Welcome to The Federal Republic of Nigeria... TV Tropes page. Nigeria (Hausa: Jamhuriyar Taraiyar Nijeriya,Yoruba: Orílẹ̀-èdè Olómìnira Àpapọ̀ ilẹ̀ Nàìjíríà, Igbo: Ọ̀hàńjíkọ̀ Ọ̀hànézè Naìjíríyà, Fulfulde: Republik Federaal bu Niiseriya) is a West African country, the most populous country in Africa and the seventh most populous country on Earth, with a population of over 200 million people and over 200 ethnic groups. Nigeria is twice the size of California (and just as prolific in movies). It's the 7th most populous country in the world right now, and it's growing, too: in 2050, Nigeria's population will dwarf that of the United States and of Britain, becoming 4th in population! It is also the largest economy of Africa, bigger than Egypt and South Africa, and one of the top 30 economies in the world.
So as you see, Nigeria is a giant. In fact, the Giant of Africa. While it may not be as developed as our rivals Egypt and South Africa, it truly is a force to be reckoned with. That is why you need to learn about this country — like it or not, this country will be a major player, and thus represented very much in Hollywood, for better or for worse.
Basically, Nigeria is very, very diverse. Christians and Muslims and tribal people, Hausa and Yoruba and Igbo, etc, and this has caused much, much trouble. To make a point, there are about 371 ethnic groups alphabetically listed at the Cultural Section below for the sake of our more faint-heartened tropers and work-slackers watching. This is Serious Business. It has caused one Civil War and hideous human rights abuses in the north. Right now, Nigeria's main problem is its lack of unity. So what is Nigeria?
Nigeria, contrarily to what people think, is named for the famous Niger River that flows from a spot in Guinea to the massive, oil-rich delta.
Some sources also report that Nigeria has the largest number of "black people" as citizens (although "black" is a foreign Western concept and Nigerians typically identify more with their tribe or ethnicity than their skin color). The Bantu peoples of Africa (which is basically all of Central and Southern Africa excluding the Khoisan and the Pygmies) stem from the border between Cameroon and Nigeria. Close to 1/3 of all slaves in the transcontinental Western slave trade came from what is today Nigeria, so a number of African-Americans might have some ancestry from what is today modern Nigeria. Many Black Canadians may have indirect ancestry from Nigeria as well, although most of that group arrived in Canada by way of the Caribbean and identify more with that region than with Africa.
Nigeria has had a history since time immemorial, starting from at least the 9th century AD. The earliest known Nigerians were the Nok culture, who were ironworkers who made terracotta sculptures. Then came the ethnic groups that make up Nigeria today, making city-states, ruled by chiefs. By the 1500s, these city-states became huge empires and kindgoms. Through the trade routes in the North for example, Hausa states adopted Islam. Around this time, the first Europeans started to come to Nigeria, trading with the peoples next to the coast, particularly the Benin Empire. Unfortunately, the British started to lay claims within the region, and claimed the whole region for the Royal Niger Company in 1900, forming a colony. Naturally this didn't sit well with many Nigerians, and after WWII, Nigerian nationalism started to grow.
Since Independence in 1960, Nigeria has undergone a number of coups, a Civil War (in 1967-70 in which the Igbo of the south-east attempted to secede as Biafra), and various other schemes. The democratic periods are generally known as the Nth Republic; the current period is the Fourth Republic, which uses a system inspired in part by United States (a presidential system and a strong form of federalism) and in part by India (Nigerian states, like Indian ones, are organized on ethnic/linguistic lines).
The system also adds the somewhat novel idea of rotation in office between the country's two major groups; it's generally accepted that if a Muslim Northerner is a party's presidential candidate for two terms, the next two terms it will be a Christian Southerner's turn. This unofficial rule was screwed up somewhat by the death in office of the Fourth Republic's first Muslim president (Umaru Yar'Adua), who was succeeded by a Christian president Goodluck Jonathan for one term. The trend returned when Muhammadu Buhari was elected president in 2015 and 2019.
You may have heard of Nigeria for its productive (if variable) movie industry called Nollywood. Nollywood makes more films than Hollywood. To learn more about Nollywood, look at the culture section. Unfortunately for Nigeria and its peoples and businesses everywhere, it's also infamous for its 419 email scams (named for the section of Nigerian law they violate).
If you want to know more about Nigeria, you could always look at the tabs. note
Nigeria starts with The Northern Savannah, at the ends of the invading Sahel. It's predominately populated with Hausa and Fulani and Kanuri Muslims. This part of Nigeria is the stereotypical desert-and-camels area, despite it having a few trees. Much like the Deep South, it is religiously conservative (Muslim), full of cows, and exports cotton and peanuts. Unfortunately, Islamic fundamentalists and terrorists such as Boko Haram and Ansaru have really hit Northern Nigeria where it hurts, giving it sharia law and such.
As we go south, we go to the Central Area. It is ethnically diverse, what with the Berom, Angas, Igbirra, Fulani, etc. peoples. The east central states are full of mountains, what with the highest point in Nigeria, Chappal Waddi (The Mountain of Death) being here.
The very southern part is a Rainforest Belt. It has the Edo people, Yoruba people, Ijaw People, Igbo people, Itsekiri people, Urhobo people, Efik people, Ibibio people, Annaang People, and Ejagham people. This is the place of oil and Christianity, something it shares with the Deep South.
Still confusing? Fear not, curious troper! For we have organized Nigeria's geopolitical zones in one decisive matrix!
- Northern Nigeria: Ah, Northern Nigeria. It is populated by Muslims and have many, many more tribes than the south. It is also quite bigger than the south, too. The North suffers harmattan, a fierce wind, in December, bringing dust from the Sahel. But don't worry! In addition to peanuts, sorghum, pearl millet, and other crops, cattle are also very, very important. Unfortunately, Northern Nigeria hasn't been the most stable place. Most of the Muslim northern states (which will be identified with a crescent-and-moon symbol) adopted sharia law in 2000, taking advantage of the newborn ineffective government. To add to this, Boko Haram have waged war in this area, bombing churches and killing Muslims themselves for not "supporting their cause" (read: being sane). What jerks.
- North-Central, North-West, and North-East Nigeria.
- Southern Nigeria: Southern Nigeria has most of the Christians, in addition to the indigenous believers. It is much smaller than the North but still has just as much people. Southern Nigeria has the rainforests and oil, and gets many of its money this way. In addition to this, Lagos, the largest city in Nigeria, is here. The Niger River ends here, spreading out in a fine brown delta, which also causes problems: Oil is being abused and wasted here. Oil pollution has messed up people's lives here, unfortunately,, and to top it off, they don't even get most of the income. Naturally, many are offended and disgusted. The delta has mangrove trees.
- Southeast and South-south Nigeria:
- Southeast Nigeria.
- Southeast and South-south Nigeria:
- Southwest Nigeria.
- Southsouth Nigeria.
Nigeria's climate, is of course, hot.
Nigeria has two famous rivers, the Niger and the Benue. The Niger River has oil, and the Benue does not. Interestingly, the two main rivers intersect at a Y, and that is why there is a "Y" on their coat of arms.
Nigeria has a lot of cities (no surprise, considering it is the most populous country in Africa). For example:
- Lagos. Famous for its crazy traffic jams, glorious face-me-I-face-you architecture, crowdedness, slums, and its popular governor Babatunde Fashola. With 12.09 million people in its administrative area and 21 million in its urban agglomeration, it is Africa's largest city, leaving Cairo either a close or a far second depending on how you count.note Be warned — Lagos, much like Chicago or Detroit was, is not the ideal tourist spot. Ask Paul McCartney. When he and his wife went to Lagos, well, it's a long story. But Lagos has its charms.
- Abuja. Capital of Nigeria. Notable for being the capital of Nigeria and not much else, really.
- Kano. Kano and its eponymous Kano State have peanuts, indigo, and camels. How lovely.
- Jos. Jos lies on top of the Jos Plateau, a region full of strife as the nomadic Muslims and the city-living Christians duke it out. Notable for being a haven for lost Doctor Who episodes. Just another reason to love Nigeria!
- Ibadan. Holy crap, Ibadan. If you have the pleasure of looking at a satellite map of Nigeria, you will notice Ibadan. The third-largest city in Nigeria, it has a zoo, red roofs, and anarchy.
- Port Harcourt. Or Pot-a-kot if you want to say it the Pidgin way. The place where oil is processed, mostly, and shipped around the world.
- Enugu. Enugu is the capital of Igboland and formerly of Biafra. Biafra was a seccesionist state which we will discuss in the History zone.
- Calabar. Calabar is one of the nicer cities of Nigeria, and a trade city.
- Maidiguri. Home of Peace.
- Sokoto. Home of the Caliph, the spiritual leader of Nigeria's Muslims. Denounced those bastards Boko Haram.
- Benin City: Benin City, the capital of Edo State. The Oba of Benin lives there. Said to have one of the largest walls in the world, before 1897 of course.
- If you came here to research the ruling family of Nigeria, we can safely tell you that no, Nigeria does not have a prince. What few descendants of the monarchies remain would never identify as "princes", though they hold office in one of three polities as "constituent monarchs" (read: they are entirely subservient to the President of Nigeria and have no sovereign power).
- While Nigeria as a whole is a republic, it also has numerous local monarchs
who are officially recognized by the government (which is often involved in determining who inherits a title), with the exact title varying by what language the community they represent speaks. While they have little to no legal power, they tend to have a fair amount of influence and often act as community leaders, mediators, spokespeople, and interpretors between the government and the people (which is rather useful in a country with over 500 languages), and are usually at least somewhat well off.
- The country is known for a large film industry, nicknamed Nollywood.
- Famous authors are Wole Soyinka, first African to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature and Chinua Achebe, author of Things Fall Apart, the most widely-read modern African novel. Author Buchi Emecheta is also from Nigeria; most of her books are set there and have to do with the problems facing modern Nigerian women.
- The first album to bring African music to the west, Drums of Passion was recorded by a Nigerian musician, Babatunde Olatunji.
- The most famous African musician in the world, Fela Kuti, founder of Afrobeat was born in Nigeria.
- Abayon
- Abua (Odual)
- Achipa (Achipawa)
- Adim
- Adun
- Affade
- Afizere
- Afo
- Agbo
- Akaju-Ndem (Akajuk)
- Akweya-Yachi
- Alago (Arago)
- Amo
- Anaguta
- Anang
- Andoni
- Angas
- Ankwei
- Anyima
- Attakar (ataka)
- Auyoka (Auyokawa)
- Awori
- Ayu
- Babur
- Bachama
- Bachere
- Bada
- Bade
- Bahumono
- Bakulung
- Bali
- Bambora (Bambarawa)
- Bambuko
- Banda (Bandawa)
- Banka (Bankalawa)
- Banso (Panso)
- Bara (Barawa)
- Barke
- Baruba (Barba)
- Bashiri (Bashirawa)
- Bassa
- Batta
- Baushi
- Baya
- Bekwarra
- Bele (Buli Belewa)
- Betso (Bete)
- Bette
- Bilei
- Bille
- Bina (Binawa)
- Bini
- Birom
- Bobua
- Boki (Nki)
- Bkkos
- Boko (Bussawa Bargawa)
- Bole (Bolewa)
- Botlere
- Boma (Bomawa Burmano)
- Bomboro
- Buduma
- Buji
- Buli
- Bunu
- Bura
- Burak
- Burma (Burmawa)
- Buru
- Buta (Butawa)
- Bwall
- Bwatiye
- Bwazza
- Challa
- Chama (Chamawa Fitilai)
- Chamba
- Chamo
- Chibok (Chibbak)
- Chinine
- Chip
- Chokobo
- Chukkol
- Daba
- Dadiya
- Daka
- Dakarkari
- Danda (Dandawa)
- Dangsa
- Daza (Dere Derewa)
- Degema
- Deno (Denawa)
- Dghwede
- Diba
- Doemak (Dumuk)
- Ouguri
- Duka (Dukawa)
- Duma (Dumawa)
- Ebana (Ebani)
- Ebirra (lgbirra)
- Ebu
- Efik
- Egbema
- Egede (lgedde)
- Eggon
- Egun (Gu) Lagos Ogun
- Ejagham
- Ekajuk
- Eket
- Ekoi
- Engenni (Ngene)
- Epie
- Esan (Ishan)
- Etche
- Etolu (Etilo)
- Etsako
- Etung
- Etuno
- Palli
- Pulani (Pulbe)
- Fyam (Fyem)
- Fyer (Fer)
- Ga'anda
- Gade
- Galambi
- Gamergu-Mulgwa
- Qanawuri
- Gavako
- Gbedde
- Gengle
- Geji
- Gera (Gere Gerawa)
- Geruma (Gerumawa)
- Geruma (Gerumawa)
- Gingwak
- Gira
- Gizigz
- Goernai
- Gokana (Kana)
- Gombi
- Gornun (Gmun)
- Gonia
- Gubi (Gubawa)
- Gude
- Gudu
- Gure
- Gurmana
- Gururntum
- Gusu
- Gwa (Gurawa)
- Gwamba
- Gwandara
- Gwari (Gbari)
- Gwom
- Gwoza (Waha)
- Gyem
- Hausa
- Higi (Hig)
- Holma
- Hona
- Ibeno
- Ibibio
- Ichen
- Idoma
- Igalla
- lgbo
- ljumu
- Ikorn
- Irigwe
- Isoko
- lsekiri (Itsekiri)
- lyala (lyalla)
- lzon
- Jaba
- Jahuna (Jahunawa)
- Jaku
- Jara (Jaar Jarawa Jarawa-Dutse)
- Jere (Jare Jera Jera Jerawa)
- Jero
- Jibu
- Jidda-Abu
- Jimbin (Jimbinawa)
- Jirai
- Jonjo (Jenjo)
- Jukun
- Kaba(Kabawa)
- Kadara
- Kafanchan
- Kagoro
- Kaje (Kache)
- Kajuru (Kajurawa)
- Kaka
- Kamaku (Karnukawa)
- Kambari
- Kambu
- Kamo
- Kanakuru (Dera)
- Kanembu
- Kanikon
- Kantana
- Kanufi
- Karekare (Karaikarai)
- Karimjo
- Kariya
- Katab (Kataf)
- Kenern (Koenoem)
- Kenton
- Kiballo (Kiwollo)
- Kilba
- Kirfi (Kirfawa)
- Koma
- Kona
- Koro (Kwaro)
- Kubi (Kubawa)
- Kudachano (Kudawa)
- Kugama
- Kulere (Kaler)
- Kunini
- Kurama
- Kurdul
- Kushi
- Kuteb
- Kutin
- Kwalla
- Kwami (Kwom)
- Kwanchi
- Kwanka (Kwankwa)
- Kwaro
- Kwato
- Kyenga (Kengawa)
- Laaru (Larawa)
- Lakka
- Lala
- Lama
- Lamja
- Lau
- Ubbo
- Limono
- Lopa (Lupa Lopawa)
- Longuda (Lunguda)
- Mabo
- Mada
- Mama
- Mambilla
- Manchok
- Mandara (Wandala)
- Manga (Mangawa)
- Margi (Marghi)
- Matakarn
- Mbembe
- Mbol
- Mbube
- Mbula
- Mbum
- Memyang (Meryan)
- Miango
- Miligili (Migili)
- Miya (Miyawa)
- Mobber
- Montol
- Moruwa (Moro'a Morwa)
- Muchaila
- Mumuye
- Mundang
- Munga (Mupang)
- Mushere
- Mwahavul (Mwaghavul)
- Ndoro
- Ngamo
- Ngizim
- Ngweshe (Ndhang. Ngoshe-Ndhang)
- Ningi (Ningawa)
- Ninzam (Ninzo)
- Njayi
- Nkim
- Nkum
- Nokere (Nakere)
- Nunku
- Nupe
- Nyandang
- Ododop
- Ogori
- Okobo (Okkobor)
- Okpamheri
- Olulumo
- Oron
- Owan
- Owe
- Oworo
- Pa'a (Pa'awa Afawa)
- Pai
- Panyam
- Pero
- Pire
- Pkanzom
- Poll
- Polchi Habe
- Pongo (Pongu)
- Potopo
- Pyapun (Piapung)
- Qua
- Rebina (Rebinawa)
- Reshe
- Rindire (Rendre)
- Rishuwa
- Ron
- Rubu
- Rukuba
- Rumada
- Rumaya
- Sakbe
- Sanga
- Sate
- Saya (Sayawa Za'ar)
- Segidi (Sigidawa)
- Shanga (Shangawa)
- Shangawa (Shangau)
- Shan-Shan
- Shira (Shirawa)
- Shomo
- Shuwa
- Sikdi
- Siri (Sirawa)
- Srubu (Surubu)
- Sukur
- Sura
- Tangale
- Tarok
- Teme
- Tera (Terawa)
- Teshena (Teshenawa)
- Tigon
- Tikar
- Tiv
- Tula
- Tur
- Ufia
- Ukelle
- Ukwani (Kwale)
- Uncinda
- Uneme (Ineme)
- Ura (Ula)
- Urhobo
- Utonkong
- Uyanga
- Vemgo
- Verre
- Vommi
- Wagga
- Waja
- Waka
- Warja (Warja)
- Warji
- Wula
- Wurbo
- Wurkun
- Yache
- Yagba
- Yakurr (Yako)
- Yalla
- Yandang
- Yergan (Yergum)
- Yoruba
- Yott
- Yumu
- Yungur
- Yuom
- Zabara
- Zaranda
- Zarma (Zarmawa)
- Zayam (Zeam)
- Zul (Zulawa)
- 419 Scam: Unfortunately a few bad apples have given it a reputation as the world centre of email scams.
- Boisterous Bruiser: Supposedly has a reputation among other African nations for being proud and arrogant.
- I'm a Humanitarian: Recently in the news because of superstitions that eating an albino will bring superpowers. Actual cases are very rare.
- Nollywood: The Nigerian film industry has surpassed Hollywood in production and sales, and is now second in the world to Bollywood. Produces hundreds of movies in a month, often of variable quality, although some real gems can be found if willing to look for them.
- There was a machine that could catch thieves. In Great Britain it caught 1000 thieves. In the US it caught 2000 thieves. In Nigeria it got stolen.
- A plane was crashing. The pilot distributed parachutes and told people to jump out when they reached their stop. A Chinese man looked out and saw factories. "This must be my stop," he thought and jumped out. An American looked out and saw bright lights. "This must be my stop," he said, and jumped out. A Nigerian stuck his arm out the window. A few minutes later, the watch was stolen. "This must be my stop," he said, and jumped out.
- Note: Egyptians have told the same joke with the Nigerian swapped out for an Egyptian. Nobody is sure who stole the joke from whom.
- The American president was being given a tour of Nigeria by its president. "Why is the electricity always out," he asked. "The electricity is always out in the US too." The Nigerian president replied. To prove him wrong, the American president gave him a tour of his own country. Everywhere had power save one building. "Ha," said the Nigerian president, "That building has no power." The American president replied, "That is the Nigerian embassy."
- The former initials for the national electricity provider was NEPA (National Electric Power Authority). Nigerians claimed that it stood for Never Expect Power Anymore. When the initials changed to PHCN (Power Holding Company of Nigeria), the backronym was changed to Please Hold your Candle Now.
In fiction
- Wole Soyinka, first African to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, hails from here.
- Fantasy author Nnedi Okorafor's books often take place here and are based on the culture.
- Things Fall Apart, the most widely-read modern African novel, is set in Nigeria, as are many of author Chinua Achebe's other works.
- Author Buchi Emecheta is from Nigeria; most of her books are set there and have to do with the problems facing modern Nigerian women.
- Bloc Party frontman Kele Okereke is of Nigerian descent.
- The musical Fela, based on Nigerian musician and afrobeat genre maker Fela Kuti, is almost entirely set here and regarding his relationship with Nigerian history.
- Author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie attracted attention recently after an excerpt from a TED talk she gave on feminism was used by Beyoncé in her song "***Flawless". Adichie has also written several acclaimed novels set in Nigeria, including Purple Hibiscus and Half of a Yellow Sun, which was adapted into a film in 2013.
- The first act of Captain America: Civil War takes place in Lagos, as does the disaster that leads the United Nations to reinforce the point of regulation for superpowered individuals (even though the Sokovia incident in Avengers: Age of Ultron was the breaking point).
- Batwoman's archenemy Knife originally lived on the streets of Ibadan before becoming an assassin.
- Nigeria has its story presence in Overwatch, with one of the maps being Numbani, a Solar Punk "City of Harmony" where human and Omnic coexist peacefully. It's home to two playable heroes: Doomfist, one of the Big Bads of the game (who has a few direct inspirations from Yoruba culture all over his design), and Orisa, a Badass Adorable guardian centaur-bot who was designed to protect Numbani from him.
- Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare has an early mission set in Lagos, when the KVA launch an attack aimed at the Nigerian prime minister during a technology summit.
- Episode 5 of The Brave is in Lagos and concerns a U.S. ambassador's wife who is part of a group of hostages held at a mall by a local militant group.
- Nigeria is a frequent mission location in SEAL Team. The second season premier takes place on an oil rig off the coast of Nigeria in the Gulf of Guinea that has been taken over by terrorists. The third season's fifteenth episode goes back to Nigeria when Bravo Team is deployed to protect a dam from Boko Haram terrorists. The fourth season sees the team have a mission on the outskirts of the city of Kano to disrupt a Boko Haram cyberterrorist cell and rescue an American hostage from them, and the season finale has Bravo defending an oil pipeline from a massive Boko Haram assault.
- The Pilot Episode of Burn Notice starts out in Nigeria, with Michael Westen on a routine covert operation to pay off a wannabe warlord only to get informed of the burn notice and blacklisted right when he needs to actually pay the man up. Now in the presence of a very angry criminal, Michael is forced to use wits and skills make his escape and get to the airport with his reserved seat on a plane. In his typical voice-over, Michael admits he's not really a fan of Nigeria, listing off several of the issues he has with it like the crime, corruption, rampant fish smell, but admits one perk he'll give it is that it's the gun-running capital of Africa and why it's never a smart idea to drive a sedan into a crowded market (his pursuers end up doing just that and find themselves surrounded by a small horde of guns and knives from very annoyed citizens while he makes his escape).
- Fulani Mythology
- Gbe Mythology
- Hausa Mythology
- Igbo Mythology
- Ijaw Mythology
- Jukun Mythology
- Tuareg Mythology
- Yoruba Mythology
See also:
The Nigerian flag
The Nigerian national anthem
Government
- Federal presidential constitutional republic
- President: Bola Tinubu
- Vice President: Kashim Shettima
- Senate President: Godswill Akpabio
- House Speaker: Tajudeen Abbas
- Chief Justice: Olukayode Ariwoola
Miscellaneous
- Capital: Abuja
- Largest city: Lagos
- Population: 211,400,708
- Area: 923,769 km² (356,669 sq mi) (32nd)
- Currency: Nigerian naira (₦) (NGN)
- ISO-3166-1 Code: NG
- Country calling code: 234
- Highest point: Chappal Waddi (2419 m/7,936 ft) (99th)
- Lowest point: Lagos Island (−0.2 m/−0.7 ft) (39th)
