Nigeria is a country in Africa, a regional power on the continent and an emerging power on the international scene.
It has 36 states and a Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Having being divided into states, the country is further divided into 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs).
The LGAs are under the control of their respective states.
The country has the largest economy in Africa.
Nigeria’s population is over 230 million, making it number 1 most populated country in Africa, and number 6 in the world.
Tiv people of Nigeria
It covers an area of 923,769 square kilometres (356,669 sq mi).
It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea to the south in the Atlantic Ocean.
Abuja City Gate
Nigeria borders Niger in the north, Chad in the northeast, Cameroon in the east, and Benin in the west.
It is often referred to as the Giant of Africa owing to its large population and economy and is considered to be an emerging market by the World Bank.
National Assembly building
However, the country ranks very low in the Human Development Index and remains one of the most corrupt nations in the world.
Maitama, Abuja with Hilton Hotel’s high-rise building in the foreground
The largest city in Nigeria is Lagos, one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world and the largest in Africa.
Lagos, the commercial capital and main sea port city
Nigeria is a multinational state inhabited by more than 250 ethnic groups speaking 500 distinct languages, all identifying with a wide variety of cultures.
The official language is English, chosen to facilitate linguistic unity at the national level.
Nigeria is a founding member of AU (African Union) and a member of other international organizations including UN (United Nations), Commonwealth of Nations and ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States).
