NIGERIA - ABUJA
FAST FACTS
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA
• Nigeria takes its name from the Niger River that flows through the west of the country to the Atlantic Ocean. It comes from a regional phrase “Ni Gir” meaning “River Gir”
• From around the 11th century onwards, several city-states, kingdoms and empires were formed in Nigeria including the Hausa kingdoms and Borno dynasty in the north and the Oyo and Benin kingdoms in the south.
• Between the 16th and 19th centuries, the transatlantic slave trade saw thousands – possibly millions – of Nigerians forcibly sent to the Americas.
• There are more than five hundred languages spoken in Nigeria including Igbo, Yoruba, and Hausa but English is the official language.
• There are more than 250 ethnic groups in Nigeria. All of these groups have unique cultures and traditions that you will not find anywhere else.
• Nigeria is the Largest Economy In Africa. Nigeria’s export market is massive, which is why it is the largest economy on the continent.
• Nigeria is one of the top producers of crude oil, as the country produces more than two million barrels per day.
- • There are two UNESCO World Heritage Sites that you can visit in Nigeria. These include the Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove and Sukur Cultural Landscape. Both of these sites are incredible and famous landmarks in Nigeria.
• There are certain species of birds you will only find in Nigeria, and the Anambra Waxbill is one of them. It is a small bird that comes in incredible colors, and you only find it in Southern Nigeria and Benin.
- • The richest man in Africa, Aliko Dangote is Nigerian. His interests span sugar and salt, manufacturing, cement, banking, agriculture, and much more.
• Most people in Nigeria live in abject poverty as they don’t have access to basic resources and necessities.
• Life expectancy is generally lower on the African continent, and unfortunately, Nigeria is not an exception. The main reason for low life expectancy is poverty.
• The left hand is considered to be unclean, mainly because it is used for cleaning your bodily excrement in the culture. That is why you must never use the left hand in a handshake, as it is considered to be disrespectful.
- • Two major types of marriage exist in Nigeria: monogamy, a marriage of one man to one woman, and polygyny, a marriage of one man to two or more wives.
- • Nigerian food, like many cuisines in West Africa, is known for being spicy and aromatic. Jollof rice is perhaps the most famous Nigerian dish.