Top 10 facts about Nigeria

Cultural facts about Nigeria

We’re no strangers to cultural facts about Nigeria at WorldRemit. We’ve previously written about facts about Nigeria in our ‘Know your Nigeria’ blog, but the country is so vast that it deserves a second look.

1. There are four major ethnicities in the Nigerian culture

Nigerian culture is shaped by the country’s many ethnic groups. One interesting fact about Nigerian culture is that the country’s three largest ethnic groups are the Hausu-Fulani (northern), the Igbo (southeastern) and the Yoruba (southwestern). There is, however, also a fourth ethnicity called the Edo people, who live predominantly in the region between Yoruba land and Igbo island.

2. There are more than 500 languages spoken in Nigeria

There’s so many interesting facts about Nigeria that it’s hard to contain them all in one list! But these facts about Nigerian culture will open your eyes to the country’s rich diversity.

Nigeria is home to over 200 million people, making it Africa’s most populous country. While we’ve already introduced you to four of the main ethnic groups in the country, there are still more than 300 others to discover. These groups speak over 500 languages, including the official languages of lingua franca and English.

The major native languages of the country include Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, Efik-Ibibio, Fulfulde, Kanura, Tiv, Nupe and Nigerian Pidgin (an English-based creole).

Historical facts about Nigeria

The key historical facts about Nigeria may surprise you. The country has ancient origins – tracing back to its earliest inhabitants who were there from 13,000 BC. From then on, the Nok culture thrived at around 1,500 BC. It was home to many ancient African civilizations, before the rise of Christiniaty in the 15th century. This religion was brought to Nigeria through the Augustinian and Capuchin monks from Portugal.

3. Nigeria was formed through the amalgamation of Northern and Southern Protectorate

The modern origins of Nigeria started in 1914, when the British Protectorates of Northern and Southern Nigeria were joined. The country then became independent on 1 October 1960. In 1963, it adopted a republican constitution but elected to remain a member of the Commonwealth.

4. The Portuguese were the first foreigners to explore Nigeria

Nigeria and Portugal have a long and complicated history, dating back to the 15th century. It started in 1472, when Portuguese explorer, Lançarote de Freitas, sailed down the Niger River. This marked the beginning of the country’s trade relations and further exploration. If you choose to visit Nigeria today, you’ll find that Portuguese is still spoken in parts of the country (especially the south) and much of the country’s cuisine has Portuguese influences.

Facts about Nigerian people and society

Now that you've had a taste of the culture of Nigeria, let’s dive deeper into facts about Nigerian people and their society as a whole. There are many famous Nigerians who have received international recognition. But you may also be curious about the everyday migrants who have made their way from Nigeria to places like London and other parts of the UK.

No matter where you find Nigerians in the world, two aspects of  the culture ring true for almost everyone: their incredible sense of style and burning passion for football (soccer).

5. Nigerians have exquisite clothing style: Threads of culture

You may recognise a Nigerian by their clothing. The Ankara fabric, often called the ‘African print’, is one of the cheapest (but most unique) fabrics on the market today. It used to be made into traditional Iro (wrapper tied around the waist) and Buba (a long-sleeved blouse). But now, Ankara is also used for other fashionable items such as blazers, gowns, swimsuits and more.

6. Nigeria’s love for football and their achievements

Much like other parts of the world, Nigeria is football mad. And the country has had plenty of reasons to celebrate, given its long track record of historic wins on the world stage. The Nigerian team have taken home a trophy in the Nhe FIFA U17 World Cup, become AWCON record winners and triumphed at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.

Political facts about Nigeria

If you’re more interested in political facts about Nigeria, we’ve got you covered in this section.

Nigeria’s 1999 constitution gave executive power to a president who serves as both head of state and chief executive for a four-year term. Similar to the United States, the constitution provides a bicameral National Assembly which consists of the House of Representatives and the Senate. Nigeria is divided into 26 states and the Federal Capital Territory in the country’s capital of Abuja.

7. The first general election in Nigeria was held in 1923

20 September 1923 marked the first Nigerian general elections. The elections were between three parties: Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP), People’s Union and  the Independents. The NNDP won in a landslide victory, obtaining over 77% of the vote.

8. Nigeria is the largest economy in Africa

Compared to other major African economies, Nigeria is the single largest on the continent. Its GDP stands at about 477.38 billion USD, rivalled only by Egypt’s similarly sized economy.

Some of Nigeria’s strength comes down to its sources of oil, but overall, African economies are quickly growing. Some factors which influence this rapid growth include population increases, interest rate changes, as well as private and public sector investments.

Facts about Nigerian food

We’ve saved the most mouth-watering facts about Nigerian food for last. Like other West African cuisines, Nigerian food uses spices and herbs with palm or groundnut oil to create deeply flavoured sauces and soups.

The country’s feasts can be both colourful and lavish, but it also does ‘low-key grub’ well too – you’ll find many roadside snacks cooked on the barbecue or fried in oil. You’ll find some local delicacies as well, as bushmeat is also consumed in Nigeria. That includes porcupine and cane rats! But you may be more keen to try the many tropical fruits that are found in abundance there, such as pineapple, coconut and mango.

9. Jollof rice is the national dish of Nigeria

Many Nigerian foods are either meat based or rice based. Jollof rice combines the best of both worlds in a rich and flavourful tomato broth. It’s characteristically spicy, infused with peppers and scotch bonnets. Almost every Nigerian will know how to put this dish together, using basmati or long-grain rice on the side.

10. Different ethnicities have different traditional cuisines

Soups and stews are commonly found among the cuisines of Nigeria. Some of the regional soups you may find are: Ogbono soup, Egusi soup, and Afrang soup.

Many different ethnicities will have different traditions when it comes to food.

For example, the Yoruba-speaking area of Nigeria popularised a dish called the Ewa Riro (or bean porridge). They are also known for Ila Alasepo (okra soup).

There are also many different traditions around the holidays, as Christmas is commonly celebrated in the country. You’ll find meat dishes as a staple during these celebratory,including traditional goat meat.

Send money to Nigeria with WorldRemit

The Nigerian diaspora is a large portion of the world, making up over 1.24 million people (according to the UN’s 2017 data). One of those wayfaring migrants includes British-Nigerian director, Daps.

WorldRemit is a low-cost and fast solution for sending money to Nigeria. We take the fuss out of sending money so that your loved ones can get what they need, quickly and easily. It only takes a few seconds to sign up, and you’ll be able to track your transfers through our easy-to-use app.

Nigeria is an incredibly diverse nation, and WorldRemit allows you to send money there in two major currencies: Naira or US dollars. Choose which payout method suits you and your receiver best, so that Naija is only a tap away!

The contents of this blog post do not constitute legal or financial advice and are provided for general information purposes only. If you require specific legal and / or financial advice you should contact a specialist lawyer or financial advisor. Information true at time of publishing.