Nigeria

Federal Republic of Nigeria

military government since 31 December 1983Independence 1 October 1960 (from UK)

Nigeria as the 1995 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 81 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalAbuja

Area923,770 sq km

LocationWestern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between

Populationas each edition published it

101.23 million July 1995 est. · 118.82m in 1990

Population growth% a year

3.16% 1995 est. · 3.13% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 18 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

55.98 years 1995 est. · 54.7 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

6.31 children per woman 1995 est. · 6.5 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

72.6 deaths per 1,000 live births 1995 est. · 119 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$1,250 1994 est. · $300 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

-0.8% 1994 est. · 3.6% in 1993

Geography

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between | Benin and Cameroon

13 fields

Land useshare of 923,770 sq km

arable land 31%permanent crops 3%meadows and pastures 23%forest and woodland 15%other 28%irrigated 8,650 sq km (1989 est.)

Area

923,770sq km

land area: 910,770 sq kmcomparative area: slightly more than twice the size of California

Coastline

853km

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitationexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 30 nm

Land boundaries

4,047km

total · Benin 773 km, Cameroon 1,690 km, Chad 87 km, Niger 1,497 km

Location

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Benin and Cameroon

International disputes

demarcation of international boundaries in Lake Chad, the lack of which led to border incidents in the past, is completed and awaits ratification by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria;
dispute with Cameroon over land and maritime boundaries in the vicinity of the Bakasi Peninsula has been referred to the International Court of Justice

Climate

varies; equatorial in south, tropical in center, arid in north

Terrain

southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus; mountains in southeast, plains in north

Natural resources

petroleum, tin, columbite, iron ore, coal, limestone, lead, zinc, natural gas

Environment

current issues:: soil degradation;
rapid deforestation;
desertification;
recent droughts in north severely affecting marginal agricultural activities
natural hazards:: periodic droughts
international agreements:: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection

People

15 fields

Population

101,232,251

(July 1995 est.)growth rate: 3.16% (1995 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1995 est.)

Birth

43.26Death

12.01Net migration

0.35

Male · female(1995 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years55.98

54.69 · 57.3

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy51%

62% · 40%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

Religions

Muslim 50%Christian 40%indigenous beliefs 10%

Labor force

42.844million

by occupation: agriculture 54%, industry, commerce, and services 19%, government 15%

Age structure

0-14 years:: 45% (female 22,643,026; male 22,850,322)
15-64 years:: 52% (female 25,842,286; male 26,978,906)
65 years and over:: 3% (female 1,438,392; male 1,479,319) (July 1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate

72.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Nigerian(s)
adjective:: Nigerian

Ethnic divisions

north:: Hausa and Fulani
southwest:: Yoruba
southeast:: Ibos non-Africans 27,000

note: Hausa and Fulani, Yoruba, and Ibos together make up 65% of population

Languages

English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Ibo, Fulani

Government

Military government since 31 December 1983

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Names

conventional long form:: Federal Republic of Nigeria
conventional short form:: Nigeria

Type

military government since 31 December 1983;
plans to institute a constitutional conference to prepare for a new transition to civilian rule after plans for a transition in 1993 were negated by General BABANGIDA

Capital

Abuja note: on 12 December 1991 the capital was officially moved from Lagos to Abuja; many government offices remain in Lagos pending completion of facilities in Abuja

30 states and 1 territory*; Abia, Abuja Capital Territory*, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Enugu, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe

Independence

1 October 1960 (from UK)

National holiday

Independence Day, 1 October (1960)

Constitution

1979 constitution still in force; plan for 1989 constitution to take effect in 1993 was not implemented

Legal system

based on English common law, Islamic law, and tribal law

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state and head of government:: Chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council and Commander in Chief of Armed Forces and Defense Minister Gen. Sani ABACHA (since 17 November 1993); Vice-Chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council Oladipo DIYA (since 17 November 1993)
cabinet:: Federal Executive Council

Legislative branch

bicameral National Assembly

Senate

suspended after coup of 17 November 1993

House of Representatives

suspended after coup of 17 November 1993

Judicial branch

Supreme Court, Federal Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders

note: two political party system suspended after the coup of 17 November 1993

Member of

ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, MINURSO, NAM, OAU, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNAMIR, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNPROFOR, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Zubair Mahmud KAZAURE
chancery:: 1333 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone:: [1] (202) 986-8400
consulate(s) general:: New York

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Ambassador Walter C. CARRINGTON
embassy:: 2 Eleke Crescent, Lagos
mailing address:: P. O. Box 554, Lagos
telephone:: [234] (1) 261-0097

FAX

[234] (1) 261-0257

branch office:: Abuja
consulate(s) general:: Kaduna

Flag

three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green

Economy

The oil-rich Nigerian economy continues to be hobbled by | political instability and poor macroeconomic management.

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GDP per capita, PPP

$1,250

(1994 est.)

Real growth rate

-0.8%

(1994 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate 7.7% (1991); accounts for 43% of GDP, including petroleum

Inflation, consumer prices

53%

(1993 est.)

Unemployment rate

28%

(1992 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$9 billionExpenditures

$10.8 billion (1992 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Installed generating capacity, 4,570,000 kW

Electricity production

11.3 billionElectricity consumption per capita

109 (1993)

Overview

The oil-rich Nigerian economy continues to be hobbled by political instability and poor macroeconomic management. Nigeria's unpopular military rulers show no sign of wanting to restore democratic civilian rule in the near future and appear divided on how to redress fundamental economic imbalances that cause troublesome inflation and the steady depreciation of the naira.

The government's domestic and international arrears continue to limit economic growth - even in the oil sector - and prevent an agreement with the IMF and bilateral creditors on debt relief. The inefficient (largely subsistence) agricultural sector has failed to keep up with rapid population growth, and Nigeria, once a large net exporter of food, now must import food.

National product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $122.6 billion (1994 est.)

Exports

$11.9 billion (f.o.b., 1992)

commodities:: oil 95%, cocoa, rubber
partners:: US 54%, EC 23%

Imports

$8.3 billion (c.i.f., 1992)

commodities:: machinery and equipment, manufactured goods, food and animals
partners:: EC 64%, US 10%, Japan 7%

External debt

$29.5 billion (1992)

Industries

crude oil and mining - coal, tin, columbite;
primary processing industries - palm oil, peanut, cotton, rubber, wood, hides and skins;
manufacturing industries - textiles, cement, building materials, food products, footwear, chemical, printing, ceramics, steel

Agriculture

accounts for 35% of GDP and half of labor force;
cash crops - cocoa, peanuts, palm oil, rubber;
food crops - corn, rice, sorghum, millet, cassava, yams;
livestock - cattle, sheep, goats, pigs;
fishing and forestry resources extensively exploited

Illicit drugs

passenger and cargo air hub for West Africa;
facilitates movement of heroin en route from Southeast and Southwest Asia to Western Europe and North America;
increasingly a transit route for cocaine from South America intended for West European, East Asian, and North American markets

Economic aid

recipient:: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $705 million;
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $3 billion;
Communist countries (1970-89), $2.2 billion

Currency

1 naira (N) = 100 kobo

Exchange rates

naira (N) per US$1 - 21.996 (January 1995), 21.996 (1994), 22.065 (1993), 17.298 (1992), 9.909 (1991), 8.038 (1990)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Transportation

7 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 80 in all

over 3,047 m

2,438 to 3,047 m

1,524 to 2,437 m

914 to 1,523 m

under 914 m

1,524 to 2,438 m

PavedUnpaved

Networkskm

Highways

107,990Railroads

3,567

Highways: paved: mostly bituminous-surface treatment 30,019 km · unpaved: gravel, crushed stone, improved earth 25,411 km; unimproved earth 52,560 km · Railroads: narrow gauge: 3,505 km 1.067-m gauge · standard gauge: 62 km 1.435-m gauge

Railroads

total:: 3,567 km
narrow gauge:: 3,505 km 1.067-m gauge
standard gauge:: 62 km 1.435-m gauge

Highways

total:: 107,990 km
paved:: mostly bituminous-surface treatment 30,019 km
unpaved:: gravel, crushed stone, improved earth 25,411 km; unimproved earth 52,560 km

Inland waterways

8,575 km consisting of Niger and Benue Rivers and smaller rivers and creeks

Pipelines

crude oil 2,042 km;
petroleum products 3,000 km;
natural gas 500 km

Ports

Calabar, Lagos, Onne, Port Harcourt, Sapele, Warri

Merchant marine

total:: 32 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 404,064 GRT/661,850 DWT
ships by type:: bulk 1, cargo 14, chemical tanker 3, liquefied gas tanker 1, oil tanker 12, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1

Communications

3 fields

Telephone system

NA telephones;
above-average system limited by poor maintenance;
major expansion in progress

local:: NA
intercity:: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and 20 domestic satellite earth stations carry intercity traffic
international:: 3 INTELSAT earth stations (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 coaxial submarine cable carry international traffic