Nigeria at a glance
Saturday, 26 September 2009 08:46 | 
Author: TransparencyNG | 
Nigeria
Conventional Long form:
Capital:
States: 36 and the
LGA – 774
Flag – Three equal vertical bands of green, white and green.
Population: 149,229,090
Population growth rate: 2.379% (2007 Est.)
Birth rate: 40.2 births per 1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate: 16.68 deaths per 1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.26 migrants per 1,000 population (2007 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male per female
Under 15 years: 1.01 male per female
15-64 years: 1.04 male per female
Total population: 1.02 male per female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 93.93 deaths per 1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 47.81 years
Male: 47.15 years
Female: 48.5 years (2008 est.)
Total Fertility rate: 5.45 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Forest and woodland are to be found mainly in the southern part of the country, which is affected by seasonal rains from the
Nigeria is divided roughly in three by the rivers Niger and Benue, which flow through the country from north-east and north-west to meet roughly in the centre of the country near the new capital Abuja. From here the united rivers flow south to the sea at the
Climate: Although
Temperature: ranging between 20º C and 40º C. Temperature is generally very high and increases as one moves from the Southern part to the Northern part.
Latitude and Longitude - 10º North and 8º East respectively.
Location: Western Africa, bordering the
Land boundaries: total - 4,047 km
Border Countries: West - Benin 773 km., East - Cameroon 1,690 km., North - Chad 87 km., Niger 1,497 km., South - Gulf of Guinea.
Coastline: 853 km
Maritime Claims: Continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation. Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm.,
Terrain: Southern lowlands merge into central hills and Plateaus; mountains in Southeast, plains in north.
Land Area: 923,768 Sq.
Environment:
- Current issues: Soil degration; rapid deforestation in the South; desertification in the North; recent droughts in north severely affecting marginal agricultural activities.
- International agreements: party to; Biodiversity climate change, Endangered species, Hazardous wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine dumping, marine life conservation, Nuclear text ban, Ozone layer protection, Whaling. Signed, but not ratified: Desertification.
Major Cities:
Government Type: Civilian Administration.
Legislative branch: National Assembly
Senate: Seats – 109
House of Representative: Seats - 359
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, Federal Court of Appeal, High courts and State’s High Courts, Area courts, Judges are appointed by the Federal government on the advice of the Advisory Judicial committee.
Legal System: based on English common law, Islamic law, and tribal law.
Major Political Parties : People Democratic Party (PDP), All Nigeria's People’s Party (ANPP), Action Congress (AC), All Peoples Grand Alliance (APGA ) and many more
Constitution: 1999 constitution
Suffrage: 21 years of age. Universal
Telecommunication – GSM services by Globacom, MTN, Visafone, Zain, Etisalat, Realtel, Starcomms, Multilinks and others. Telephone services by NITEL within and outside
Transport - Motor vehicles: Passenger cars as taxi with each state colours; Car Hire Services in most airports, Hotels and Industrial areas; Buses - ranges from 12-100 setters as intra cities and inter-states. Both government and individuals own these cars and buses.
Civil Aviation - Government owned Airways- and other private owned airlines fly in and out of
Railways - This runs from Lagos, Kaduna, Kano, Maiduguri, Enugu, Ibadan, Ilorin
Education: Literacy - definition: Age 15 and over can read and write. Total Population: 57%: male - 67%, female - 47.3%. Primary schools in almost every towns and villages.
Health: Government established General Hospitals,
Language: More than 200 languages and dialects multifarious ethnic groups united by history, culture, national aspirations and development goals. Major ethnic groups: Hausa, Ibo, Yoruba, Fulani, Ibibio, Kanuri, Ijaw, Tiv.
Major Languages: Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba. Official language: English
Major Religion: Christian – mostly in the south, Moslems - mostly in the north, Others - Cut across.
Sports: Developed all sports with stadia across the federation.
Nigeria's History
On May 29, 1999, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was sworn in as President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This follows his victory at the presidential polls conducted in 1999 and 2003. Elected civilian Governors for all the 36 states also took oaths of office on that day.
Looking back: the Birth of
In 1914, the protectorate of
The
On October 1, 1960,
Eight military regimes succeeded, beginning in 1966, interspersed between the fourth and fifth military regime by a return to civilian rule with the
It was under the Second Military Regime (July, 1966 To July, 1975) that some of Nigeria's major development programmes were established, such as the extensive expansion and exploitation of Nigeria's mineral resources culminating in the 'Oil Boom', which in no small measure changed the economy, the taste and living standard of many Nigerians. It was also, unfortunately, a time of war: on August 9, 1967,
Other highlights of this period included the introduction of various forms of bursaries, scholarships and Students Loan Scheme in the 1970s; a government review programme for the improvement in salaries and wages; the Nigerianisation Decree compelling all foreign firms operating in Nigeria to nationalise or leave; the changing of road traffic from left to right-hand drive; the changing of the national currency to Naira and Kobo and the establishment of organised federal councils for the arts, sciences, sports and agriculture. Corruption was a major cause of strife under the military regimes and it took years for
In October 1979, after more than 13 years of military rule,
The Buhari Administration identified indiscipline as the bane of the nation's ills. It launched different phases of the "War Against Indiscipline" (WAI), which has become a household word in many Nigerian homes. This too, did not last. Enter the Sixth Military Regime: a bloodless coup d'état on August 27, 1985 ousted the government of Major General Muhammadu Buhari.
The
On December 31, 1983, the military overthrew the
Babangida cited the misuse of power, violations of human rights by key officers of the SMC, and the government's failure to deal with the country's deepening economic crisis as justifications for the takeover. During his first few days in office, President Babangida moved to restore freedom of the press and to release political detainees being held without charge. As part of a 15-month economic emergency, he announced stringent pay cuts for the military, police, and civil servants and proceeded to enact similar cuts for the private sector. Imports of rice, maize, and later wheat were banned. President Babangida demonstrated his intent to encourage public participation in government decision-making by opening a national debate on proposed economic reform and recovery measures. The public response convinced Babangida of intense opposition to an economic recovery package dependent on an International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan.
The
President Babangida promised to return the country to civilian rule by 1990; this date was later extended until January 1993. In early 1989, a constituent assembly completed work on a constitution for the
In April 1990, mid-level officers attempted to overthrow the Babangida government. The coup failed, and 69 accused coup plotters were later executed after secret trials before military tribunals. The transition resumed after the failed coup. In December 1990 the first stage of partisan elections was held at the local government level. While turnout was low, there was no violence, and both parties demonstrated strength in all regions of the country, with the SDP winning control of a majority of local government councils.
In December 1991, gubernatorial and state legislative elections were held throughout the country. Babangida decreed in December 1991 that previously banned politicians would be allowed to contest in primaries scheduled for August 1992. These were cancelled due to fraud and subsequent primaries scheduled for September also were cancelled. All announced candidates were disqualified from again standing for president once a new election format was selected. The presidential election was finally held on June 12, 1993, with the inauguration of the new president scheduled to take place August 27, 1993, the eighth anniversary of President Babangida's coming to power.
In the historic June 12, 1993 presidential elections, which most observers deemed to be
With the country sliding into chaos, Defense Minister Sani Abacha quickly assumed power and forced Shonekan's "resignation" on November 17, 1993. Abacha dissolved all democratic political institutions and replaced elected governors with military officers. Abacha promised to return the government to civilian rule but refused to announce a timetable until his October 1, 1995 Independence Day address.
Following the annulment of the June 12 election, the
Although Abacha's takeover was initially welcomed by many Nigerians, disenchantment grew rapidly. A number of opposition figures united to form a new organization, the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), which campaigned for an immediate return to civilian rule. The government arrested NADECO members who attempted to reconvene the Senate and other disbanded democratic institutions. Most Nigerians boycotted the elections held from May 23-28, 1994, for delegates to the government-sponsored Constitutional Conference.
On June 11, 1994, using the groundwork laid by NADECO, Abiola declared himself president and went into hiding. He re-emerged and was promptly arrested on June 23. With Abiola in prison and tempers rising, Abacha convened the Constitutional Conference June 27, but it almost immediately went into recess and did not reconvene until July 11, 1994.
On July 4, a petroleum workers union called a strike demanding that Abacha release Abiola and hand over power to him. Other unions then joined the strike, which brought economic life in around
The government alleged in early 1995 that some 40 military officers and civilians were engaged in a coup plot. Security officers quickly rounded up the accused, including former Head of State Obasanjo and his erstwhile deputy, retired Gen. Shehu Musa Yar'Adua. After a secret tribunal, most of the accused were convicted, and several death sentences were handed down. The tribunal also charged, convicted, and sentenced prominent human rights activists, journalists, and others--including relatives of the coup suspects--for their alleged "anti-regime" activities. In October, the government announced that the Provisional Ruling Council (PRC--see below: Abubakar's Transition to Civilian Rule) and Abacha had approved final sentences for those convicted of participation in the coup plot.
In late 1994 the Abacha government set up the Ogoni Civil Disturbances Special Tribunal to try prominent author and Ogoni activist Ken Saro-Wiwa and others for their alleged roles in the killings of four prominent Ogoni politicians in May 1994. Saro-Wiwa and 14 others pleaded not guilty to charges that they procured and counselled others to murder the politicians. On October 31, 1995, the tribunal sentenced Saro-Wiwa and eight others to death by hanging. In early November Abacha and the PRC confirmed the death sentence. Saro-Wiwa and his eight co-defendants were executed on November 10.
In October 1, 1995, Gen. Sani Abacha announced the timetable for a 3-year transition to civilian rule. Only five of the political parties which applied for registration were approved by the regime. In local elections held in December 1997, turnout was under 10%. By the April 1998 state assembly and gubernatorial elections, all five of the approved parties had nominated Abacha as their presidential candidate in controversial party conventions. Public reaction to this development in the transition program was apathy and a near-complete boycott of the elections.
On December 21, 1997, the government announced the arrest of the country's second highest-ranking military officer, Chief of General Staff Lt. Gen. Oladipo Diya, 10 other officers, and eight civilians on charges of coup plotting. Subsequently, the government arrested a number of additional persons for roles in the purported coup plot and tried the accused before a closed-door military tribunal in April in which Diya and eight others were sentenced to death.
Abacha, widely expected to succeed himself as a civilian president on October 1, 1998, remained head of state until his death on June 8 of that year. He was replaced by Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, who had been third in command until the arrest of Diya. The PRC, under new head of state Abubakar, commuted the sentences of those accused in the alleged 1997 coup in July 1998. In March 1999, Diya and 54 others accused or convicted of participation in coups in 1990, 1995, and 1997 were released. Following the death of former head of state Abacha in June,
During the Abacha regime, the government continued to enforce its arbitrary authority through the federal security system--the military, the state security service, and the courts. Under Abacha, all branches of the security forces committed serious human rights abuses. After Abubakar's assumption of power and consolidation of support within the PRC, human rights abuses decreased. Other human rights problems included infringements on freedom of speech, press, assembly, association, and travel; violence and discrimination against women; and female genital mutilation.
Worker rights suffered as the government continued to interfere with organized labour by restricting the fundamental rights of association and the independence of the labour movement. After it came to power in June 1998, the Abubakar government took several important steps toward restoring worker rights and freedom of association for trade unions, which had deteriorated seriously between 1993 and June 1998 under the Abacha regime. The Abubakar government released two imprisoned leaders of the petroleum sector unions, Frank Kokori and Milton Dabibi; abolished two decrees that had removed elected leadership from the Nigeria Labour Congress and the oil workers unions; and allowed leadership elections in these bodies.
Abubakar's Transition to Civilian Rule
During both the Abacha and Abubakar eras,
In August 1998, the Abubakar government appointed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct elections for local government councils, state legislatures and governors, the national assembly, and president. NEC successfully held these elections on December 5, 1998, January 9, 1999, February 20, and February 27, 1999, respectively. For the local elections, a total of nine parties were granted provisional registration, with three fulfilling the requirements to contest the following elections. These parties were the People's Democratic Party (PDP), the All Peoples Party (APP), and the predominantly Yoruba Alliance for Democracy (AD). Former military head of state Olusegun Obasanjo, freed from prison by Abubakar, ran as a civilian candidate and won the presidential election. Irregularities marred the vote, and the defeated candidate, Chief Olu Falae, challenged the electoral results and Obasanjo's victory in court.
The PRC promulgated a new constitution based largely on the suspended 1979 constitution, before the May 29, 1999 inauguration of the new civilian president. The constitution includes provisions for a bicameral legislature, the National Assembly, consisting of a 360-member House of Representatives and a 109-member Senate. The executive branch and the office of president will retain strong federal powers. The legislature and judiciary, having suffered years of neglect, must be rebuilt as institutions.
The Obasanjo Administration to Yaradua's and Jonathan's.
The emergence of a democratic
The new President took over a country that faced many problems, including a dysfunctional bureaucracy, collapsed infrastructure, and a military that wanted a reward for returning quietly to the barracks. The President moved quickly and retired hundreds of military officers who held political positions, established a blue-ribbon panel to investigate human rights violations, ordered the release of scores of persons held without charge, and rescinded a number of questionable licenses and contracts let by the previous military regimes. The government also moved to recover millions of dollars in funds secreted in overseas accounts by corrupt government officials, particularly the former military dictator Gen. Sani Abacha.
Most civil society leaders and most Nigerians see a marked improvement in human rights and democratic practice under Obasanjo. The press enjoys greater freedom than under previous governments. As
Problems of communal violence have confronted the Obasanjo government since its inception. In May 1999 violence erupted in
Obasanjo handed over power to Umar Yar'Adua on 29 May 2007 after a bolted attempt of a third term in office. Yar'Adua was the president till his deah on 5 May 2010. The acting president Goodluck Jonathan was sworn in the following dayas the first president from the oil rich South South geographical zone of the country
Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites
