Nigeria
The Country of the Week
Quick Facts
- Capital
- Abuja
- Population
- 244,344,065 (2025 est.)
- Area
- 923,768 sq km
- Government
- federal presidential republic
- Languages
- English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo), Fulani, over 500 additional indigenous languages
- Religions
- Muslim 53.5%, Roman Catholic 10.6%, other Christian 35.3%, other 0.6% (2018 est.)
- Ethnic Groups
- Hausa 30%, Yoruba 15.5%, Igbo (Ibo) 15.2%, Fulani 6%, Tiv 2.4%, Kanuri/Beriberi 2.4%, Ibibio 1.8%, Ijaw/Izon 1.8%, other 24.9% (2018 est.)
- Currency
- nairas (NGN)
- Life Expectancy
- 62.2 years (2024 est.)
- Internet Domain
- .ng
- 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
- natural gas, petroleum, tin, iron ore, coal, limestone, niobium, lead, zinc, arable land
- Major Exports
- crude petroleum, natural gas, gold, fertilizers, cocoa beans (2023)
Source: CIA World Factbook (public domain)
Overview
In ancient and pre-colonial times, the area of present-day Nigeria was occupied by a variety of ethnic groups with different languages and traditions.