This African country is home to the most people on the continent and it is also one of the most populous countries in the world.
Nigeria is located in Western Africa and the country is known for its cuisine, history, natural wonders and culture.
Its population is at a huge 235 million as of December 2024, with over 250 ethnicities.
The country is bordered by Chad, Cameroon and Benin, its official language is English but there are over 500 indigenous languages spoken across Nigeria.
Another aspect of the country is its oil and gas industry, alongside this it also boasts a thriving agricultural sector.
The Foreign Office currently has a warning issued to Brits advising against all travel to Nigeria – it is currently a potentially dangerous destination for tourists.
Earlier this year, the Foreign Office announced the warning as protesters were due to hold gatherings in major cities ahead of anti-government demonstrations in June.
The demonstrations came as Africa’s most populous country faces astronomical levels of inflation, electricity outages and a malnutrition epidemic that has afflicted 4.4 million children under five according to the World Food programme.
Its economy is complex with the BBC reporting that it is “a mess”.
Nigeria is experiencing its worst economic crisis in a generation, leading to widespread hardship and anger among citizens.
Lagos, the largest city, is the country’s biggest economic hub with a population of 16.5 million according to World Population Review.
The national capital is Abuja, in the Federal Capital Territory, which was created by decree in 1976.
Lagos was the country’s former capital and today, it retains its standing as the country’s leading commercial and industrial city.
Nigeria became independent on October 1, 1960, and in 1963 it adopted a republican constitution but elected to stay a member of the Commonwealth.
Around half of Nigeria’s population live in rural areas and the country overall, like other developing countries, has birth and mortality rates that are higher than the world average.
Nigeria has the sixth biggest population in the world.
