Key facts about Nigeria
5 to 10 facts that help explain what makes the country distinctive.
A capital moved in 1991
Congested and off-centre, Lagos handed its status as capital to Abuja, a planned city in the centre of the country, on December 12, 1991.
Africa's demographic giant
With more than 230 million inhabitants, Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and the 6th in the world; according to the UN, it should become the 3rd by 2050, behind India and China.
No religious census since 1963
To avoid reviving tensions over the north–south balance, the 1991 and 2006 censuses excluded any question on religion or ethnicity.
Nollywood, a prolific film industry
With several thousand films a year, often on very small budgets, Nollywood is among the world's leading film industries by volume.
Oil funds the state without sustaining the economy
Oil accounts for only about 9% of GDP but provides nearly two-thirds of federal government revenue, which therefore depends on crude prices.
Ten years after their abduction, schoolgirls still missing
Boko Haram abducted 276 schoolgirls in Chibok in April 2014; in April 2024, 82 were still missing.