] Island The Island is a loose geographical term that is used to define the area of Lagos that is separated from the "mainland" by the main channel draining the lagoon into the Atlantic Ocean, which forms Lagos Harbour. The Island is mainly a collection of islands that are separated from each other by creeks of varying sizes and are connected by bridges. The smaller sections of some creeks have been dredged and built over. This part of Lagos is the area where most business activities and entertainment events in Lagos take place. It also houses most of the upscale residential areas in Lagos. The local government areas (LGAs) that are considered to be in the Island include Lagos Island and Eti-Osa. The major upscale island neighbourhoods within these LGAs include Ikoyi and Victoria Island. Three major bridges join the island to the mainland. They are the Carter Bridge, which starts from Iddo; the Eko Bridge (formerly called the Second Mainland Bridge); and the Third Mainland Bridge, which passes through densely populated mainland suburbs to the Lagos Lagoon. The Ikoyi link bridge links Ikoyi and Lekki Phase 1, both of which are part of the Island.[76] Construction on the Fourth Mainland Bridge will commence in 2022, according to Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.[77][78] Lagos Island Main article: Lagos Island Lagos Marina Lagos Island contains a central business district.[79] This district is characterized by high-rise buildings. The island also contains many of the city's largest wholesale marketplaces (such as the popular Idumota and Balogun Markets).[80] It also has the National Museum of Nigeria, the Central Mosque, the Glover Memorial Hall, Christ's Church Cathedral (CMS) and the Oba's Palace (Iga Idunganran).[81] Another major part of Lagos Island is Marina. It borders around the idumota and Balogun markets and houses major Banking institutions. Though formerly in a derelict condition, Lagos Island's Tinubu Square is a site of historical importance; it was here that the Amalgamation Ceremony that unified the North and South protectorate to form Nigeria took place in 1914. Ikoyi Main article: Ikoyi Aerial view of Ikoyi Ikoyi is situated on the eastern half of Lagos Island and joined to it by a landfill.[82][83] Ikoyi is also connected to Victoria Island by Falomo bridge, which carries the main road over Five Cowrie creek.[84] Ikoyi housed the headquarters of the federal government of Nigeria and other buildings owned by the government, including the old federal secretariat complex. The complex today is on reestablishment.[85] In Ikoyi there are military and police barracks, a top-security prison and a federal high court of Nigeria. Ikoyi also has a number of hotels, night clubs, a recreational park and one of Africa's largest golf courses. Originally a middle class neighbourhood, in recent years, it has become a fashionable residential enclave for the upper middle class to the upper class. There are also commercial activities in Ikoyi, which is spotted in an increasing number of offices, banks, and shopping complexes. The commercial section is concentrated in the South-West. Victoria Island Main article: Victoria Island (Nigeria) Victoria Island Civic Towers, Victoria Island, Lagos Victoria Island with its annexe is situated to the south of Lagos Island and known with a zip code of 101241[86] as assigned by NIPOST.[65] It has expensive real estate properties and for that reason, many new luxury condos and apartments are blooming up everywhere. Along with Ikoyi, Victoria Island occupies a major area in Lagos that boasts of several sizeable shopping districts. On its sea shore along the Atlantic front, there is environmentally reconstructed Bar Beach. Ajah/Lekki The Lekki Peninsula shares some prestige with its Ikoyi and Victoria Island neighbours. Development has stretched the piece of land further such that the Ibeju axis, though closer to Epe (which is literally on the outskirts of Lagos) is almost always described as part of Lekki. The expanse of land starts from the Lekki toll gate, which was the focal stage of the famous #EndSars protest in October 2019, and ends in Ibeju-Lekki and boasts of communities slowly inching their way to suburb status such as Ajah, Awoyaya, Sangotedo, Abijo and Eputu. There's quite a bit of places to see – the Lekki Conservation Centre; The Novare Mall; The Lekki Free Trade Zone – Dangote, Africa's richest man is building his refinery in this FTZ; Lagos Business School; Eleko Beach; Elegushi Beach; La Campaigne Tropicana – a beach/tourist getaway, Pan-Atlantic University. The area even boasts of a Catholic monastery. Iddo Across the main channel of the lagoon from Lagos Island, there is a smaller settlement called Iddo. Iddo is also a railroad terminus and it is now situated in the Lagos Mainland local government area after it was connected to the mainland like a peninsula.[87] Mainland A huge population of Lagosians also live on the Lagos mainland, and most industries are located there. The mainland is known for its music and nightlife, which used to be located in areas around Yaba and Surulere. However, in recent years more night clubs have sprung up on the Island, making the Island (particularly Victoria Island, Ikate and Lekki Phase 1) the main nightlife attractions. Mainland LGAs include Surulere, Apapa, and Lagos Mainland. Metropolitan Lagos suburban LGAs include: Agege, Amuwo Odofin, Mushin, Oshodi-Isolo and Ikeja (site of Murtala Muhammed International Airport and the capital of Lagos State). Major areas on the mainland include Ebute Metta, Yaba and Ejigbo. Some rivers, like Badagry Creek, flow parallel to the coast for some distance before exiting through the sand bars to the sea. Main article: Sunset from Oshodi, Lagos, Nigeria Climate Lagos experiences a tropical savanna climate (Aw) according to the Köppen climate classification, as there are four months under 60 mm or 2.4 in of rain, and annual rainfall is not nearly high enough for tropical monsoon classification. The wet season starts in March and ends in October, while the dry season starts in November and ends in February. The wettest month is June with precipitation total 315.5 mm or 12.42 in, while the driest month is January with precipitation total 13.2 mm or 0.52 in. Located near the equator, Lagos has only a slight seasonal temperature variation, with mean high temperatures ranging from 28.3 to 32.9 °C (82.9 to 91.2 °F). Lagos shares the seasons of the Southern Hemisphere, with highest temperatures in March with a daily range from 32.9 to 24.1 °C (91.2 to 75.4 °F), and least hot temperatures in August ranging from 28.3 to 21.8 °C (82.9 to 71.2 °F). Climate data for Lagos (Murtala Muhammed International Airport) 1961–1990, extremes: 1886–present Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Record high °C (°F) 40.0 (104.0) 37.1 (98.8) 37.0 (98.6) 39.6 (103.3) 37.0 (98.6) 37.6 (99.7) 33.2 (91.8) 33.0 (91.4) 33.2 (91.8) 33.7 (92.7) 39.9 (103.8) 36.4 (97.5) 40.0 (104.0) Average high °C (°F) 32.2 (90.0) 33.2 (91.8) 32.9 (91.2) 32.2 (90.0) 30.9 (87.6) 29.3 (84.7) 28.2 (82.8) 28.3 (82.9) 28.9 (84.0) 30.3 (86.5) 31.4 (88.5) 31.8 (89.2) 30.8 (87.4) Daily mean °C (°F) 27.3 (81.1) 28.4 (83.1) 28.5 (83.3) 28.0 (82.4) 27.0 (80.6) 25.6 (78.1) 25.2 (77.4) 25.0 (77.0) 25.5 (77.9) 26.4 (79.5) 27.2 (81.0) 27.2 (81.0) 26.8 (80.2) Average low °C (°F) 22.4 (72.3) 23.7 (74.7) 24.1 (75.4) 23.7 (74.7) 23.2 (73.8) 21.9 (71.4) 22.3 (72.1) 21.8 (71.2) 22.1 (71.8) 22.4 (72.3) 23.0 (73.4) 22.5 (72.5) 22.8 (73.0) Record low °C (°F) 12.6 (54.7) 16.1 (61.0) 14.0 (57.2) 14.9 (58.8) 20.0 (68.0) 21.2 (70.2) 15.0 (59.0) 19.0 (66.2) 13.0 (55.4) 17.9 (64.2) 11.1 (52.0) 11.6 (52.9) 11.1 (52.0) Average precipitation mm (inches) 13.2 (0.52) 40.6 (1.60) 84.3 (3.32) 146.3 (5.76) 202.4 (7.97) 315.5 (12.42) 243.0 (9.57) 121.7 (4.79) 160.0 (6.30) 125.1 (4.93) 39.7 (1.56) 14.8 (0.58) 1,506.6 (59.31) Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 1.5 2.8 6.6 9.0 12.5 16.2 13.2 11.6 12.7 11.2 4.9 2.1 104.3 Average relative humidity (%) 81 79 76 82 84 87 87 85 86 87 84 82 83 Average dew point °C (°F) 21 (70) 24 (75) 25 (77) 25 (77) 24 (75) 24 (75) 23 (73) 23 (73) 24 (75) 24 (75) 24 (75) 23 (73) 24 (74) Mean monthly sunshine hours 164.3 168.0 173.6 180.0 176.7 114.0 99.2 108.5 114.0 167.4 186.0 192.2 1,843.9 Mean daily sunshine hours 5.3 6.1 5.6 6.0 5.7 3.8 3.2 3.5 3.8 5.4 6.2 6.2 5.1 Source 1: Deutscher Wetterdienst (humidity, 1952–1967),[88] NOAA (monthly sun hours)[89] Source 2: Meteo Climat (record highs and lows)[90] Time and Date (dewpoints, 2005-2015)[91] Weather Atlas (daily sun hours)[92] Demographics In terms of administration, Lagos is not a single municipality and therefore has no overall city administration.[93] The geographical city limits of Metropolitan Lagos comprise 16 of the 20 Local Government Areas of Lagos State. The latter entity provides overall government for the metropolitan region. The former Municipality of Lagos, which covered Lagos Island, Ikoyi, and Victoria Island as well as some mainland territory, was managed by the Lagos City Council (LCC), but it was disbanded in 1976 and divided into several Local Government Areas (most notably Lagos Island LGA, Lagos Mainland LGA and Eti-Osa LGA).[94] The mainland beyond the Municipality of Lagos, on the other hand, included several separate towns and settlements such as Mushin, Ikeja and Agege. In the wake of the 1970s Nigerian oil boom, Lagos experienced a population explosion, untamed economic growth, and unmitigated rural migration. This caused the outlying towns and settlements to develop rapidly, thus forming the present day "Lagos Metropolitan Area", also known as "Metropolitan Lagos". The history of Lagos is still evidenced in the layout of the LGAs that display the unique identities of the cultures that created them. By 2006, the metro area around Lagos had extended beyond Lagos State's boundaries and attained a megacity status. This much larger area is referred to as "Greater Metropolitan Lagos" or "Lagos Megacity Region", which is a continuous built up land area of an additional 1,535.4 square kilometres (592.8 square miles), in LGAs situated next to Lagos's eastern and western city limits in Lagos State, and also beyond its northern limits, spilling into some LGAs in adjoining Ogun State. Ogun State LGAs that have become part of Greater Metropolitan Lagos include Obafemi Owode, Sagamu, Ifo, Ado-Odo/Ota and part of Ewekoro.[38] The 16 LGAs of Metropolitan Lagos Local Government Area Land area[95] (in km2) Population[36] (2006 Census) Density (inh. per km2) Agege 17 459,939 41,071 Ajeromi-Ifelodun 13.9 684,105 55,474 Alimosho 137.8 1,277,714 6,899 Amuwo-Odofin 179.1 318,166 2,364 Apapa 38.5 217,362 8,153 Eti-Osa 299.1 287,785 1,496 Ifako-Ijaiye 43 427,878 16,078 Ikeja 49.92 313,196 6,785 Kosofe 84.4 665,393 8,174 Lagos Island 9.26 209,437 24,182 Lagos Mainland 19.62 317,720 16,322 Mushin 14.05 633,009 36,213 Ojo 182 598,071 3,781 Oshodi-Isolo 41.98 621,509 13,886 Somolu 14.6 402,673 34,862 Surulere 27.05 503,975 21,912 Metropolitan Lagos 1,171.28 7,937,932 7,941 A map showing the 16 LGAs making up Lagos Metropolitan Area Today, the word Lagos most often refers to the urban area, called "Metropolitan Lagos" in Nigeria, which includes both the islands of the former municipality of Lagos and the mainland suburbs. Lagos State government is responsible for some of the utilities including roads and transportation, power, water, health and education. Metropolitan Lagos extends over 16 of the 20 LGAs of Lagos State, and contains about 85% of the population of Lagos State, including some semi-rural areas.[96] Lagos City has a considerable number of high-rise buildings that dominate its skyline. Most of the tall buildings are located in the downtown Central Business District. Lagos was formerly the capital city of Nigeria, but it has since been replaced by Abuja. Abuja officially became the capital of Nigeria on 12 December 1991, although the decision to move the federal capital had been made in now Act no. 6 of 1976. Lagos is also home to the High Court of the Lagos State Judiciary, housed in an old colonial building on Lagos Island.[97] Census data for Lagos Although the 2006 National Population Census of Nigeria credited the metropolitan area with a population figure of 7,937,932, the figure is at variance with some projections by the UN and other population agencies and groups worldwide. The population figure of Lagos State given by the Lagos State Government is 17,553,924. That figure was based on claimed conducted enumeration for social planning by the Lagos State Government "parallel census" and it believes that since the inhabitants of the metropolitan area of Lagos constitute 88% of the Lagos State population, the population of metropolitan Lagos is about 15.5 million.[98] A rejoinder to Lagos State Government views[99] concluded that Lagos State concealed the fact that the population projection, for Lagos Urban Agglomeration by the UN agencies had been revised downwards substantially as early as 2003. It failed to interpret the two most important and fairly representative and reliable secondary data sets already in public domain, the National Identity Card Scheme and the 2003 Voters Registration figures from INEC. The figures for 2007 Voters Registration by INEC were an act subsequent to the release of the provisional census results and comprehensively corroborate, vindicate and validate the population figures in no uncertain terms. According to the official results of the 2006 census, there were 8,048,430 inhabitants in Metropolitan Lagos.[36] This figure was lower than anticipated, and has created controversy in Nigeria. Lagos Island, the central Local Government Area and historic centre of Metropolitan Lagos, had a population of 212,700 at the 2006 Census.[100] Lagos market scene Authorities of Lagos State have attacked the results of the 2006 census, accusing the Nigerian National Population Commission of having undercounted the population of the state. This accusation is denied by the National Population Commission.[101][102] A study found that research carried out by Africapolis (the African subsidiary of e-Geopolis backed by the Agence française de développement), in addition to the cross-referencing of official figures with more scientific independent research concluded that the 2006 census figures for Lagos State of about 9 million were valid and that the state's own assessments are inflated.[103] Lagos is, by most estimates, one of the fastest-growing cities in the world.[104] Lagos is currently experiencing a population increase of about 275,000 persons per annum. In 1999 the United Nations predicted that the city's metropolitan area, which had only about 290,000 inhabitants in 1950, would exceed 20 million by 2010 and thus become one of the ten most populated cities in the world. There is a huge spectrum of wealth distribution among the people that reside in Lagos. It ranges from the very wealthy to the very poor. Lagos has attracted many young people and families seeking a better life from all other parts of Nigeria and beyond[66] and this has also contributed to its cosmopolitan status.[105][106][107][108][109] Historical population Year Pop. ±% 1950 325,218 —     1960 762,418 +134.4% 1970 1,413,528 +85.4% 1980 2,572,218 +82.0% 1990 4,764,093 +85.2% 2000 7,280,706 +52.8% 2010 10,441,182 +43.4% 2019 13,903,620 +33.2% source:[110] for Lagos Agglomeration Economy Apapa port The city of Lagos is a major economic focal point in Nigeria, generating around 10% of the country's GDP. Most commercial and financial business is carried out in the central business district situated on the island. This is also where most of the country's commercial banks, financial institutions and major corporations are headquartered. Lagos is also the major Information Communications and Telecommunications (ICT) hub of West Africa and potentially, the biggest ICT market in the continent.[111] [112]Lagos is developing a 24-hour economy.[113][114] Ports The Port of Lagos is Nigeria's leading port and one of the largest and busiest in Africa. Due to the large urban population, Lagos is categorized as a medium-port megacity using the Southampton System for port-city classification.[115] It is administered by the Nigerian Ports Authority. The following types of vessels regularly call at the port of Lagos: Fishing vessels (18%), container ships (14%), oil/chemical tankers (13%), bulk carriers (12%), offshore supply vessels (5%). The maximum length of vessels that have called at this port is 279 meters. The maximum draught is 13.5 m. The maximum carrying capacity is 113,306 t.[116][117] The port features a railhead. It is split into three main sections. The largest terminal is located in the Apapa district (Apapa Quays). This is where mainly general cargo is handled. Among other things, Apapa is home to a container port owned by the Danish company A. P. Møller-Mærsk, worth over one billion U.S. dollars. The next largest terminal is located on Tin Can Island.[118] Containers and bulk cargo are handled here. The storage capacity of the silos is 28,000 tons of grain transported by Fleetwood Transportation. The terminal handles wheat, corn and malt, and can receive about 4000 tons of grain daily. The port facilities can handle vessels with a capacity of about 30,000 tons. There is also a grain bagging facility on the site. Third is the Lagos oil port north of Apapa Quays. Entertainment industry and media Nollywood Filming Lagos is the center of the West African film, music, and TV industries. The film industry in the Surulere locality ranks second or third in the world, ahead of or behind Hollywood, depending on the survey.[119] PricewaterhouseCoopers Int. forecasts that the Nigerian entertainment industry will grow 85% to $15 billion.[120] Since the success of the Nigerian thriller "The Figurine", Nigerian film has increasingly turned to high quality productions that are also commercially successful. This, in turn, has led to consistently new box office revenue records in Nigeria (2009's "The Figurine," 2013's "Half of a Yellow Sun," 2016's "The Wedding Party").[121] Lekki Free Trade Zone Entrance of the Lekki Free Trade Zone Lekki Free Trade Zone (Lekki FTZ) is a free zone situated at the eastern part of Lekki, which covers a total area of about 155 square kilometres. The first phase of the zone has an area of 30 square kilometres, with about 27 square kilometres for urban construction purposes, which would accommodate a total resident population of 120,000. According to the Master Plan, the free zone will be developed into a new modern city within a city with integration of industries, commerce and business, real estate development, warehousing and logistics, tourism, and entertainment.[122] Lekki FTZ is divided into three functional districts; the residential district in the north, industrial district in the middle and commercial trading/warehousing & logistics district in the southeast. The "sub-centre" located in the south of the Zone is to be developed first. The region is close to the customs supervisory area, and it is mainly for commercial trading, logistics and warehousing operations. The second phase is located in the north of the Zone adjacent to E9 Road (Highway) which will serve as central business district of the free zone. The area along E2 Road will be developed for financial and commercial businesses, estate properties & supporting facilities, high-end production service industries and so on, which will link it to the sub-centre the Zone. The area along E4 Road will be utilized mainly for the development of logistics and industrial manufacturing/processing. A number of connection axes are also planned in-between the principal axis and the sub-axis, with multi-functional service nodes to serve the whole of Lekki FTZ.[122] Dangote Refinery is currently being built in the Lekki Free Zone. In the start-up area of the Lekki Free Trade Zone, there will be a Commercial & Logistics Park which will cover a total area of 1.5 square kilometres. The Park is planned to be multi-functional with the integration of commerce, trading, warehousing, and exhibition. According to the Site Plan of the park, large construction works will be built in the park, including the "international commodities & trade centre", the "international exhibition & conversation centre", industrial factory workshops, logistics warehouses, office buildings, hotels and residential apartment buildings, amongst others.[122] Oil refinery Construction of the Dangote Raffinerie Until now, paradoxically, oil exporter Nigeria had to import its oil derivatives (mainly gasoline) and oil processing by-products such as polypropylene. For this reason, the Dangote Group built an oil refinery in the Lekki district, which is expected to be operational in 2022 (as of December 2021).[123] Job advertisements for this were placed in November 2021.[124] The refinery is expected to process 650,000 barrels of oil per day when fully operational, and 327, 000 barrels of gasoline, 244,000 barrels of diesel, 56,000 barrels of aviation fuel, 800 megatons of propane, 2,500 megatons of polypropylene, and 100 megatons of sulfur.[125] 9,000 direct jobs and 25,000 indirect jobs will be created by the refinery.[126] Software companies Software companies in Lagos work mainly in the telecommunications, banking and education/employment services sectors. They are concentrated in the Lekki and Ikeja districts. MTN maintains the first and still predominant 4G network in Nigeria. Airtel is another 4G provider. 9Mobile and Dataflex are Internet providers. Flutterwave is in the virtual bank card business. Opay is a platform for online bookings. Paystack is used by Nigerians who regularly receive payments from abroad. Andela trains software engineers and places them in the Nigerian job market. ULesson maintains a platform on which secondary school learning content is presented. Hotels.ng allows hotel bookings to be made throughout Africa.[127][128][129][130] Automotive Industry Former Mercedes manager Oluwatobi Ajayi founded "Nord Automobiles Ltd" in the Sangotedo district in 2018. He benefited from the decline of the naira, which made importing vehicles unaffordable for many Nigerians. Nord has two assembly plants in Lagos: a 2,100 m2 plant in Sangotedo, where all eight models are currently assembled; the second 5,400 m2 plant in Epe is still under construction. Once completed, assembly of the models will be moved to the new plant, while component manufacturing will take place in Sangotedo. The company currently manufactures its own plastic parts and plans to add steel stamping in the future. "In the new plant, we could produce about 1,000 vehicles per month. But the market is not yet big enough to justify assembly on that scale. We've only been selling officially since September, and our orders are increasing by 20% to 30% per month," Ajayi adds. The company offers eight different models, with the 3-ton pickup, the Nord Tank, being the most popular. The others are the Nord Max (2.6-ton pickup), Nord A3 (sedan), Nord A5 (luxury SUV), Nord Flit minibus, Nord Yarn and Nord Tripper.[131] Social situation Oil export revenues have led to a general increase in prices and cost of living, making Lagos the most expensive city in Nigeria. Despite its oil wealth, long queues are commonplace at the country's gas stations due to gasoline shortages. Yet the city remains more or less functional, and rapid growth is producing intact infrastructures even without government intervention-despite what the West sees as a chaotic picture. Change and permeability characterize urban coexistence. One room is occupied by an average of four people, and life takes place primarily on the streets. During rush hour between the center and the residential areas, the main traffic routes are transformed into marketplaces. After improvements in living conditions, the 1990s with their economic and political crises led to mass impoverishment in Lagos as well. In a 2018 ranking of cities by quality of life, Lagos ranked 212th among 231 cities surveyed worldwide.[132] Lagos has been ranked as one of the most expensive cities in the world.[133][134][135][136][137][138] In some parts of Lagos, residents have one of the highest standards of living in Nigeria and in Africa.[139][140] At the same time, a sizable proportion of the residents live in slums without access to piped water and sanitation.[141][142][143][144][145] Culture Music and film industry Lagos is famous throughout Africa for its music scene. Lagos has a vibrant nightlife[114][146][147] and has given birth to a variety of styles such as Sakara music, Nigerian hip hop, highlife, juju, fuji and Afrobeats.[148] Lagos is the centre of the Nigerian movie industry, often referred to as 'Nollywood'. Idumota market on Lagos Island is the primary distribution centre. Many films are shot in the Festac area of Lagos, where the World Festival of Black Arts was held.[149] Iganmu is home to the primary centre for the performing arts and artistes in Nigeria: the National Arts Theatre. James Brown performed in Lagos in 1970.[150] With his band Wings, Paul McCartney recorded his fifth post-Beatles album, Band on the Run, in an EMI studio in Lagos in August and September 1973.[151] Other foreign musicians who have also performed in the city include Sean Paul, Snoop Dogg,[152] 50 Cent, Akon, Jarule, Ashanti, Usher, Shaggy,[153] R Kelly,[154] Cardi B, Migos especially during the Star Mega Jam; Shakira, John Legend, Boyz II Men,[155] T-Pain, Brian McKnight, JayZ,[156] Mary J. Blige,[157] Beyoncé, Brandy, Ciara, Keri Hilson and Lauryn Hill, among others.[158][159] Parks and squares Tree growing in Freedom Park Freedom Park is a memorial and leisure park area in the middle of downtown Lagos in Lagos Island, Nigeria which was formerly Her Majesty's Broad Street Prison. It was designed by the Architect Theo Lawson. The Park was constructed to preserve the history and cultural heritage of Nigerians. Monuments in the park reveal the Lagos colonial heritage and history of Her Majesty's Broad Street prisons. It was built to commemorate the 50th anniversary independence celebration in October, 2010. The Park serves as a National Memorial, a Historical landmark, a Cultural site, Arts and Recreation centre. The park, which is now a serene abode for individuals, visitors' collective contemplation and interaction is open to the public every day. Today, freedom park has become a venue for diverse social events and recreational entertainment.[160][161] Tinubu Square Tinubu Square (formerly Independence Square), is an open space landmark located in Broad Street, Lagos Island, Lagos State, Nigeria named after the Yoruba slave trader, merchant, and aristocrat Madam Efunroye Tinubu.[162] It used to be called Ita Tinubu[163] before it was named Independence Square by leaders of the First Nigerian Republic after Nigerian independence and subsequently Tinubu Square.[164] The Tafawa Balewa Square, (TBS) is a 14.5-hectare (35.8-acre) ceremonial ground (originally called "Race Course") in Lagos Island, Lagos.[165][166] The entrance to the square has gigantic sculptures of four white horses hovering above the gate and seven red eagles, which are symbols from the national emblem signifying Strength and Dignity respectively. Other monuments in the square include the Remembrance Arcade 1(with memorials to World War I, World War II and Nigerian civil war victims) and the 26-storey Independence House, built in 1963 which was for a long time, the tallest building in Nigeria.[165] Sports National Stadium. Association football is Lagos' most popular sport. Prominent Lagos football clubs include Bridge Boys F.C., MFM F.C. and First Bank: both play in Nigeria National League, the second tier of Nigerian football. The Lagos Black Heritage Festival Parade, 2012 The Nigeria national football team, also known as the Super Eagles, used to play almost all of their home games in Lagos at the National Stadium in Surulere; much later, games were played at the then New Abuja National Stadium in Abuja for sometime; however, games are now mostly played at the newer Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, which is the default home of the Super Eagles. Lagos also hosted the 2nd All-African games in 1973.[167][168][169] Tourism Lekki Beach in Lagos The Cathedral Church of Christ Marina on Lagos Island Lagos, subsequent to the re-modernization project achieved by the previous administration of Governor Raji Babatunde Fashola, is gradually becoming a major tourist destination, being one of the largest cities in Africa and in the world. Lagos is currently taking steps to become a global city and is rated as Beta − by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network.[170] The 2009 Eyo carnival (a yearly festival originated from Iperu Remo, Ogun State), which took place on 25 April, was a step toward world city status. Currently, Lagos is primarily known as a business-oriented and a fast-paced community.[96] Lagos has become an important location for African and Black cultural identity.[171] Many festivals are held in Lagos; festivals vary in offerings each year and may be held in different months. Some of the festivals are Festac Food Fair held in Festac Town Annually, Eyo Festival, Lagos Black Heritage Carnival, Lagos Carnival, Eko International Film Festival, Lagos Seafood Festac Festival, LAGOS PHOTO Festival and the Lagos Jazz Series, which is a unique franchise for high-quality live music in all genres with a focus on jazz. Established in 2010, the popular event takes place over a 3–5 day period at selected high quality outdoor venues. The music is as varied as the audience itself and features a diverse mix of musical genres from rhythm and blues to soul, Afrobeat, hip hop, bebop, and traditional jazz. The festivals provide entertainment of dance and song to add excitement to travelers during a stay in Lagos. Lagos has a number of sandy beaches by the Atlantic Ocean, including Elegushi Beach and Alpha Beach. Lagos also has a number of private beach resorts including Inagbe Grand Beach Resort and several others in the outskirts. Lagos has a variety of hotels ranging from three star to five star hotels, with a mixture of local hotels such as Eko Hotels and Suites, Federal Palace Hotel and franchises of multinational chains such as Intercontinental Hotel, Sheraton and Four Points by Sheraton. Other places of interest include the Tafawa Balewa Square, Festac town, The Nike Art Gallery, Freedom Park, Lagos and the Cathedral Church of Christ, Lagos. Cuisine Main articles: Nigerian cuisine and African cuisine Arewa Traditional Kitchen Some of the famous dishes in Lagos include indigenous delicacies such as eba and egusi; amala and ewedu; jollof (the go-to party dish); ofada rice; plantains (locally called dodo); beans; suya (spicy shish kebab or spiced roasted beef), which is consumed in local clubs and bars with a bottle of cold beer; and eba, made from cassava and eaten with soups prepared with vegetables and mixture of spices and herbs. Other dishes range from local ones like Iyan (pounded yam) made from yam flour, amala; asaro, which is usually eaten with various kind of vegetables; and Egusi (melon soup) to European, Middle-Eastern, and Asian cuisine.[146][172] Education See also: List of schools in Lagos Lagos Business School Lagos Business School's Cafeteria Dowen College in Lagos The Lagos State Government operates state schools.[173] The education system is the 6-3-3-4 system, which is practised throughout the country (as well as by many other members of the Economic Community of West African States). The levels are Primary, Junior Secondary School (JSS), Senior Secondary School (SSS) and university. All children are offered basic education, with special focus now on the first nine years. Many of the schools in Nigeria are federally funded and usually are boarding schools. A few examples are Federal government college Odogbolu (FGCOdogbolu), Federal government girls college Sagamu (FGGCSagamu) and Federal government college Kano (FGCKano). The state of Lagos has its own federally funded high schools namely Federal government college Ijanikin also known as FGC Lagos, King's College Lagos and Queen's College Lagos. Lagos is home to various postsecondary schools, universities and other vocational institutions that are either operated by the government or private entities.[174] Vocational schools Institute for Industrial Technology (IIT) : founded in 2000, IIT is a technical vocational school for male youth from families with limited resources. Its educational model is based on the Dual Training System. Polytechnics Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) : founded in 1934, the college is Nigeria's first higher educational institution and third in Africa. The college is a center of culture and heritage. Currently it has student enrolment of over 16,000. Lagos State Polytechnic is a polytechnic comprising more than six schools including private polytechnics and was founded 25 years ago. Its main campus resides at Ikorodu, along Shagamu road. Lagos City Polytechnic, located at 6/8, Bashiru Oweh Street, Off Simbiat Abiola Road (formerly Medical Road), Ikeja – This is the first private Polytechnic in Nigeria. It was established in 1990 by Engr. Babatunde Odufuwa. Engr. Odufuwa hails from Oke-Aye in Ijebu North East Local Government Area (I.N.E.L.G) of Ogun State. Grace Polytechnic Wolex Polytechnic Federal College of Fisheries and Marine Technology is a monotechnic that offers courses in fisheries technology, general science, marine engineering and nautical science. Federal College of Education (tech) Akoka Ronik Polytechnic[175] Universities University of Lagos The University of Lagos (UNILAG) Akoka, is a large institution dating from 1962, with over 55,000 students. It comprises 13 faculties, run by over 4,000 staff.[176] Lagos State University (LASU) is a multi-campus university established in the year 1983 and owned by the Lagos State government. The main campus is located at Ojo, along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway. Pan-Atlantic University formerly known as Pan-African University has a business school (LBS), a school of Media and communication (SMC) and an entrepreneurial development center (EDC), specialized in providing short courses for SMEs. Lagos Business School (LBS) is the most famous of them all, awarding world-class MBA and EMBA. The School of Media and Communication is also known for its pragmatic communication courses in the field of journalism, media and marketing. SMC awards BSc., MSc., and PhD in social science courses. Founded in 1996 and awarded University status in 2002. The university also places some emphasis on the study of art, running the Virtual Museum of Modern Nigerian Art. National Open University of Nigeria is the first open university in Nigeria; it is located on Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, Lagos. Caleb University is a private university located at Imota, Lagos. Lagos State College of Health Technology (LASCOHET) is an institution that runs health courses such as Health Information Management, Pharmacist Tech, Medical Laboratory Tech, Community Health Extension and Environmental Health Technology; it is located in Yaba. Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM), Ikeja College of Medicine, University of Lagos (CMUL) Healthcare Further information: List of hospitals in Lagos Lagos has many hospitals and medical facilities, some of which have accomplished feats in Nigeria's medical history. For example, the oldest Nigerian hospital is located in the city as well as West Africa's first air-operated emergency medical service, which commenced in the city. The Lagos healthcare system is generally divided into public and private sectors that provide medical services at the primary, secondary, and tertiary levels.[177] Transportation Lagos has one of the largest and most extensive road networks in West Africa.[178][179] It also has suburban trains and some ferry services. Highways are usually congested in peak hours, due in part to the geography of the city, as well as to its explosive population growth.[104][180] Lagos is also linked by many highways and bridges. Highways Toll gates and roads at the Lekki-Ẹpẹ Expressway The Lagos–Ibadan Expressway and the Lagos–Abeokuta Expressway are the major controlled-access highways in the north of the city and serve as inter-state highways to Oyo State and Ogun State respectively. [181]To the west the congested Lagos–Badagry Expressway serves outlying towns such as Festival Town, which was the location for the 1977 Festival of Black Arts and Culture 77.[182] Lagos's importance as a commercial centre and port and its strategic location have led to it being the end-point of three Trans-African Highway routes using Nigeria's national roads.[183] The Trans–West African Coastal Highway leaves the city as the Badagry Expressway to Benin and beyond as far as Dakar and Nouakchott; the Trans-Sahara Highway to Algiers, which is close to completion, leaves the city as the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.[184] Local public transport The Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) is responsible for public transport. Since 2021 using a bus or the light rail system is paid for with a public transport card without cash.[185][186] This card can be used equally on BRT and LBSL buses.[187] One can purchase a public transportation card at any of the ticketing booths at the bus terminals scattered across Lagos State. City buses There are two city bus companies in Lagos: BRT (Lagos Bus Rapid Transit System) and LBSL (Lagos Bus Services).[188] [189]The city buses are air-conditioned. BRT was inaugurated in 2008. BRT offers e-payment with bank cards.[190] On two arterial roads (Ikorodu Road and Funsho Williams Avenue), a dedicated bus lane has been established for BRT buses. BRT uses diverse brands of bus, like Ashok Leyland and Yutong. Primero Transport Services (PTS) Ltd. is the sole operator of the BRT buses.[191] LBSL was inaugurated in 2019. LBSL uses Brazilian-built Marcopolo buses. The central hub for city buses and long-distance buses is the Oshodi Bus Terminal, which is visible from afar. It is the largest bus station in West Africa and commenced operation in 2019. Suburban rail Currently, a rapid transit system, the Lagos Light Rail, is under construction with the first section scheduled to open in 2022.[192] The "Blue Line" will operate between Okokomaiko and Marina (East–west axis). The "Red Line" will run between Agbado and Marina (North–south axis). Both lines will share three stations: Iddo, Ebute Ero and Marina. There are plans for more light rail lines: the green line (Marina to Lekki), the yellow line (Otta/airport to Iddo), the purple line (Redeem to Ojo), the brown line (Mile 12 to Marina) and the orange line (Redeem to Marina).[193] Rail transport As of 10 June 2021, Lagos has a double-track standard gauge line to Ibadan and a modern main station, Mobolaji Johnson. Departure times are 8:00 and 16:00 (on time). Ticket sales are over the counter and cash only (as of 2021). The operator is the Nigerian Railway Corporation.[194][195][196][197] Shared cabs A popular means of transportation are yellow minibuses called danfo. The yellow buses, mostly of the VW T3 or LT type, characterize the appearance of the city. They run on fixed routes, but without a timetable, according to the principle of shared cabs.[198] Ferries Lagos State Ferry Services Corporation runs a few regular routes, for example between Lagos Island and the mainland, served by modern ferries and wharves. Private boats run irregular passenger services on the lagoon and on some creeks.[199] Air traffic Lagos is served by Murtala Muhammed International Airport, one of the largest and busiest airports in Africa. The MMIA is Nigeria's premier international air gateway. The airport's history dates back to colonial times, around the time of the Second World War. The current international airport terminal was built and commissioned over 40 years ago, in 1978. The terminal opened officially 15 March 1979. The airport had been known simply as the Lagos International Airport. It was, however, renamed for the late Nigerian Head of State, General Murtala Muhammed, who died in 1976.[200] The airport terminal has been renovated several times since the 1970s but its most radical makeover began in 2013, following the launch of the Federal government's multi-billion naira Remodelling/ Rehabilitation Programme for its airports nationwide. Under the re-modeling work there, by late in 2014, the MMlA lounge area had been expanded to four times its previous size and new passenger handling conveyor systems installed which can handle over 1,000 passengers per hour. A second airport, Lekki-Epe International Airport is proposed. Notable people Main category: People from Lagos Business Abike Dabiri, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Diaspora Commission[201] Victoria Chibuogu Nneji, computer scientist, design and innovation strategist, and a lecturing fellow, known for her research on robotics and autonomous transportation.[202] Habeeb Okunola, businessman and philanthropist.[203] Toyin Saraki, global health advocate and healthcare philanthropist[204] Politicians and rulers Akinwunmi Ambode, former Governor of Lagos state[205] Rilwan Akiolu, Oba (traditional ruler) of Lagos[206] Babatunde Fashola, Former Governor of Lagos and current Minister of Power, Works and Housing[207] Lekan Fatodu, Politician and journalist[208] Bode George, Politician[209] Yemi Osinbajo, politician, lawyer and current vice-president of Nigeria.[210] Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Lagos State[211] Bola Tinubu, Former Governor of Lagos State[212] Funsho Williams, politician and one time aspirant to the office of Lagos state governor[213] Sports Kenny Adeleke (born 1983), basketball player.[214] Israel Adesanya, UFC middleweight champion.[215] Nelson Agholor, Professional American football player, Super Bowl LII Champion with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2018.[216] Tunji Awojobi (born 1973), professional basketball player.[217] Israel Idonije, Professional American football player, Chicago Bears 2003–2013, Detroit Lions 2013.[218] Uche Okechukwu, football player[219] Hakeem Olajuwon, professional basketball player.[220] Anoure Obiora, football player[221][222] Victor Osimhen, football player Arnaut Danjuma, football player Other Agbani Darego, Miss Nigeria 2001, Semifinalist Miss Universe 2001 and Miss World 2001[223] Rosa Egipcíaca, Afro-Brazilian Catholic mystic, who wrote Sagrada Teologia do Amor Divino das Almas Peregrinas[224] Buchi Emecheta, novelist[225] Yvonne Orji, actress, comedian.[226] Esther Uzodinma, actress and producer Twin towns – sister cities See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Nigeria Lagos is twinned with: United States Atlanta, United States[227] United States Gary, Indiana, United States Brazil Belo Horizonte, Brazil[228] Romania Bucharest, Romania[229] Trinidad and Tobago Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago[230] Nigeria (/naɪˈdʒɪəriə/ Listen), officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is the most populous country in Africa. It is geographically situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea to the south in the Atlantic Ocean. It covers an area of 923,769 square kilometres (356,669 sq mi), with a population of over 216 million. Nigeria borders Niger in the north, Chad in the northeast, Cameroon in the east, and Benin in the west. Nigeria is a federal republic comprising 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, where the capital, Abuja, is located. The largest city in Nigeria is Lagos, one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world and the second-largest in Africa. Nigeria has been home to several indigenous pre-colonial states and kingdoms since the second millennium BC, with the Nok civilization in the 15th century BC marking the first internal unification in the country. The modern state originated with British colonialization in the 19th century, taking its present territorial shape with the merging of the Southern Nigeria Protectorate and Northern Nigeria Protectorate in 1914 by Lord Lugard. The British set up administrative and legal structures while practising indirect rule through traditional chiefdoms in the Nigeria region.[9] Nigeria became a formally independent federation on October 1, 1960. It experienced a civil war from 1967 to 1970, followed by a succession of democratically elected civilian governments and military dictatorships, until achieving a stable democracy in the 1999 presidential election; the 2015 election was the first time an incumbent president had lost re-election.[10] Nigeria is a multinational state inhabited by more than 250 ethnic groups speaking 500 distinct languages, all identifying with a wide variety of cultures.[11][12][13] The three largest ethnic groups are the Hausa in the north, Yoruba in the west, and Igbo in the east, together comprising over 60% of the total population.[14] The official language is English, chosen to facilitate linguistic unity at the national level.[15] Nigeria's constitution ensures freedom of religion[16] and it is home to some of the world's largest Muslim and Christian populations, simultaneously.[17] Nigeria is divided roughly in half between Muslims, who live mostly in the north, and Christians, who live mostly in the south; indigenous religions, such as those native to the Igbo and Yoruba ethnicities, are in the minority.[18] Nigeria is a regional power in Africa, a middle power in international affairs, and is an emerging global power. Nigeria's economy is the largest in Africa, the 25th-largest in the world by nominal GDP, and 25th-largest by PPP. Nigeria is often referred to as the Giant of Africa owing to its large population and economy[19] and is considered to be an emerging market by the World Bank. However, the country ranks very low in the Human Development Index and remains one of the most corrupt nations in the world.[20][21] Nigeria is a founding member of the African Union and a member of many international organizations, including the United Nations, the Commonwealth of Nations, NAM,[22] the Economic Community of West African States, and OPEC. It is also a member of the informal MINT group of countries and is one of the Next Eleven economies. Contents 1 Etymology 2 History 2.1 Prehistory 2.2 Early history 2.3 Pre-colonial era 2.4 British colonization 2.5 Republican era 3 Politics 3.1 Law 3.2 Military 3.3 Foreign relations 3.4 Administrative divisions 4 Geography 4.1 Climate 4.2 Plant ecology 4.3 Environmental issues 5 Economy 5.1 Agriculture 5.2 Fossil fuels 5.3 Mining 5.4 Manufacturing and technology 5.5 Services and tourism 6 Infrastructure 6.1 Energy 6.2 Transportation 6.3 Telecommunications 6.4 Government satellites 7 Demographics 7.1 Ethnic groups 7.2 Languages 7.3 Religion 7.4 Health 7.5 Education 7.6 Crime 7.7 Poverty 7.8 Human rights 8 Culture 8.1 Cuisine 8.2 Fashion 8.3 Festival 8.4 Literature 8.5 Music 8.6 Cinema 8.7 Comedy 8.8 Dance 8.9 Sports 9 See also 10 References 11 Further reading 12 External links Etymology The name Nigeria was taken from the Niger River running through the country. This name was coined on 8 January 1897, by British journalist Flora Shaw, who later married Lord Lugard, a British colonial administrator. The neighbouring Republic of Niger takes its name from the same river. The origin of the name Niger, which originally applied to only the middle reaches of the Niger River, is uncertain. The word is likely an alteration of the Tuareg name egerew n-igerewen used by inhabitants along the middle reaches of the river around Timbuktu before 19th-century European colonialism.[23][24] History Main articles: History of Nigeria and Timeline of Nigerian history Prehistory Further information: Early history of Nigeria Nok sculpture, terracotta Kainji Dam excavations showed ironworking by the 2nd century BC. The transition from Neolithic times to the Iron Age was accomplished without intermediate bronze production. Others believed or suggested the technology moved west from the Nile Valley, although the Iron Age in the Niger River valley and the forest region appears to predate the introduction of metallurgy in the upper savanna by more than 800 years. The Nok civilization of Nigeria thrived between 1,500 BC and AD 200. It produced life-sized terracotta figures that are some of the earliest known sculptures in Sub-Saharan Africa[25][26][27][28][29] and smelted iron by about 550 BC and possibly a few centuries earlier.[30][31][32] Evidence of iron smelting has also been excavated at sites in the Nsukka region of southeast Nigeria: dating to 2000 BC at the site of Lejja[33] and to 750 BC and at the site of Opi. Early history Further information: History of Nigeria before 1500 Ceremonial Igbo pot from 9th-century Igbo-Ukwu The Kano Chronicle highlights an ancient history dating to around 999 AD of the Hausa Sahelian city-state of Kano, with other major Hausa cities (or Hausa Bakwai) of Daura, Hadeija, Kano, Katsina, Zazzau, Rano, and Gobir all having recorded histories dating back to the 10th century. With the spread of Islam from the 7th century AD, the area became known as Sudan or as Bilad Al Sudan (English: Land of the Blacks; Arabic: بلاد السودان). Since the populations were partially affiliated with the Arab Muslim culture of North Africa, they began Trans-Saharan trade and were referred to by the Arabic speakers as Al-Sudan (meaning "The Blacks") as they were considered an extended part of the Muslim world. There are early historical references by medieval Arab and Muslim historians and geographers which refer to the Kanem-Bornu Empire as the region's major centre for Islamic civilization. The Kingdom of Nri of the Igbo people consolidated in the 10th century and continued until it lost its sovereignty to the British in 1911.[34][35] Nri was ruled by the Eze Nri, and the city of Nri is considered to be the foundation of Igbo culture. Nri and Aguleri, where the Igbo creation myth originates, are in the territory of the Umeuri clan. Members of the clan trace their lineages back to the patriarchal king-figure Eri.[36] In West Africa, the oldest bronzes made using the lost wax process were from Igbo-Ukwu, a city under Nri influence.[34] The Yoruba kingdoms of Ife and Oyo in southwestern Nigeria became prominent in the 12th[37][38] and 14th[39] centuries, respectively. The oldest signs of human settlement at Ife's current site date back to the 9th century,[37] and its material culture includes terracotta and bronze figures. Yoruba copper mask of Obalufon from the city of Ife c. 1300 Pre-colonial era Further information: History of Nigeria (1500–1800) Royal Benin ivory mask, one of Nigeria's most recognized artifacts. Benin Empire, 16th century. In the 16th century, Portuguese explorers were the first Europeans to begin important, direct trade with peoples of southern Nigeria, at the port they named Lagos (formerly Eko) and in Calabar along the region Slave Coast. Europeans traded goods with peoples at the coast; coastal trade with Europeans also marked the beginnings of the Atlantic slave trade.[40] The port of Calabar on the historical Bight of Biafra (now commonly referred to as the Bight of Bonny) became one of the largest slave-trading posts in West Africa in the era of the transatlantic slave trade. Other major slaving ports in Nigeria were located in Badagry, Lagos on the Bight of Benin and Bonny Island on the Bight of Biafra.[40][41] The majority of those enslaved and taken to these ports were captured in raids and wars.[42] Usually, the captives were taken back to the conquerors' territory as forced labour; after time, they were sometimes acculturated and absorbed into the conquerors' society. Slave routes were established throughout Nigeria linking the hinterland areas with the major coastal ports. Some of the more prolific slave-trading kingdoms who participated in the transatlantic slave trade were linked with the Edo's Benin Empire in the south, Oyo Empire in the southwest, and the Aro Confederacy in the southeast.[40][41] Benin's power lasted between the 15th and 19th centuries.[43] Oyo, at its territorial zenith in the late 17th to early 18th centuries, extended its influence from western Nigeria to modern-day Togo. In the north, the incessant fighting amongst the Hausa city-states and the decline of the Bornu Empire gave rise to the Fulani people gaining headway into the region. Until this point, the Fulani a nomadic ethnic group primarily traversed the semi-desert Sahelian region, north of Sudan, with cattle and avoided trade and intermingling with the Sudanic peoples. At the beginning of the 19th century, Usman dan Fodio led a successful jihad against the Hausa Kingdoms founding the centralised Sokoto Caliphate. The empire with Arabic as its official language grew rapidly under his rule and that of his descendants, who sent out invading armies in every direction. The vast landlocked empire connected the east with the western Sudan region and made inroads down south conquering parts of the Oyo Empire (modern-day Kwara), and advanced towards the Yoruba heartland of Ibadan, to reach the Atlantic Ocean. The territory controlled by the empire included much of modern-day northern and central Nigeria. The sultan sent out emirs to establish a suzerainty over the conquered territories and promote Islamic civilization, the emirs in turn became increasingly rich and powerful through trade and slavery. By the 1890s, the largest slave population in the world, about two million, was concentrated in the territories of the Sokoto Caliphate. The use of slave labour was extensive, especially in agriculture.[44] By the time of its break-up in 1903 into various European colonies, the Sokoto Caliphate was one of the largest pre-colonial African states.[45] British colonization Main article: Colonial Nigeria Frederick Lugard, 1st Baron Lugard who as Governor-General of Nigeria led the amalgamation of the Northern Nigeria Protectorate and Southern Nigeria Protectorate in 1914. Emir of Kano with cavalry, 1911 King Duke IX of Calabar in full dress (published 1895) 1953 postage stamp with portrait of Queen Elizabeth II A changing legal imperative (the outlawing of the transatlantic slave trade in 1807) and economic imperative (a desire for political and social stability) led most European powers to support the widespread cultivation of agricultural products, such as the palm, for use in European industry. European companies engaged in the Atlantic slave trade until it was outlawed in 1807 by Britain, which up until that point had been the second largest actor practicing the slave trade. After that, the trade actually continued, as illegal smugglers purchased slaves along the coast by native slavers. Britain's West Africa Squadron sought to intercept the smugglers at sea. The rescued slaves were taken to Freetown, a colony in West Africa originally established by Lieutenant John Clarkson for the resettlement of slaves freed by Britain in North America after the American Revolutionary War. Britain intervened in the Lagos kingship power struggle by bombarding Lagos in 1851, deposing the slave-trade-friendly Oba Kosoko, helping to install the amenable Oba Akitoye and signing the Treaty between Great Britain and Lagos on 1 January 1852. Britain annexed Lagos as a crown colony in August 1861 with the Lagos Treaty of Cession. British missionaries expanded their operations and travelled further inland. In 1864, Samuel Ajayi Crowther became the first African bishop of the Anglican Church.[46] In 1885, British claims to a West African sphere of influence received recognition from other European nations at the Berlin Conference. The following year, it chartered the Royal Niger Company under the leadership of Sir George Taubman Goldie. By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the company had vastly succeeded in subjugating the independent southern kingdoms along the Niger River, the British conquered Benin in 1897, and, in the Anglo-Aro War (1901–1902), defeated other opponents. The defeat of these states opened up the Niger area to British rule. In 1900, the company's territory came under the direct control of the British government and established the Southern Nigeria Protectorate as a British protectorate and part of the British Empire, the foremost world power at the time. By 1902, the British had begun plans to move north into the Sokoto Caliphate. British General Lord Frederick Lugard was tasked by the Colonial Office to implement the agenda. Lugard used rivalries between many of the emirs in the southern reach of the caliphate and the central Sokoto administration to prevent any defence as he worked towards the capital. As the British approached the city of Sokoto, Sultan Muhammadu Attahiru I organized a quick defence of the city and fought the advancing British-led forces. The British force quickly won, sending Attahiru I and thousands of followers on a Mahdist hijra. In the northeast, the decline of the Bornu Empire gave rise to the British-controlled Borno Emirate which established Abubakar Garbai of Borno as ruler. In 1903, the British victory in the Battle of Kano gave them a logistical edge in pacifying the heartland of the Sokoto Caliphate and parts of the former Bornu Empire. On 13 March 1903, at the grand market square of Sokoto, the last vizier of the caliphate officially conceded to British rule. The British appointed Muhammadu Attahiru II as the new caliph. Lugard abolished the caliphate but retained the title sultan as a symbolic position in the newly organized Northern Nigeria Protectorate. This remnant became known as "Sokoto Sultanate Council". In June 1903, the British defeated the remaining forces of Attahiru by 1906 resistance to British rule had ended. On 1 January 1914, the British formally united the Southern Nigeria Protectorate and the Northern Nigeria Protectorate into the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria. Administratively, Nigeria remained divided into the Northern and Southern Protectorates and Lagos Colony. Inhabitants of the southern region sustained more interaction, economic and cultural, with the British and other Europeans owing to the coastal economy.[47] Following World War II, in response to the growth of Nigerian nationalism and demands for independence, successive constitutions legislated by the British government moved Nigeria toward self-government on a representative and increasingly federal basis. By the middle of the 20th century, a great wave for independence was sweeping across Africa. Christian missions established Western educational institutions in the protectorates. Under Britain's policy of indirect rule and validation of Islamic tradition, the Crown did not encourage the operation of Christian missions in the northern, Islamic part of the country.[48] Some children of the southern elite went to Great Britain to pursue higher education. By independence in 1960, regional differences in modern educational access were marked. The legacy, though less pronounced, continues to the present day. Imbalances between north and south were expressed in Nigeria's political life as well. For instance, northern Nigeria did not outlaw slavery until 1936 whilst in other parts of Nigeria slavery was abolished soon after colonialism.[49][41] Nigeria gained a degree of self-rule in 1954, and full independence from the United Kingdom on 1 October 1960, as the Federation of Nigeria with Abubakar Tafawa Balewa as its prime minister, while retaining the British monarch, Elizabeth II, as nominal head of state and Queen of Nigeria. Azikiwe replaced the colonial governor-general in November 1960. At independence, the cultural and political differences were sharp among Nigeria's dominant ethnic groups: the Hausa in the north, Igbo in the east and Yoruba in the west.[50] The founding government was a coalition of conservative parties: the Northern People's Congress led by Sir Ahmadu Bello, a party dominated by Muslim northerners, and the Igbo and Christian-dominated National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons led by Nnamdi Azikiwe. The opposition comprised the comparatively liberal Action Group, which was largely dominated by the Yoruba and led by Obafemi Awolowo. An imbalance was created in the polity as the result of the 1961 plebiscite. Southern Cameroons opted to join the Republic of Cameroon while Northern Cameroons chose to join Nigeria. The northern part of the country became larger than the southern part. Nnamdi Azikiwe, first president of Nigeria from 1963 to 1966 Republican era Fall of the First Republic and Civil War Main articles: First Nigerian Republic, Nigerian Civil War, and Military dictatorship in Nigeria In 1963, the nation established a federal republic, under a parliamentary system of government with Tafawa Belewa as Prime Minister and Nnamdi Azikiwe as the ceremonial president. The disequilibrium and perceived corruption of the electoral and political process led to two military coups in 1966. The first coup was in January 1966 and was led mostly by soldiers under Majors Emmanuel Ifeajuna(of Igbo tribe) and Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu (Hausa of Eastern extraction) and Adewale Ademoyega. The coup plotters succeeded in assassinating Sir Ahmadu Bello and Abubakar Tafawa Balewa alongside prominent leaders of the Northern Region and also Premier Samuel Akintola of the Western Region, but the coup plotters struggled to form a central government. Senate President Nwafor Orizu handed over government control to the Army, under the command of another Igbo officer, General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi. Later, the counter-coup of 1966, supported primarily by Northern military officers, facilitated the rise of Yakubu Gowon as military head of state. Tension rose between north and south; Igbos in northern cities suffered persecution and many fled to the Eastern Region.[51] The Republic of Biafra in June 1967, when it declared its independence from the rest of Nigeria In May 1967, Governor of the Eastern Region Lt. Colonel Emeka Ojukwu declared the region independent from the federation as a state called the Republic of Biafra, as a result of the contunious and systematically planned attacks against Igbos and those of Eastern Extraction popularly known as 1966 pogroms.[52][53] This declaration precipitated the Nigerian Civil War, which began as the official Nigerian government side attacked Biafra on 6 July 1967, at Garkem. The 30-month war, with a long siege of Biafra and its isolation from trade and supplies, ended in January 1970.[54] Estimates of the number of dead in the former Eastern Region during the 30-month civil war range from one to three million.[55] France, Egypt, the Soviet Union, Britain, Israel, and others were deeply involved in the civil war behind the scenes. Britain and the Soviet Union were the main military backers of the Nigerian government, with Nigeria utilizing air support from Egyptian pilots provided by Gamal Abdel Nasser,[56][57] while France and Israel aided the Biafrans. The Congolese government, under President Joseph-Désiré Mobutu, took an early stand on the Biafran secession, voicing strong support for the Nigerian federal government[58] and deploying thousands of troops to fight against the secessionists.[59][60] Following the war, Nigeria enjoyed an oil boom in the 1970s, during which the country joined OPEC and received huge oil revenues. Despite these revenues, the military government did little to improve the standard of living of the population, help small and medium businesses, or invest in infrastructure. As oil revenues fuelled the rise of federal subsidies to states, the federal government became the centre of political struggle and the threshold of power in the country. As oil production and revenue rose, the Nigerian government became increasingly dependent on oil revenues and international commodity markets for budgetary and economic concerns.[61] The coup in July 1975, led by Generals Shehu Musa Yar'Adua and Joseph Garba, ousted Gowon,[62] who fled to Britain.[63] The coup plotters wanted to replace Gowon's autocratic rule with a triumvirate of three brigadier generals whose decisions could be vetoed by a Supreme Military Council. For this triumvirate, they convinced General Murtala Muhammed to become military head of state, with General Olusegun Obasanjo as his second-in-command, and General Theophilus Danjuma as the third.[64] Together, the triumvirate introduced austerity measures to stem inflation, established a Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau, replaced all military governors with new officers, and launched "Operation Deadwood" through which they fired 11,000 officials from the civil service.[65] Colonel Buka Suka Dimka launched a February 1976 coup attempt, during which General Murtala Muhammed was assassinated. Dimka lacked widespread support among the military, and his coup failed, forcing him to flee.[66] After the coup attempt, General Olusegun Obasanjo was appointed military head of state.[67] As head of state, Obasanjo vowed to continue Murtala's policies.[68] Aware of the danger of alienating northern Nigerians, Obasanjo brought General Shehu Yar'Adua as his replacement and second-in-command as Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters completing the military triumvirate, with Obasanjo as head of state and General Theophilus Danjuma as Chief of Army Staff, the three went on to re-establish control over the military regime and organized the military's transfer of power programme: states creation and national delimitation, local government reforms and the constitutional drafting committee for a new republic.[69] Second Republic (1979–1983) Main article: Second Nigerian Republic Shehu Shagari was the first democratically elected President of Nigeria from 1979 to 1983. In 1977, a constituent assembly was elected to draft a new constitution, which was published on September 21, 1978, when the ban on political activity was lifted. The military carefully planned the return to civilian rule putting in place measures to ensure that political parties had broader support than witnessed during the first republic. In 1979, five political parties competed in a series of elections in which Alhaji Shehu Shagari of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) was elected president. All five parties won representation in the National Assembly. On October 1, 1979, Shehu Shagari was sworn in as the first President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Obasanjo peacefully transferred power to Shagari, becoming the first head of state in Nigerian history to willingly step down. The Shagari government became viewed as corrupt by virtually all sectors of Nigerian society. In 1983, the inspectors of the state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation began to notice "the slow poisoning of the waters of this country".[70][71] In August 1983 Shagari and the NPN were returned to power in a landslide victory, with a majority of seats in the National Assembly and control of 12 state governments. But the elections were marred by violence, and allegations of widespread vote-rigging and electoral malfeasance led to legal battles over the results. There were also uncertainties, such as in the first republic, that political leaders may be unable to govern properly. Military and Third Republic (1983–1999) Main articles: Military dictatorship in Nigeria and Third Nigerian Republic The 1983 military coup d'état took place on New Year's Eve of that year. It was coordinated by key officers of the Nigerian military and led to the overthrow of the government and the installation of Major General Muhammadu Buhari as head of state. The military coup of Muhammadu Buhari shortly after the regime's re-election in 1984 was generally viewed as a positive development.[72] Buhari promised major reforms, but his government fared little better than its predecessor. General Buhari was overthrown in a 1985 military coup d'état led by General Ibrahim Babangida, who established the Armed Forces Ruling Council and became military president and commander in chief of the armed forces.[73] In 1986, he established the Nigerian Political Bureau which made recommendations for the transition to the Third Nigerian Republic. In 1989, Babangida started making plans for the transition to the Third Nigerian Republic. Babangida survived the 1990 Nigerian coup d'état attempt, then postponed a promised return to democracy to 1992.[74] He legalized the formation of political parties and formed the two-party system with the Social Democratic Party and National Republican Convention ahead of the 1992 general elections. He urged all Nigerians to join either of the parties, which Chief Bola Ige referred to as "two leper hands." The two-party state had been a Political Bureau recommendation. After a census was conducted, the National Electoral Commission announced on 24 January 1992, that both legislative elections to a bicameral National Assembly and a presidential election would be held later that year. The adopted process advocated that any candidate needed to pass through adoption for all elective positions from the local government, state government and federal government.[75] The 1993 presidential election held on 12 June, was the first since the military coup of 1983. The results, though not officially declared by the National Electoral Commission, showed the duo of Moshood Abiola and Baba Gana Kingibe of the Social Democratic Party defeated Bashir Tofa and Sylvester Ugoh of the National Republican Convention by over 2.3 million votes. However, Babangida annulled the elections, leading to massive civilian protests that effectively shut down the country for weeks. In August 1993, Babangida finally kept his promise to relinquish power to a civilian government but not before appointing Ernest Shonekan head of the interim national government.[76] Babangida's regime has been considered the most corrupt and responsible for creating a culture of corruption in Nigeria.[77] Shonekan's interim government, the shortest in the political history of the country, was overthrown in a coup d'état of 1993 led by General Sani Abacha, who used military force on a wide scale to suppress the continuing civilian unrest. In 1995, the government hanged environmentalist Ken Saro-Wiwa on trumped-up charges in the deaths of four Ogoni elders. Which caused Nigerian's suspension from Commonwealth. Lawsuits under the American Alien Tort Statute against Royal Dutch Shell and Brian Anderson, the head of Shell's Nigerian operation, settled out of court with Shell continuing to deny liability.[78] Several hundred million dollars in accounts traced to Abacha were discovered in 1999.[79] The regime came to an end in 1998 when the dictator died in the villa. He looted money to offshore accounts in western European banks and defeated coup plots by arresting and bribing generals and politicians. His successor, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, adopted a new constitution on May 5, 1999, which provided for multiparty elections. Fourth Republic (1999–present) Main article: Fourth Nigerian Republic Olusegun Obasanjo was civilian President of Nigeria from 1999 to 2007. On May 29, 1999, Abubakar transferred power to the winner of the 1999 presidential election, former military ruler General Olusegun Obasanjo as the second democratically elected civilian President of Nigeria heralding the beginning of the Fourth Nigerian Republic.[80] This ended almost 33 years of military rule from 1966 until 1999, excluding the short-lived second republic (between 1979 and 1983) by military dictators who seized power in coups d'état and counter-coups. Although the elections that brought Obasanjo to power and for a second term in the 2003 presidential election were condemned as unfree and unfair, Nigeria has shown marked improvements in attempts to tackle government corruption and hasten development.[81] Ethnic violence for control over the oil-producing Niger Delta region and an insurgency in the northeast are some of the issues facing the country. Umaru Yar'Adua of the People's Democratic Party came into power in the general election of 2007. The international community, which had been observing Nigerian elections to encourage a free and fair process, condemned this one as being severely flawed.[82] President Olusegun Obasanjo acknowledged fraud and other electoral "lapses" but said the result reflected opinion polls. In a national television address in 2007, he added that if Nigerians did not like the victory of his handpicked successor, they would have an opportunity to vote again in four years.[83] Yar'Adua died on May 5, 2010.  Goodluck Jonathan was sworn in as Yar'Adua's successor,[84] becoming the 14th head of state.[85][86] Jonathan went on to win the 2011 presidential election, with the international media reporting the elections as having run smoothly with relatively little violence or voter fraud, in contrast to previous elections.[87] Muhammadu Buhari is currently serving as President of Nigeria, since 2015. Ahead of the general election of 2015, a merger of the biggest opposition parties – the Action Congress of Nigeria, the Congress for Progressive Change, the All Nigeria Peoples Party (a faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance), and the new PDP (a faction of serving governors of the ruling People's Democratic Party) – formed the All Progressives Congress. In the 2015 presidential election, former military head of state General Muhammadu Buhari – who had previously contested in the 2003, 2007, and 2011 presidential elections—defeated incumbent Jonathan of the People's Democratic Party by over two million votes, ending the party's sixteen-year rule in the country and marking the first time in the history of Nigeria that an incumbent president lost to an opposition candidate. Observers generally praised the election as being fair. Jonathan was generally praised for conceding defeat and limiting the risk of unrest.[88][89][90][91] In the 2019 presidential election, Buhari was re-elected for a second term in office defeating his closet rival Atiku Abubakar.[92] Politics Main article: Politics of Nigeria Nigerian National Assembly, Abuja Nigeria is a federal republic modelled after the United States,[93] with executive power exercised by the President. The president is both head of state and head of the federal government; the president is elected by popular vote to a maximum of two four-year terms.[94] The president's power is checked by a Senate and a House of Representatives, which are combined in a bicameral body called the National Assembly. The Senate is a 109-seat body with three members from each state and one from the capital region of Abuja; members are elected by popular vote to four-year terms. The House contains 360 seats, with the number of seats per state determined by population.[94] Nigeria National symbols of Nigeria Flag Bicolour Emblem Coat of arms of Nigeria Anthem "Arise, O Compatriots" Animal Eagle Bird Black crowned crane Flower Costus spectabilis Ethnocentrism, tribalism, religious persecution, and prebendalism have plagued Nigerian politics both before and after independence in 1960. All major parties have practised vote-rigging and other means of coercion to remain competitive. In the period before 1983 election, a report prepared by the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies showed that only the 1959 and 1979 elections were held without systemic rigging.[95] In 2012, Nigeria was estimated to have lost over $400 billion to corruption since independence.[96] Kin-selective altruism is prevalent in Nigerian politics, resulting in tribalist efforts to concentrate Federal power to a particular region of their interests.[97] Because of the above issues, Nigeria's political parties are pan-national and secular in character (though this does not preclude the continuing preeminence of the dominant ethnicities).[98][99] The two major political parties are the People's Democratic Party of Nigeria and the All Progressives Congress, with twenty registered minor opposition parties. Hausa-Fulani, Yoruba and Igbo are the three largest ethnic groups in Nigeria and have maintained historical preeminence in Nigerian politics; competition amongst these three groups has fuelled animosity.[98] Following the bloody civil war, nationalism has seen an increase in the southern part of the country leading to active secessionist movements such as the Oodua Peoples Congress and the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, though these groups are generally small they are somewhat representative of the entire ethnic group. Law Main article: Law of Nigeria The country has a judicial branch, with the highest court being the Supreme Court of Nigeria.[94] There are three distinct systems of law in Nigeria: Common law, derived from its British colonial past, and development of its own after independence; Customary law, derived from indigenous traditional norms and practice, including the dispute resolution meetings of pre-colonial Yorubaland secret societies such as the Oyo Mesi and Ogboni, as well as the Ekpe and Okonko of Igboland and Ibibioland; Sharia law, used only in the predominantly Muslim northern states of the country. It is an Islamic legal system that had been used long before the colonial administration. The laws of Nigeria are written down, meaning that Nigeria practises written constitution. The current written constitution of Nigeria is the 1999 constitution as amended.[100] Military Main article: Nigerian Armed Forces Nigerian Army self-propelled anti-aircraft gun Nigerian Air Force Mil Mi-35P The Nigerian military is charged with protecting the Federal Republic of Nigeria, promoting Nigeria's global security interests, and supporting peacekeeping efforts, especially in West Africa. This is in support of the doctrine sometimes called Pax Nigeriana. The Nigerian Military consists of an army, a navy, and an air force.[94] The military in Nigeria has played a major role in the country's history since independence. Various juntas have seized control of the country and ruled it through most of its history. Its last period of military rule ended in 1999 following the sudden death of Sani Abacha in 1998. His successor, Abdulsalam Abubakar, handed over power to the democratically elected government of Olusegun Obasanjo the next year. As Africa's most populated country, Nigeria has repositioned its military as a peacekeeping force on the continent. Since 1995, the Nigerian military, through ECOMOG mandates, has been deployed as peacekeepers in Liberia (1997), Ivory Coast (1997–1999), and Sierra Leone (1997–1999).[101] Under an African Union mandate, it has stationed forces in Sudan's Darfur region to try to establish peace. The Nigerian military has been deployed across West Africa, curbing terrorism in countries such as Mali, Senegal, Chad, and Cameroon, as well as dealing with the Mali War, and getting Yahya Jammeh out of power in 2017.[citation needed] Foreign relations Main article: Foreign relations of Nigeria The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abuja Upon gaining independence in 1960, Nigeria made African unity the centrepiece of its foreign policy and played a leading role in the fight against the apartheid government in South Africa.[102] One exception to the African focus was Nigeria's close relationship developed with Israel throughout the 1960s. Israel sponsored and oversaw the construction of Nigeria's parliament buildings.[103] Nigeria's foreign policy was put to the test in the 1970s after the country emerged united from its civil war. It supported movements against white minority governments in the Southern Africa sub-region. Nigeria backed the African National Congress by taking a committed tough line about the South African government and their military actions in southern Africa. Nigeria was a founding member of the Organisation for African Unity (now the African Union) and has tremendous influence in West Africa and Africa on the whole. Nigeria founded regional cooperative efforts in West Africa, functioning as the standard-bearer for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and ECOMOG (especially during the Liberia and Sierra Leone civil wars) - which are economic and military organizations, respectively. With this Africa-centred stance, Nigeria readily sent troops to the Congo at the behest of the United Nations shortly after independence (and has maintained membership since that time). Nigeria also supported several Pan-African and pro-self government causes in the 1970s, including garnering support for Angola's MPLA, SWAPO in Namibia, and aiding opposition to the minority governments of Portuguese Mozambique, and Rhodesia. Nigeria retains membership in the Non-Aligned Movement. In late November 2006, it organized an Africa-South America Summit in Abuja to promote what some attendees termed "South-South" linkages on a variety of fronts.[104] Nigeria is also a member of the International Criminal Court and the Commonwealth of Nations. It was temporarily expelled from the latter in 1995 when ruled by the Abacha regime. Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan (centre) with United States President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama in August 2014 Nigeria has remained a key player in the international oil industry since the 1970s and maintains membership in OPEC, which it joined in July 1971. Its status as a major petroleum producer figures prominently in its sometimes volatile international relations with developed countries, notably the United States, and with developing countries.[105] Since 2000, Chinese–Nigerian trade relations have risen exponentially. There has been an increase in total trade of over 10,384 million dollars between the two nations from 2000 to 2016.[106] However, the structure of the Chinese–Nigerian trade relationship has become a major political issue for the Nigerian state. This is illustrated by the fact that Chinese exports account for around 80 per cent of total bilateral trade volumes.[107] This has resulted in a serious trade imbalance, with Nigeria importing ten times more than it exports to China.[108] Subsequently, Nigeria's economy is becoming over-reliant on cheap imports to sustain itself, resulting in a clear decline in Nigerian industry under such arrangements.[109] Continuing its Africa-centred foreign policy, Nigeria introduced the idea of a single currency for West Africa known as the Eco under the presumption that it would be led by the naira. But on 21 December 2019, Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara, Emmanuel Macron, and multiple other UEMOA states announced that they would merely rename the CFA franc instead of replacing the currency as originally intended. As of 2020, the Eco currency has been delayed to 2025.[110] Administrative divisions Main article: Administrative divisions of Nigeria Map of Nigeria with administrative divisions Nigeria is divided into thirty-six states and one Federal Capital Territory, which are further sub-divided into 774 local government areas. In some contexts, the states are aggregated into six geopolitical zones: North West, North East, North Central, South West, South East, and South South.[111][112] Nigeria has five cities with a population of over a million (from largest to smallest): Lagos, Kano, Ibadan, Benin City and Port Harcourt. Lagos is the largest city in Africa, with a population of over 12 million in its urban area.[113] Geography Main articles: Geography of Nigeria and Geology of Nigeria Nigeria is located in western Africa on the Gulf of Guinea and has a total area of 923,768 km2 (356,669 sq mi),[114] making it the world's 32nd-largest country. Its borders span 4,047 kilometres (2,515 mi), and it shares borders with Benin (773 km or 480 mi), Niger (1,497 km or 930 mi), Chad (87 km or 54 mi), and Cameroon (including the separatist Ambazonia) 1,690 km or 1,050 mi. Its coastline is at least 853 km (530 mi).[115] Nigeria lies between latitudes 4° and 14°N, and longitudes 2° and 15°E. The highest point in Nigeria is Chappal Waddi at 2,419 m (7,936 ft). The main rivers are the Niger and the Benue, which converge and empty into the Niger Delta. This is one of the world's largest river deltas and the location of a large area of Central African mangroves. Nigeria's most expansive topographical region is that of the valleys of the Niger and Benue river valleys (which merge and form a Y-shape).[116] To the southwest of the Niger is a "rugged" highland. To the southeast of the Benue are hills and mountains, which form the Mambilla Plateau, the highest plateau in Nigeria. This plateau extends through the border with Cameroon, where the montane land is part of the Bamenda Highlands of Cameroon. Climate Nigeria has a varied landscape. The far south is defined by its tropical rainforest climate, where annual rainfall is 1,500 to 2,000 millimetres (60 to 80 in) per year.[117] In the southeast stands the Obudu Plateau. Coastal plains are found in both the southwest and the southeast.[116] Mangrove swamps are found along the coast.[118] Climate map of Nigeria The area near the border with Cameroon close to the coast is rich rainforest and part of the Cross-Sanaga-Bioko coastal forests ecoregion, an important centre for biodiversity. It is a habitat for the drill primate, which is found in the wild only in this area and across the border in Cameroon. The areas surrounding Calabar, Cross River State, also in this forest, are believed to contain the world's largest diversity of butterflies. The area of southern Nigeria between the Niger and the Cross Rivers has lost most of its forest because of development and harvesting by increased population, with it being replaced by grassland. Everything in between the far south and the far north is savannah (insignificant tree cover, with grasses and flowers located between trees). Rainfall is more limited to between 500 and 1,500 millimetres (20 and 60 in) per year.[117] The savannah zone's three categories are Guinean forest-savanna mosaic, Sudan savannah, and Sahel savannah. Guinean forest-savanna mosaic is plains of tall grass interrupted by trees. Sudan savannah is similar but with shorter grasses and shorter trees. Sahel savannah consists of patches of grass and sand, found in the northeast.[118] In the Sahel region, rain is less than 500 millimetres (20 in) per year, and the Sahara Desert is encroaching.[117] In the dry northeast corner of the country lies Lake Chad, which Nigeria shares with Niger, Chad and Cameroon. Plant ecology Nigeria has numerous tree species, of which the majority of them are native while few are exotic. A high percentage of man-made forests in the country is dominated by exotic species.[119] This culminated from the assumption that exotic trees are fast-growing. However, studies have also investigated the growth of indigenous trees in with that of exotic species. Due to overexploitation, the remaining natural ecosystems and primary forests in Nigeria are restricted to the protected areas which include one biosphere reserve, seven national parks, one World Heritage site, 12 Strict Nature Reserves (SNRs), 32 game reserves/wildlife sanctuaries, and hundreds of forest reserves. These are in addition to several ex-situ conservation sites such as arboreta, botanical gardens, zoological gardens, and gene banks managed by several tertiary and research institutions[120] Many countries in Africa are affected by Invasive Alien Species (IAS). In 2004, the IUCN–World Conservation Union identified 81 IAS in South Africa, 49 in Mauritius, 37 in Algeria and Madagascar, 35 in Kenya, 28 in Egypt, 26 in Ghana and Zimbabwe, and 22 in Ethiopia.[121] However, very little is known about IAS in Nigeria, with most technical reports and literature reporting fewer than 10 invasive plants in the country. Aside from plant invaders, Rattus rattus and Avian influenza virus were also considered IAS in Nigeria.[122] The initial entry of IAS into Nigeria was mainly through exotic plant introductions by the colonial rulers either for forest tree plantations or for ornamental purposes. The entry of exotic plants into Nigeria during the post-independence era was encouraged by increasing economic activity, the commencement of commercial oil explorations, the introduction through ships, and the introduction of ornamental plants by commercial floriculturists.[122] Palm plantation in Delta State In the semi-arid and dry sub-humid savannas of West Africa, including Nigeria, numerous species of herbaceous dicots especially from the genera Crotalaria, Alysicarpus, Cassia and Ipomea are known to be widely used in livestock production. Quite often they are plucked or cut and fed either as fresh or conserved fodders. The utilization of these and many other herbs growing naturally within the farm environment is opportunistic.[120] Many other species native to Nigeria, including soybean and its varieties, serve as an important source of oil and protein in this region.[citation needed] There are also many plants with medicinal purposes that are used to aid the therapy in many organs. Some of these vegetations include Euphorbiaceae, which serve the purpose of aiding malaria, gastrointestinal disorders respectively and many other infections. Different stress factors such as droughts, low soil nutrients and susceptibility to pests have contributed to Maize plantations being an integral part of agriculture in this region.[123] As industrialization has increased, it has also put species of trees in the forest at risk of air pollution and studies have shown that in certain parts of Nigeria, trees have shown tolerance and grow in areas that have a significant amount of air pollution[124] Environmental issues Main articles: Environmental issues in the Niger Delta and Deforestation in Nigeria Rainforest range of Obudu Mountains Clouds kissing the mountains of Obudu Nigeria's Delta region, home of the large oil industry, experiences serious oil spills and other environmental problems, which has caused conflict in the Delta region. Waste management including sewage treatment, the linked processes of deforestation and soil degradation, and climate change or global warming are the major environmental problems in Nigeria. Waste management presents problems in a megacity like Lagos and other major Nigerian cities which are linked with economic development, population growth and the inability of municipal councils to manage the resulting rise in industrial and domestic waste. This waste management problem is also attributable to unsustainable environmental management lifestyles of Kubwa community in the Federal Capital Territory, where there are habits of indiscriminate disposal of waste, dumping of waste along or into the canals, sewerage systems that are channels for water flows, and the like. Haphazard industrial planning, increased urbanisation, poverty and lack of competence of the municipal government are seen as the major reasons for high levels of waste pollution in major cities of the country. Some of the solutions have been disastrous to the environment, resulting in untreated waste being dumped in places where it can pollute waterways and groundwater.[125] In 2005, Nigeria had the highest rate of deforestation in the world, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.[126] That year, 12.2%, the equivalent of 11,089,000 hectares had been forested in the country. Between 1990 and 2000, Nigeria lost an average of 409,700 hectares of forest every year equal to an average annual deforestation rate of 2.4%. Between 1990 and 2005, in total Nigeria lost 35.7% of its forest cover or around 6,145,000 hectares.[127] Nigeria had a 2019 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 6.2/10, ranking it 82nd globally out of 172 countries.[128] In the year 2010, thousands of people were inadvertently exposed to lead-containing soil from informal gold mining within the northern state of Zamfara. While estimates vary, it is thought that upwards of 400 children died of acute lead poisoning, making this perhaps the largest lead poisoning fatality outbreak ever encountered.[129] Economy Main article: Economy of Nigeria A proportional representation of Nigeria exports, 2019 Nigeria's mixed economy is the largest in Africa, the 31st-largest in the world by nominal GDP, and 30th-largest by PPP. It is a lower-middle-income economy,[130] with its abundant supply of natural resources, well-developed financial, legal, communications, transport sectors and Nigerian Stock Exchange. Economic development has been hindered by years of military rule, corruption, and mismanagement. The restoration of democracy and subsequent economic reforms have successfully put Nigeria back on track towards achieving its full economic potential. Next to petroleum, the second-largest source of foreign exchange earnings for Nigeria are remittances sent home by Nigerians living abroad.[131] During the oil boom of the 1970s, Nigeria accumulated a significant foreign debt to finance major infrastructural investments. With the fall of oil prices during the 1980s oil glut, Nigeria struggled to keep up with its loan payments and eventually defaulted on its principal debt repayments, limiting repayment to the interest portion of the loans. Arrears and penalty interest accumulated on the unpaid principal, which increased the size of the debt. After negotiations by the Nigerian authorities, in October 2005 Nigeria and its Paris Club creditors reached an agreement under which Nigeria repurchased its debt at a discount of approximately 60%. Nigeria used part of its oil profits to pay the residual 40%, freeing up at least $1.15 billion annually for poverty reduction programmes. Nigeria made history in April 2006 by becoming the first African country to completely pay off its debt (estimated $30 billion) owed to the Paris Club.[132] Agriculture Farm ploughing in Kwara State Further information: Agriculture in Nigeria As of 2010, about 30% of Nigerians are employed in agriculture.[133] Agriculture used to be the principal foreign exchange earner of Nigeria.[134] Major crops include beans, sesame, cashew nuts, cassava, cocoa beans, groundnuts, gum arabic, kolanut, maize (corn), melon, millet, palm kernels, palm oil, plantains, rice, rubber, sorghum, soybeans and yams.[135] Cocoa is the leading non-oil foreign exchange earner.[135] Rubber is the second-largest non-oil foreign exchange earner.[135] Before the Nigerian civil war, Nigeria was self-sufficient in food.[135] Agriculture has failed to keep pace with Nigeria's rapid population growth, and Nigeria now relies upon food imports to sustain itself.[135] The Nigerian government promoted the use of inorganic fertilizers in the 1970s.[136] In August 2019, Nigeria closed its border with Benin and other neighbouring countries to stop rice smuggling into the country as part of efforts to boost local production.[137] Food processing: Until now, Nigeria exported unhusked rice but had to import husked rice, the country's staple food. - The rice mill in Imota, near Lagos, is intended to handle the corresponding processing at home, improve the balance of trade and the labour market, and save unnecessary costs for transport and middlemen. When fully operational at the end of 2022, the plant, the largest south of the Sahara, is expected to employ 250,000 people and produce 2.5 million 50-kg bags of rice annually.[138] Food processing Main article: Imota rice mill Until now, Nigeria exported unhusked rice but had to import husked rice, the country's staple food. - The rice mill in Imota, near Lagos, is expected to do the rice hulling domestically and save unnecessary costs for transport and middlemen. When fully operational at the end of 2022, the plant, the largest south of the Sahara, is expected to employ 250,000 people and produce 2.5 million 50-kg bags of rice annually.[139] Fossil fuels Petroleum Further information: Petroleum industry in Nigeria and List of countries by oil exports Oil facility at Bonny Island, Rivers State Nigeria is the 12th largest producer of petroleum in the world, the 8th largest exporter, and has the 10th largest proven reserves. Petroleum plays a large role in the Nigerian economy, accounting for 40% of GDP and 80% of government earnings. However, agitation for better resource control in the Niger Delta, its main oil-producing region, has led to disruptions in oil production and prevents the country from exporting at 100% capacity.[140] PTDF – Petroleum Technology Development Fund The Niger Delta Nembe Creek oil field was discovered in 1973 and produces from middle Miocene deltaic sandstone-shale in an anticline structural trap at a depth of 2 to 4 kilometres (7,000 to 13,000 feet).[141] In June 2013, Shell announced a strategic review of its operations in Nigeria, hinting that assets could be divested. While many international oil companies have operated there for decades, by 2014 most were making moves to divest their interests, citing a range of issues including oil theft. In August 2014, Shell said it was finalising its interests in four Nigerian oil fields.[142] Nigeria has a total of 159 oil fields and 1,481 wells in operation according to the Department of Petroleum Resources.[143] The most productive region of the nation is the coastal Niger Delta Basin in the Niger Delta or "south-south" region which encompasses 78 of the 159 oil fields. Most of Nigeria's oil fields are small and scattered, and as of 1990, these small fields accounted for 62.1% of all Nigerian production. This contrasts with the sixteen largest fields which produced 37.9% of Nigeria's petroleum at that time.[144] Production of petroleum products (petrol, plastics) Petrol was Nigeria's main import commodity until 2021, accounting for 24% of import volume.[145] - In the fourth quarter of 2022, an oil refinery much talked about in the media will come on stream, producing 50 million litres of petrol per day, among other things.[146][147][148][149] This would turn Nigeria from a net importer to a net exporter of petroleum products. Natural gas Countries by natural gas proven reserves (2014). Nigeria has the largest reserves in Africa. The supply of natural gas to Europe, threatened by the Ukraine war, is pushing projects to transport Nigerian natural gas via pipelines to Morocco or Algeria.[150][151][152] As of May 2022, however, there are no results on this yet. Mining Main article: Mining industry of Nigeria In addition to its petroleum resources, Nigeria also has a wide array of underexploited mineral resources which include natural gas, coal, bauxite, tantalite, gold, tin, iron ore, limestone, niobium, lead and zinc.[153] Despite huge deposits of these natural resources, the mining industry in Nigeria is still in its infancy. Manufacturing and technology Nigeria has a manufacturing industry that includes leather and textiles (centred in Kano, Abeokuta, Onitsha, and Lagos), plastics and processed food. Ogun is considered to be Nigeria's current industrial hub, as most factories are located in Ogun and more companies are moving there, followed by Lagos.[154][155][156] The city of Aba in the south-eastern part of the country is well known for handicrafts and shoes, known as "Aba made".[157] Cement plants In 2016 (the last year from which data is available), Nigeria was the leading cement producer south of the Sahara, ahead of South Africa.[158] Aliko Dangote, Nigeria's richest inhabitant, based his wealth on cement production. Vehicles Main article: Automotive industry in Nigeria Innoson vehicles Nigeria has a market of 720,000 cars per year, but less than 20% of these are produced domestically.[159] Indigenous manufacturers One indigenous auto manufacturing company, Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing,[160] is located in Nnewi. It produces buses, SUVs and since May 2022 "kekes".[161][162] Another local car manufacturer is Nord Automobiles Ltd. Nord has two assembly plants: one in Sangotedo/Lekki, where all eight models are currently assembled; a plant in Epe is still under construction. The company currently manufactures its own plastic parts and plans to add steel stamping in the future.[163] In Ishara, 30 km north-east of Lagos, Proforce Ltd. produces armoured vehicles.[164] In March 2022, Proforce was able to sell an unknown number of armoured vehicles to Belarus.[165] This is the first time that vehicles manufactured in Nigeria have been supplied to a European country. Foreign car manufacturers Until recently, the most productive foreign car manufacturer on Nigerian soil was Peugeot Automobiles Nigeria (PAN) in Kaduna. On April 2022, Peugeot sold its shares and Aliko Dangote entered in its place.[166] The company name was changed to DPAN at the same time. In the future, mainly the Chinese brands Chery and Higer will be assembled using pre-produced parts.[167] A new production line is supposed to increase the output to 120 cars per day.[159][168] The Stallion Group assembles 45,000 Volkswagen cars in Lagos each year.[159] Fertiliser On 3 May 2022 a fertiliser production plant was commissioned near Lagos that will produce 3 million tonnes of fertiliser a year.[169][170] With no more Russian fertiliser coming onto the world market in 2022 due to the Ukraine war, Nigeria is filling a gap in the market.[170] Pharmaceutical industry Pharmacy in Epe Currently, Nigeria hosts about 60 percent of the pharmaceutical production capacity in Africa.[171] Most larger pharmaceutical companies in Nigeria are located in Lagos.[172] The pharmaceutical producer with the most employees in Nigeria appears to be Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.[173] Furthermore, Fidson Healthcare Plc,[174] May & Baker Nig. Plc[175] and Swiss Pharma Nigeria[176] seem to be the major pharmaceutical companies in Nigeria. Electronic Nigeria has a few electronic manufacturers like Zinox, the first branded Nigerian computer, and manufacturers of electronic gadgets such as tablet PCs.[177] Steel production Steel factory in Ajaokuta According to its own information, the Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited produces 1.3 million tonnes of steel per year.[178] This would be equivalent to one-sixth of the UK's steel production in 2021.[179] The ore for the steel production originates from the ore mine in Itakpe. Steel plants in Katsina, Jos and Osogbo no longer appear to be active.[180] Services and tourism Financial sector Main article: Banking in Nigeria Nigeria has a highly developed financial services sector, with a mix of local and international banks, asset management companies, brokerage houses, insurance companies and brokers, private equity funds and investment banks.[181] Telecommunication Main article: Telecommunications in Nigeria Nigeria has one of the fastest-growing telecommunications markets in the world, with major emerging market operators (like MTN, 9mobile, Airtel and Globacom) basing their largest and most profitable centres in the country.[182] Nigeria's ICT sector has experienced a lot of growth, representing 10% of the nation's GDP in 2018 as compared to just 1% in 2001.[183] Lagos is regarded as one of the largest technology hubs in Africa with its thriving tech ecosystem.[184] Several startups like Paystack, Interswitch, Bolt and Piggyvest are leveraging technology to solve issues across different sectors. Transportation Main article: Transport in Nigeria Due to Nigeria's location in the centre of Africa, transport plays a major role in the national service sector. - The government under Buhari initiated improvements to the infrastructure after 2015. Extensive road repairs and new construction have been carried out gradually as states in particular spend their share of increased government allocations. Representative of these improvements is the Second Niger Bridge near Onitsha, which was largely completed in 2022.[185] Tourism Main article: Tourism in Nigeria Meridien Akwa Ibom golf course park Tourism in Nigeria centres largely on events, because of the country's ample amount of ethnic groups, but also includes rain forests, savannah, waterfalls, and other natural attractions.[186] Lekki Beach in Lagos Abuja is home to several parks and green areas. The largest, Millennium Park, was designed by architect Manfredi Nicoletti and officially opened in December 2003. After the re-modernization project achieved by the administration of Governor Raji Babatunde Fashola, Lagos is gradually becoming a major tourist destination. Lagos is currently taking steps to become a global city. The 2009 Eyo carnival (a yearly festival originating from Iperu Remo, Ogun State) was a step toward world city status. Currently, Lagos is primarily known as a business-oriented and fast-paced community.[187] Lagos has become an important location for African and black cultural identity.[188] Many festivals are held in Lagos; festivals vary in offerings each year and may be held in different months. Some of the festivals are Festac Food Fair held in Festac Town Annually, Eyo Festival, Lagos Black Heritage Carnival, Lagos Carnival, Eko International Film Festival, Lagos Seafood Festac Festival, LAGOS PHOTO Festival and the Lagos Jazz Series, which is a unique franchise for high-quality live music in all genres with a focus on jazz. Established in 2010, the event takes place over a 3 to 5 days period at selected high-quality outdoor venues. The music is as varied as the audience itself and features a diverse mix of musical genres from rhythm and blues to soul, Afrobeat, hip hop, bebop, and traditional jazz. The festivals provide entertainment of dance and song to add excitement to travellers during a stay in Lagos. Lagos has sandy beaches by the Atlantic Ocean, including Elegushi Beach and Alpha Beach. Lagos also has many private beach resorts including Inagbe Grand Beach Resort and several others in the outskirts. Lagos has a variety of hotels ranging from three-star to five-star hotels, with a mixture of local hotels such as Eko Hotels and Suites, Federal Palace Hotel and franchises of multinational chains such as Intercontinental Hotel, Sheraton, and Four Points by Hilton. Other places of interest include the Tafawa Balewa Square, Festac town, The Nike Art Gallery, Freedom Park, and the Cathedral Church of Christ. Infrastructure Energy Main article: Energy in Nigeria Substation in Abuja Nigeria's primary energy consumption was about 108 Mtoe in 2011. Most of the energy comes from traditional biomass and waste, which account for 83% of total primary production. The rest is from fossil fuels (16%) and hydropower (1%). Since independence, Nigeria has tried to develop a domestic nuclear industry for energy. Since 2004, Nigeria has had a Chinese-origin research reactor at Ahmadu Bello University and has sought the support of the International Atomic Energy Agency to develop plans for up to 4,000 MWe of nuclear capacity by 2027 according to the National Program for the Deployment of Nuclear Power for Generation of Electricity. In 2007, President Umaru Yar'Adua urged the country to embrace nuclear power to meet its growing energy needs. In 2017, Nigeria signed the UN treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.[189] In April 2015, Nigeria began talks with Russia's state-owned Rosatom to collaborate on the design, construction and operation of four nuclear power plants by 2035, the first of which will be in operation by 2025. In June 2015, Nigeria selected two sites for the planned construction of the nuclear plants. Neither the Nigerian government nor Rosatom would disclose the specific locations of the sites, but it is believed that the nuclear plants will be sited in Akwa Ibom State and Kogi State. The sites are planned to house two plants each. In 2017 agreements were signed for the construction of the Itu nuclear power plant. Transportation Main article: Transportation in Nigeria Railway system in Nigeria, 2022 Second Niger bridge at Onitsha, artistic impression Roads Nigeria’s roads and highways handle 90% of all passenger and freight traffic. It contributes N2.4trn ($6.4bn) to GDP in 2020. The Nigerian government is focused on both servicing existing roads – many of which are in poor condition or unpaved – and constructing new ones. The 2021 budget earmarked N168bn ($451.2m) for the construction, rehabilitation and dualisation of roads. The package also set aside N54bn ($144.2m) for building and renovating bridges, and N4bn ($10.7m) specifically for the rehabilitation of a mainland bridge in Lagos.[190] Railways Main article: Nigerian Railway Corporation The railways have undergone a massive revamping with projects such as the Lagos-Kano Standard Gauge Railway being completed connecting northern cities of Kano, Kaduna, Abuja, Ibadan and Lagos. Air traffic Main article: List of airports in Nigeria There are 54 airports in Nigeria; the principal airports are Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano, Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu and Port Harcourt International Airport in Port Harcourt. In December 2021, the Anambra International Cargo Airport started its operation.[191] In April 2022, the second terminal of the Murtalla Muhammed International Airport has been inaugurated. It will increase the capacity of the airport to 14 million passengers per year.[192] In December 2022, the Akwa Ibom International Airport will open the most modern terminal in Nigeria so far.[193] Sea traffic Main article: Lekki Port So far, there is no port in Nigeria with a depth of more than 13 metres. This is set to change with the Lekki Deep Sea Port. The port is scheduled to be fully completed in September 2022 and to become operational at the end of 2022.[194] It has a depth of 16.5m, can serve Post-Panamax-vessels and will increase Nigeria's port capacity fivefold. Telecommunications Main article: Telecommunications in Nigeria According to the National Bureau of Statistics in 2020, Nigeria has about 136,203,231 internet users out of an estimated population of 205,886,311.[195] This implies that as of 2020, 66 per cent of the Nigerian population are connected to the internet and using it actively. Although Nigerians are using the internet for educational, social networking, and entertainment purposes, the internet has also become a tool for mobilizing political protests in Nigeria. However, the Nigerian government has become threatened by how its citizens are using the internet to influence governance and political changes. Using various measures including but not limited to Illegal arrest, taking down of websites, passport seizures, and restricted access to bank accounts, the Nigerian Government punishes citizens for expressing themselves on the internet and working to stifle internet freedom.[196] Due to how the Nigerian government is responding to internet freedom among other things such as limitations to internet access and violations of users rights, Nigeria ranked 26th out of the 65 countries evaluated for internet freedom in the Freedom House 2020 Index.[197] Government satellites SpaceX launch of CRS-11 with Nigeria EduSat-1 on board in 2017 The government has recently begun expanding this infrastructure to space-based communications. Nigeria has a space satellite that is monitored at the Nigerian National Space Research and Development Agency Headquarters in Abuja. The Nigerian government has commissioned the overseas production and launch of four satellites. NigComSat-1 was the first Nigerian satellite built, was Nigeria's third satellite, and Africa's first communication satellite. It was launched in 2007 aboard a Chinese Long March 3B carrier rocket, from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in China. The spacecraft was operated by NigComSat and the Nigerian Space Research and Development Agency. On 11 November 2008, NigComSat-1 failed in orbit after running out of power because of an anomaly in its solar array. It was based on the Chinese DFH-4 satellite bus and carries a variety of transponders: four C-band; fourteen Ku-band; eight Ka-band; and two L-band. It was designed to provide coverage to many parts of Africa, and the Ka-band transponders would also cover Italy. The satellite was launched from Russia on 27 September 2003. Nigeriasat-1 was part of the worldwide Disaster Monitoring Constellation System.[198] The primary objectives of the Nigeriasat-1 were: to give early warning signals of environmental disaster; to help detect and control desertification in the northern part of Nigeria; to assist in demographic planning; to establish the relationship between malaria vectors and the environment that breeds malaria and to give early warning signals on future outbreaks of meningitis using remote sensing technology; to provide the technology needed to bring education to all parts of the country through distant learning, and to aid in conflict resolution and border disputes by mapping out state and International borders. NigeriaSat-2, Nigeria's second satellite, was built as a high-resolution earth satellite by Surrey Space Technology Limited, a United Kingdom-based satellite technology company. It has 2.5-metre resolution panchromatic (very high resolution), 5-metre multispectral (high resolution, NIR red, green and red bands), and 32-metre multispectral (medium resolution, NIR red, green and red bands) antennas, with a ground receiving station in Abuja. The NigeriaSat-2 spacecraft alone was built at a cost of over £35 million. This satellite was launched into orbit by a military base in China.[199] On 10 November 2008 (0900 GMT), the satellite was reportedly switched off for analysis and to avoid a possible collision with other satellites. According to Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited, it was put into "emergency mode operation to effect mitigation and repairs".[200] The satellite eventually failed after losing power on 11 November 2008. On 24 March 2009, the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, NigComSat Ltd. and CGWIC signed another contract for the in-orbit delivery of the NigComSat-1R satellite. NigComSat-1R was also a DFH-4 satellite, and the replacement for the failed NigComSat-1 was successfully launched into orbit by China in Xichang on 19 December 2011.[201][202] The satellite was stated to have a positive impact on national development in various sectors such as communications, internet services, health, agriculture, environmental protection and national security.[203] NigeriaEduSat-1 was a satellite designed, built, and owned by the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA), in conjunction with Nigeria's National Space Research and Development Agency and Japan's Kyushu Institute of Technology. It was equipped with 0.3-megapixel and 5-megapixel cameras, and with the rest of the satellite, the fleet took images of Nigeria. The satellite transmitted songs and poems as an outreach project to generate Nigerian interest in science. The signal could be received by amateur radio operators. The satellite constellation also conducted measurements of the atmospheric density 400 kilometres (1.3 million feet) above the Earth. The satellite cost about US$500,000 to manufacture and launch. Demographics Nigeria - population prognosis Main article: Demographics of Nigeria Population density (persons per square kilometer) in Nigeria Population in Nigeria[204][205] Year Million 1971 55 1980 71 1990 95 2000 125 2004 138 2008 151 2012 167 2016 186 2017 191 The United Nations estimates that the population of Nigeria in 2018 was at 195,874,685[206][207], distributed as 51.7% rural and 48.3% urban, and with a population density of 167.5 people per square kilometre. Around 42.5% of the population were 14 years or younger, 19.6% were aged 15–24, 30.7% were aged 25–54, 4.0% were aged 55–64, and 3.1% were aged 65 years or older. The median age in 2017 was 18.4 years.[208] Nigeria is the seventh most populous country in the world. The birth rate is 35.2-births/1,000 population and the death rate is 9.6 deaths/1,000 population as of 2017, while the total fertility rate is 5.07 children born/woman.[208] Nigeria's population increased by 57 million from 1990 to 2008, a 60% growth rate in less than two decades.[209] Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and accounts for about 17% of the continent's total population as of 2017; however, exactly how populous is a subject of speculation.[210] National census results in the past few decades have been disputed. The results of the most recent census were released in December 2006 and gave a population of 140,003,542. The only breakdown available was by gender: males numbered 71,709,859, females numbered 68,293,008. According to the United Nations, Nigeria has been undergoing explosive population growth and has one of the highest growth and fertility rates in the world. By their projections, Nigeria is one of eight countries expected to account collectively for half of the world's total population increase in 2005–2050.[211] The UN estimates that by 2100 the Nigerian population will be between 505 million and 1.03 billion people (middle estimate: 730 million).[212] In 1950, Nigeria had only 33 million people. In 2012, President Goodluck Jonathan said Nigerians should limit their number of children.[213] Millions of Nigerians have emigrated during times of economic hardship, primarily to Europe, North America and Australia. It is estimated that over a million Nigerians have emigrated to the United States and constitute the Nigerian American populace. Individuals in many such Diasporic communities have joined the "Egbe Omo Yoruba" society, a national association of Yoruba descendants in North America.[214][215] Nigeria's largest city is Lagos. Lagos has grown from about 300,000 in 1950[216] to an estimated 13.4 million in 2017.[217] Ethnic groups Main article: List of ethnic groups in Nigeria Hausa harpist.jpg IGBO CULTURAL ATTIRE.jpg Kwarastatedrummers.jpg A Hausa xalam player An Igbo man Yoruba drummers Nigeria has more than 250 ethnic groups, with varying languages and customs, creating a country of rich ethnic diversity. The three largest ethnic groups are the Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo, together accounting for more than 70% of the population, while the Edo, Ijaw, Fulɓe, Kanuri, Urhobo-Isoko, Ibibio, Ebira, Nupe, Gbagyi, Jukun, Igala, Idoma and Tiv comprise between 25 and 30%; other minorities make up the remaining 5%.[218] The Middle Belt of Nigeria is known for its diversity of ethnic groups, including the Atyap, Berom, Goemai, Igala, Kofyar, Pyem, and Tiv. The official population count of each of Nigeria's ethnicities is disputed as members of different ethnic groups believe the census is rigged to give a particular group (usually believed to be northern groups) numerical superiority.[113][219][220] There are small minorities of British, American, Indian, Chinese (est. 50,000),[221] white Zimbabwean,[222] Japanese, Greek, Syrian and Lebanese immigrants. Immigrants also include those from other West African or East African nations. These minorities mostly reside in major cities such as Lagos and Abuja, or the Niger Delta as employees for the major oil companies. Several Cubans settled in Nigeria as political refugees following the Cuban Revolution. In the middle of the 19th century, several ex-slaves of Afro-Cuban and Afro-Brazilian descent[223] and emigrants from Sierra Leone established communities in Lagos and other regions of Nigeria. Many ex-slaves came to Nigeria following the emancipation of slaves in the Americas. Many of the immigrants, sometimes called Saro (immigrants from Sierra Leone) and Amaro (ex-slaves from Brazil)[224] later became prominent merchants and missionaries in these cities. Languages Main article: Languages of Nigeria This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Nigeria" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (July 2018) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) Map of Nigeria's linguistic groups 521 languages have been spoken in Nigeria; nine of them are extinct.[dubious – discuss] In some areas of Nigeria, ethnic groups speak more than one language. The official language of Nigeria, English, was chosen to facilitate the cultural and linguistic unity of the country, owing to the influence of British colonisation which ended in 1960. Many French speakers from surrounding countries have influenced the English spoken in the border regions of Nigeria and some Nigerian citizens have become fluent enough in French to work in the surrounding countries. The French spoken in Nigeria may be mixed with some native languages and english. The major languages spoken in Nigeria represent three major families of languages of Africa: the majority are Niger-Congo languages, such as Igbo, Yoruba, Ijaw, Fulfulde, Ogoni, and Edo. Kanuri, spoken in the northeast, primarily in Borno and Yobe State, is part of the Nilo-Saharan family, and Hausa is an Afroasiatic language. Even though most ethnic groups prefer to communicate in their languages, English as the official language is widely used for education, business transactions and official purposes. English as a first language is used by only a small minority of the country's urban elite, and it is not spoken at all in some rural areas. Hausa is the most widely spoken of the three main languages spoken in Nigeria. With the majority of Nigeria's populace in the rural areas, the major languages of communication in the country remain indigenous languages. Some of the largest of these, notably Yoruba and Igbo, have derived standardised languages from several different dialects and are widely spoken by those ethnic groups. Nigerian Pidgin English, often known simply as "Pidgin" or "Broken" (Broken English), is also a popular lingua franca, though with varying regional influences on dialect and slang. The pidgin English or Nigerian English is widely spoken within the Niger Delta Region.[225] Religion Main article: Religion in Nigeria Religion in Nigeria (est. 2018)[226]   Muslim (53.5%)   Christian (45.9%)   Traditional faiths (0.6%) Nigeria is a religiously diverse society, with Islam and Christianity being the most widely professed religions. Nigerians are nearly equally divided into Muslims and Christians, with a tiny minority of adherents of traditional African religions and other religions.[227] The Christian share of Nigeria's population is on the decline because of the lower fertility rate compared to Muslims in the country.[228] As in other parts of Africa where Islam and Christianity are dominant, religious syncretism with the traditional African religions is common.[229] A 2012 report on religion and public life by the Pew Research Center stated that in 2010, 49.3 per cent of Nigeria's population was Christian, 48.8 per cent was Muslim, and 1.9 per cent were followers of indigenous and other religions or unaffiliated.[230] However, in a report released by Pew Research Center in 2015, the Muslim population was estimated to be 50%, and by 2060, according to the report, Muslims will account for about 60% of the country.[231] The 2010 census of Association of Religion Data Archives has also reported that 48.8% of the total population was Christian, slightly larger than the Muslim population of 43.4%, while 7.5% were members of other religions.[232] However, these estimates should be taken with caution because sample data is mostly collected from major urban areas in the south, which are predominantly Christian.[233][234][235] Islam dominates North-Western Nigeria (Hausa, Fulani and others), with 99% Muslim, and Northern Eastern Nigeria (Kanuri, Fulani and other groups). In the west, the Yoruba tribe is predominantly Muslim with a notable minority of Christians and 10% adherents of traditional religions. Protestant and locally cultivated Christianity are widely practised in Western areas, while Roman Catholicism is a more prominent Christian feature of South Eastern Nigeria. Both Roman Catholicism and Protestantism are observed in the Ibibio, Anaang, Efik, Ijo and Ogoni lands of the south. The Igbos (predominant in the east) and the Ijaw (south) are 98% Christian, with 2% practising traditional religions.[236] The middle belt of Nigeria contains the largest number of minority ethnic groups in Nigeria, who were found to be mostly Christians and members of traditional religions, with a small proportion of Muslims.[237] The Abuja National Mosque National Church of Nigeria, Abuja Nigerian states that implement some form of sharia law (in green) Nigeria has the largest Muslim population in sub-Saharan Africa. The vast majority of Muslims in Nigeria are Sunni belonging to the Maliki school of jurisprudence; however, a sizeable minority also belongs to Shafi Madhhab. A large number of Sunni Muslims are members of Sufi brotherhoods. Most Sufis follow the Qadiriyya, Tijaniyyah or the Mouride movements. A significant Shia minority exists. Some northern states have incorporated Sharia law into their previously secular legal systems, which has brought about some controversy.[238] Kano State has sought to incorporate Sharia law into its constitution.[239] The majority of Quranists follow the Kalo Kato or Quraniyyun movement. There are also Ahmadiyya and Mahdiyya minorities,[240] as well as followers of the Baháʼí Faith.[241][242] Among Christians, the Pew Research survey found that 74% were Protestant, 25% were Catholic, and 1% belonged to other Christian denominations, including a small Orthodox Christian community.[243] Leading Protestant churches in the country include the Church of Nigeria of the Anglican Communion, the Assemblies of God Church, the Nigerian Baptist Convention and The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations. Since the 1990s, there has been significant growth in many other churches, independently started in Africa by Africans, particularly the evangelical Protestant ones. These include the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Winners' Chapel, Christ Apostolic Church (the first Aladura Movement in Nigeria), Living Faith Church Worldwide, Deeper Christian Life Ministry, Evangelical Church of West Africa, Mountain of Fire and Miracles, Christ Embassy, Lord's Chosen Charismatic Revival Movement, Celestial Church of Christ, and Dominion City.[244] In addition, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Aladura Church, the Seventh-day Adventist and various indigenous churches have also experienced growth.[245][246] The Yoruba area contains a large Anglican population, while Igboland is a mix of Roman Catholics, Protestants, and a small population of Igbo Jews. The Edo area is composed predominantly of members of the Assemblies of God, which was introduced into Nigeria by Augustus Ehurie Wogu and his associates at Old Umuahia. Nigeria has become an African hub for the Grail Movement and the Hare Krishnas,[247] and the largest temple of the Eckankar religion is in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, with a total capacity of 10,000. Health Further information: Health in Nigeria A hospital in Abuja Health care delivery in Nigeria is a concurrent responsibility of the three tiers of government in the country, and the private sector.[248] Nigeria has been reorganising its health system since the Bamako Initiative of 1987, which formally promoted community-based methods of increasing accessibility of drugs and health care services to the population, in part by implementing user fees.[249] The new strategy dramatically increased accessibility through community-based health care reform, resulting in more efficient and equitable provision of services. A comprehensive approach strategy was extended to all areas of health care, with subsequent improvement in the health care indicators and improvement in health care efficiency and cost.[250] HIV/AIDS rate in Nigeria is much lower compared to the other African nations such as Botswana or South Africa whose prevalence (percentage) rates are in the double digits. As of 2019, the HIV prevalence rate among adults ages 15–49 was 1.5 per cent.[251] The life expectancy in Nigeria is 54.7 years on average,[251] and 71% and 39% of the population have access to improved water sources and improved sanitation, respectively.[252] As of 2019, the infant mortality is 74.2 deaths per 1,000 live births.[253] In 2012, a new bone marrow donor program was launched by the University of Nigeria to help people with leukaemia, lymphoma, or sickle cell disease to find a compatible donor for a life-saving bone marrow transplant, which cures them of their conditions. Nigeria became the second African country to have successfully carried out this surgery.[254] In the 2014 Ebola outbreak, Nigeria was the first country to effectively contain and eliminate the Ebola threat that was ravaging three other countries in the West African region; the unique method of contact tracing employed by Nigeria became an effective method later used by countries such as the United States when Ebola threats were discovered.[255][256][257] The Nigerian health care system is continuously faced with a shortage of doctors known as "brain drain", because of emigration by skilled Nigerian doctors to North America and Europe. In 1995, an estimated 21,000 Nigerian doctors were practising in the United States alone, which is about the same as the number of doctors working in the Nigerian public service. Retaining these expensively trained professionals has been identified as one of the goals of the government.[258] Education Main article: Education in Nigeria The University of Lagos Education in Nigeria is overseen by the Ministry of Education. Local authorities take responsibility for implementing policy for state-controlled public education and state schools at a regional level. The education system is divided into kindergarten, primary education, secondary education and tertiary education. After the 1970s oil boom, tertiary education was improved so it would reach every subregion of Nigeria. 68% of the Nigerian population is literate, and the rate for men (75.7%) is higher than that for women (60.6%).[259] Nigeria provides free, government-supported education, but attendance is not compulsory at any level, and certain groups, such as nomads and the handicapped, are under-served. The education system consists of six years of primary school, three years of junior secondary school, three years of senior secondary school, and four, five or six years of university education leading to a bachelor's degree.[259] The government has majority control of university education. Tertiary education in Nigeria consists of universities (public and private), polytechnics, monotechnics, and colleges of education. The country has a total of 138 universities, with 40 federally owned, 39 state-owned, and 59 privately owned. Nigeria was ranked 118th in the Global Innovation Index in 2021, down from 114th in 2019.[260][261][262][263]
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