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Nigeria
AfricaWestern Africa
924 Thousand km²
Quick Facts
Capital
Abuja
Area
923,768 km²
Language
English (+ Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo)
Currency
Nigerian Naira (NGN)
Calling Code
+234
Drives On
Right
Internet
.ng
Timezone
WAT (UTC+1)
Script
Latin
Government
Federal Presidential Republic
Independence
1960
Map tiles by CARTO. Data by OpenStreetMap.
Nigeria is Africa's most populous country and its largest economy, a place where 220 million people speaking over 500 languages somehow manage to coexist, argue, create, and hustle in ways that shape the entire continent. Lagos alone has more people than most European countries, and its energy is infectious - this is the city that gave the world Afrobeats, Nollywood, and a tech startup scene that rivals Nairobi and Cape Town.
The country's diversity is staggering. The Muslim-majority north with its ancient Hausa city-states, the Yoruba southwest with its rich artistic traditions, the Igbo southeast known for trade and enterprise, and hundreds of smaller groups each with their own language and customs. Nigeria has produced Nobel laureates, global music superstars, and NBA champions - and it's still only getting started. The food alone, from jollof rice wars to suya smoke drifting through evening streets, is worth the trip.
Largest Cities in Nigeria
1
Lagos
Commercial capital and Africa's largest city, a sprawling megacity of hustle, music, art, and non-stop energy
15,400,000
2
Kano
Ancient trading city in the north, center of Hausa culture with 1,000-year-old dye pits still in use
4,100,000
3
Ibadan
One of Africa's largest cities by area, home to Nigeria's oldest university and a massive sprawl of rust-colored rooftops
3,600,000
4
Abuja
Purpose-built capital since 1991, designed to be centrally located and ethnically neutral
3,500,000
5
Port Harcourt
Oil capital of Nigeria in the Niger Delta, gateway to the country's petroleum wealth
3,200,000
6
Benin City
Historic capital of the Benin Kingdom, famous for its bronze sculptures that stunned European explorers
1,800,000
Famous People from Nigeria
Wole Soyinka
LiteratureFirst African to win the Nobel Prize in Literature (1986), playwright and poet of extraordinary range
Chinua Achebe
LiteratureAuthor of Things Fall Apart, the most widely read book in modern African literature with over 20 million copies sold
Fela Kuti
MusicCreated Afrobeat by fusing jazz, funk, and Yoruba rhythms, became a global symbol of musical and political resistance
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
LiteratureAuthor of Half of a Yellow Sun and Americanah, her TED talk on feminism has been viewed over 30 million times
Hakeem Olajuwon
SportNBA Hall of Famer who won back-to-back championships with the Houston Rockets (1994-95), born in Lagos
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
PoliticsFirst woman and first African to serve as Director-General of the World Trade Organization
Burna Boy
MusicGrammy Award-winning artist who brought Afrobeats to the global mainstream, filling stadiums worldwide
Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti
PoliticsPioneer of women's rights in Nigeria, led mass protests against colonial taxation, and mother of Afrobeat legend Fela Kuti
Traditional Cuisine of Nigeria
Jollof Rice
Tomato-based one-pot rice dish and the centerpiece of West Africa's fiercest culinary rivalry - every Nigerian insists theirs is the best
Suya
Spicy grilled meat skewers coated in ground peanut and chili spice mix, sold by roadside vendors after dark
Egusi Soup
Thick soup made from ground melon seeds with leafy vegetables and meat, eaten with pounded yam or fufu
Pounded Yam
Smooth, stretchy yam dough pounded to perfection, the most popular swallow for dipping into Nigerian soups
Pepper Soup
Fiery broth loaded with scotch bonnet peppers and aromatic spices, the go-to remedy for colds and hangovers
Moi Moi
Steamed bean pudding made from blended black-eyed peas with peppers and spices, wrapped in banana leaves
Puff Puff
Deep-fried dough balls dusted with sugar, Nigeria's beloved street snack found at every corner and celebration
Chin Chin
Crunchy fried dough strips flavored with nutmeg and sugar, a staple party snack and holiday treat
Nature & Landmarks in Nigeria
Niger River
RiverWest Africa's longest river at 4,180 km, forming a vast delta where it meets the Atlantic - the river that gave Nigeria its name
Niger Delta
ForestThe world's third largest wetland and Africa's largest river delta, a maze of creeks, mangroves, and extraordinary biodiversity
Yankari National Park
National ParkNigeria's premier wildlife reserve in Bauchi state, home to elephants, lions, and natural warm springs
Zuma Rock
LandmarkMassive 725-meter monolith near Abuja, sometimes called the Gateway to Abuja, with a face-like formation on its surface
Obudu Plateau
MountainCool highland plateau in Cross River state at 1,576 meters, home to a cattle ranch resort and canopy walkway
Aso Rock
LandmarkIconic 400-meter granite monolith rising behind Nigeria's Presidential Complex in the heart of Abuja
Jos Plateau
MountainHigh plateau in central Nigeria with a temperate climate unusual for the tropics, known for tin mining and strawberry farms
Cross River National Park
National ParkOne of Africa's oldest rainforests near the Cameroon border, home to endangered Cross River gorillas and drill monkeys
Sports in Nigeria
Football
Three-time African Cup of Nations champions and Olympic gold medalists (1996), the Super Eagles are one of Africa's most successful teams
Athletics
Consistent sprinting power with multiple Olympic and World Championship medals, particularly in relays
Basketball
Growing basketball culture producing NBA players, D'Tigers are a rising force in African and world basketball
Boxing
Rich boxing tradition producing world champions including Dick Tiger, who won middleweight and light heavyweight titles
Did You Know?
1
Nigeria is Africa's most populous country with over 220 million people - roughly one in every six Africans is Nigerian
2
Nollywood is the second largest film industry in the world by number of films produced, ahead of Hollywood
3
Nigeria has over 500 distinct languages, making it one of the most linguistically diverse countries on Earth
4
Lagos was built on a collection of islands and lagoons - the name comes from the Portuguese word for lakes
5
The ancient Benin Bronzes, created by the Edo people from the 13th century onward, are among the most important artworks in African history
6
The Yoruba town of Igbo-Ora in Oyo state has one of the highest rates of twin births anywhere in the world
7
Nigeria's music industry is now the cultural engine of Africa, with Afrobeats artists regularly topping global charts
8
Nigerian scrabble players are among the best in the world, regularly winning international championships
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