Major Cities: The most populous cities in Nigeria are Lagos (12 million), Ibadan (5 million), Abuja (2 million), Kano (1 million), and Enugu (500,000).

Independence: Nigeria achieved independence from the United Kingdom on October 1, 1960.

Public Holidays: A national holiday commemorating independence is celebrated on October 1. Other holidays are New Year’s (January 1), Eid al Kabir (Feast of the Sacrifice—movable date based on the Islamic calendar), Eid al Maulud (Birth of the Prophet—movable date based on the Islamic calendar), Easter (movable date in March or April), Workers’ Day (May 1), Eid al Fitr (End of Ramadan—movable date based on the Islamic calendar), Christmas (December 25), and Boxing Day (December 26).

Flag: Nigeria’s flag consists of three equal vertical bands of green, white,

and green.

RECENT NEWS ARTICLES

Fraudsters hack Nigeria's N/Assembly website  -  24 Oct 2006
AND,The statement with the caption â€œWarningâ€?, reads: â€?It has come to our notice that dishonest Nigerians are using the Nigeria Congress Web site for ...

Nigeria, Israel to collaborate on technology development  -  24 Oct 2006
People's Daily Online,Nigeria is to collaborate with Israel to improve its technology, Nigerian official News Agency reported on Monday. According to ...

Mandela bless Banyana as team leaves for Nigeria  -  24 Oct 2006
AND,Former South Africa President Nelson Mandela on Tuesday blessed the country's women national football team, Bayana Bayana before departing to Nigeria for the ...

Nigeria: Ssanu Warns FG On Privatisation of Unity Schools  -  24 Oct 2006
AllAfrica.com,THE Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has warned the Federal Government to drop its proposed plan to privatise Unity Schools across the ...

Nigeria: ...ANPP Urges Muslims Too  -  24 Oct 2006
AllAfrica.com,The All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), has urged Muslims across the country to use the occasion of the Eid-El-Kabir to pray for the survival of democracy in ...

Nigeria: FG, States, LGs Share N559bn in September  -  24 Oct 2006
AllAfrica.com,...state for finance, Mr. Elias Mbam, who chaired the meeting said the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) were ...

Nigeria: No Voter's Register Machine in Bauchi Yet -INEC  -  24 Oct 2006
AllAfrica.com,...more questions on the ability of the commission to conduct a hitch-free exercise, Alhaji Sani Shehu, Bauchi state chairman of the All Nigeria People's Party ...

Nigeria: Envoy Donates Books and Food Items to Society  -  24 Oct 2006
AllAfrica.com,Browne made the call Friday in Lagos while visiting the Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria in Surulere, to mark the end of the Ramadan fast. ...

Nigeria to become Africaâ€™s largest mobile market  -  24 Oct 2006
Nigerian Tribune,NIGERIA will displace South Africa to become the largest mobile market in Africa by the end of 2007. According to a presentation ...

Nigeria: We Killed Daramola for N25,000 - Suspects  -  24 Oct 2006
AllAfrica.com,TWO suspected killers of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in Ekiti State, Dr Ayo Daramola yesterday confessed that they received N25,000 ...

Nigeria: Plot to Impeach Obi, Political Suicide --Aasdu  -  24 Oct 2006
AllAfrica.com,ASSOCIATION of Anambra State Development Unions, Lagos has condemned the moves of the state lawmakers to impeach Governor Peter Obi, saying it is the height of ...

Nigeria: Nigerians Have a Way of Getting Over Problems-Prof ...  -  24 Oct 2006
AllAfrica.com,...brought up the same issue. I took the positive position that Nigeria is going to have a credible election this. My reasons are that ...

Nigeria: Adamawa PDP Denies Odili's Endorsement  -  24 Oct 2006
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This series of profiles of foreign nations is part of the Country Studies Program, formerly the Army Area Handbook Program. The profiles offer brief, summarized information on a country’s historical background, geography, society, economy, transportation and telecommunications, government and politics, and national security. In addition to being featured in the front matter of published Country Studies, they are now being prepared as stand-alone reference aides for all countries in the series, as well as for a number of additional countries of interest. The profiles offer reasonably current country information independent of the existence of a recently published Country Study and will be updated annually or more frequently as events warrant.