Nigeria
Africa Β· Capital: Abuja
How it is run: Nigeria is a member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly. Use the research links below to find out exactly who makes the laws there.
Nigeria is home to 237.5 million people in Western Africa, where people speak English.
Numbers that tell a story π’
π₯ People
237.5 million people
That is 2.9% of everybody alive (counted in 2025).
πΊοΈ Land
923,768 kmΒ²
Bigger than Texas β a long road trip from one side to the other.
ποΈ How crowded
About 257 people per square kilometre β busy towns with countryside in between.
π Size in its region
1st most people in Africa
14th largest by land in Africa.
π£οΈ Official languages
English
π° Money
Nigerian naira (β¦)
Life here today π©Ί
These come from World Bank open data β the same numbers governments use when they argue about budgets.
β€οΈ How long people live
54.6 years on average
Doctors, clean water and food supply all change this number over time.
πΌ Money made per person each year
about US$1,224
A lower-income country: money for schools, clinics and roads has to stretch a very long way.
π’ Living in cities
63.8% of people
Many people still live in villages and farming towns.
π Kids under 15
40.5% of the population
A very young country β schools have to be built quickly.
Everyday details π§
π Phone code
+234
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
π Websites end in
.ng
π§ People here are called
Nigerian
π·οΈ Name at home
Nigeria
Also written: Nijeriya, NaΓjΓrΓΓ , Federal Republic of Nigeria.
π Coast or inland
Has a coastline
ποΈ UN voting group
African Group
Countries in the same group often plan votes together.
Neighbours & borders π€
Nigeria touches 4 neighbours by land. Neighbours share rivers, roads and usually a lot of trade.
Say its name around the world π£οΈ
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
Nigeria
French
NigΓ©ria
Arabic
ΩΩΨ¬ΩΨ±ΩΨ§
Chinese
ε°Όζ₯ε©δΊ
Japanese
γγ€γΈγ§γͺγ’
Russian
ΠΠΈΠ³Π΅ΡΠΈΡ
Portuguese
NigΓ©ria
German
Nigeria
Put it in perspective π
- Nigeria covers roughly 8,798 times the area of Hong Kong Island.
- If everyone in Nigeria lined up shoulder to shoulder, the line would stretch about 118,764 km.
Flags through time π
A flag is a country telling you what it believes. Scroll the timeline and watch Nigeria change.
British colony
Nigeria flew a British ensign until independence.
Green-white-green
A student, Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi, designed it: green for farms, white for peace.
Fast facts π§
Fact of the day: The capital of Nigeria is Abuja β that's where the country's big decisions get made.
π·οΈ Official name
Federal Republic of Nigeria
ποΈ Capital
Abuja
π Region
Africa Β· Western Africa
π€ Country code
NG
ποΈ UN status
UN member state
π© Independence
Independent country
More about Nigeria π
Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge
Lagos is Africa's biggest city. This cable bridge over the lagoon is where people jog at sunrise and take photos at night.
See it in Street Viewπ§ Where on the map
10.0Β° N, 8.0Β° E
π Half of the world
Northern & Eastern hemisphere
π°οΈ Clock check
Roughly UTC+1 β when it is noon in London it is about 13:00 in Abuja.
- Nigeria is a full member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly β the same as every other member, big or small.
- π³π¬ is the flag of Nigeria. Its country code β the short name used on the internet and at the Olympics β is NG.
- The capital of Nigeria is Abuja β that's where the country's big decisions get made.
- Nigeria shares its part of the world with Benin. Countries close together often trade the most with each other.
- Nigeria is an independent country, meaning it makes its own laws.
Countries nearby π€
Talk about it π¬
- Nigeria has 1 official language. How would your school day change if lessons were taught in more than one language?
- Nigeria can trade by sea. What should a country protect first: its ports, its fishing waters, or its beaches?
- If Nigeria spoke at the General Assembly tomorrow, what one problem should its delegate ask the world to help fix?
Quick quiz π§ͺ
Guess first, then tap to check your answer.
What is the capital of Nigeria?
Abuja
Which money do people spend in Nigeria?
Nigerian naira (β¦)
How many countries share a land border with Nigeria?
4 β Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Niger.
Roughly how many people live in Nigeria?
237.5 million people
Keep researching π
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further β and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here β kid-friendly encyclopedias π
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources ποΈ
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy π°
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card π«
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians β all free.
Library tip: Ask your school or public librarian for their online databases (like Gale in Context or EBSCO Explora). Your library card unlocks them for free at home, and they are already checked by adults for school use.