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| Population: | 120 - 150 million | |
| Ethnic Groups: | Numerous | |
| Languages: | English is the official language 521 Cataloged Languages |
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| National Sport: | Football (Soccer) | |
| Religions: | Muslims, Christians, Indigenous | |
| Republic: | Independence in 1 October 1960 Federal Republic formed in 1963 Capital: Abuja Largest City: Lagos |
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| States: (9) | 1960: 3 Regions 1963: 5 Regions 1967: 12 States 1976: 19 States & 1 Federal Capital Territory (FCT) 1987: 21 States + 1 FCT 1991: 30 States + 1 FCT 1996: 36 States + 1 FCT |
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| Exchange Rate: | 1980: One US Dollar --> 0.55 Naira 2005: One US Dollar --> 130 Naira |
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| Latest Constitution: | May 1999 | |
| April 2003 Election Results: |
Olusegun OBASANJO Muhammadu Buhari Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu |
61.9% 31.2% 3.3% |
| Oil Industry: | Stats | Oil Discovered: 1956 in what is today, Bayelsa State. (2) Oil makes up 90 - 95% of Foreign Exchange Revenue Largest Producer of Oil in Sub-Saharan Africa (2) 6th of the 11 Crude Oil Producer in OPEC in 2005 (4) (2) 3nd Largest Crude Oil Export in OPEC in 2005 (Behind Saudia Arabia and Iran) Oil reserves larger than that of United States. Nigeria (36 Billion Barrels), North America (26 Billion Barrels) |
| Joint Ventures: | Shell Petroleum Development Company Ltd (3) (NNPC/Royal Dutch Shell/Elf/Total/Agip) Mobil Producting Nigeria Unlimited (NNPC/Exxon Mobil) 18 International Oil Companies as of 1992 (1) |
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| Noteworthies: | Attempt to provide Revenue Transparency via the EITI (Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative) - 2004 Bonny Light Crude Boasted Highest Monthly Spot Price in 2005 of $57.91 per barrel (4) |
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| Regrettables: | Environmental Impact Low Level of Benefit to the Community Low Domestic Refinery Rate, ahead of only Qatar and Iraq in 2005 (4) 2nd Lowest GDP ($750) of 11 OPEC countries in 2005, just below Iraq (5) |
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| Agriculture: | Palm Oil, Cocoa, Largely Subsistence (6) | |
| Industries: | Crude Oil, Natural Gas, Coal, Rubber | |
| Election 2007: | 46 Registered Political Parties (7) | Umaru Yar'Adua and Dr. Goodluck Jonathan will contest the election for the
ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP). The opposition All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) has fielded Muhammadu Buhari and Rt. Hon. Edwin Ume-Ezeoke. Atiku Abubakar, the current Vice-President, announced on 25 November 2006 that he would contest the election for the Action Congress. However, currently his candidacy has been blocked by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). (8) |
| Election Day: | April 14: Governorship and State Assembly Elections April 21: Presidential and National Assembly Elections. Presidential Inauguration Day: May 29, 2007. |
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| Positives: | Will be first successful transition of power from one Elected Democratic government to another | |
| Notable Quotes: | "Nigeria is potentially one of the world's wealthiest nations. Its oil reserves rank it in the top 10 nations, and it has enough natural gas to light the entire African continent for nearly a thousand years! Yet it is one of the poorest nations and receives hundreds of millions in foreign aid annually. How is this possible?" |
| "The American navy now patrols within Nigeria's 200-mile limit, helping to guard against oil theft." | |
| References | (1): http://www.nipc-nigeria.org/intcomp.htm
(2): http://www.internationalbudget.org/resources/library/nigeriaoil.pdf
(3): http://www.nipc-nigeria.org/oil-jv.htm
(4): http://www.opec.org/library/Annual%20Reports/pdf/AR2005.pdf
(5): http://www.opec.org/library/Annual%20Statistical%20Bulletin/pdf/ASB2005.pdf
(6): http://www.nigeria.gov.ng/industry_generalinfo_agriculture.aspx
(7): http://www.inecnigeria.org/index.php?cateid=0&contid=93
http://www.inecnigeria.org/uploaddocs/Presidential.pdf
(8): http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6452725.stm
(9): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/States_of_Nigeria
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Nigeria's_oil_industry (Links) http://money.cnn.com/2006/02/08/news/international/africa_fortune/index.htm (China) http://www.opec.org/library/Annual%20Statistical%20Bulletin/interactive/FileZ/worldmapz.htm (Crude Oil Flow Map) http://www.wnponline.org/wnp/wnp0703/elections.htm http://www.counterpunch.org/watts01022007.html Michael Watts is Director of Centre for African Studies University of California, Berkeley http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0702/feature3/ (Oil) http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/africa/nigeria/oil.html (Oil) http://www.wnponline.org/wnp/wnp0703/elections.htm (Elections) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigerian_general_election,_2007 (Elections) http://www.electionguide.org/country-news.php?ID=158 http://allafrica.com/stories/200703160009.html |