Nigeria Government

What is the capital of Nigeria?

Country Name Nigeria
Full Country Name Federal Republic of Nigeria
Etymology- history of name named for the Niger River that flows through the west of the country to the Atlantic Ocean; from a native term "Ni Gir" meaning "River Gir"
Government Type federal presidential republic
Capital Name Abuja
Capital - geographic coordinate 9 05 N, 7 32 E
Capital Time Difference UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Independence 1 October 1960 (from the UK)
National Holiday Independence Day (National Day), 1 October (1960)
Constitution history: several previous; latest adopted 5 May 1999, effective 29 May 1999

amendments: proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of both houses and approval by the Houses of Assembly of at least two thirds of the states; amendments to constitutional articles on the creation of a new state, fundamental constitutional rights, or constitution-amending procedures requires at least four-fifths majority vote by both houses of the National Assembly and approval by the Houses of Assembly in at least two thirds of the states; passage of amendments limited to the creation of a new state require at least two-thirds majority vote by the proposing National Assembly house and approval by the Houses of Assembly in two thirds of the states; amended several times, last in 2018

Nigeria Capital City Map

Source: Google Maps

Nigeria Government and Politics

Who is the president of Nigeria?

Executive Branch: chief of state: President Bola Ahmed Adekunle TINUBU (since 29 May 2023); Vice President Kashim SHETTIMA (since 29 May 2023); note - the president is chief of state, head of government, and commander-in-chief of the armed forces

head of government: President Bola Ahmed Adekunle TINUBU (since 29 May 2023); Vice President Kashim SHETTIMA (since 29 May 2023)

cabinet: Federal Executive Council appointed by the president but constrained constitutionally to include at least one member from each of the 36 states

elections/appointments: president directly elected by qualified majority popular vote and at least 25% of the votes cast in 24 of Nigeria's 36 states; president elected for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 25 February 2023 (next to be held on 27 February 2027)

election results:

2023: Bola Ahmed Adekunle TINUBU elected president; percent of vote - Bola Ahmed Adekunle TINUBU (APC) 36.6%, Atiku ABUBAKAR (PDP) 29.1%, Peter OBI (LP) 25.4%, Rabiu KWANKWASO (NNPP) 6.4%, other 2.5%

2019: Muhammadu BUHARI elected president; percent of vote - Muhammadu BUHARI (APC) 53%, Atiku ABUBAKAR (PDP) 39%, other 8%
Citizenship Criteria: citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Nigeria

dual citizenship recognized: yes

residency requirement for naturalization: 15 years
Legal System: mixed legal system of English common law, Islamic law (in 12 northern states), and traditional law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Legislative Branch: description: bicameral National Assembly consists of:

Senate (109 seats - 3 each for the 36 states and 1 for Abuja-Federal Capital Territory; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms)

House of Representatives (360 seats statutory, 258 current; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms)

elections:

Senate - last held on 25 February 2023 (next to be held on 25 February 2027)

House of Representatives - last held on 25 February 2023 (next to be held on 25 February 2027)

election results:

Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - APC 59, PDP 36, LP 8, NNPP 2, SDP 2, YPP 1, APGA 1; composition - men 106, women 3, percent of women 2.8%

House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - APC 178, PDP 114, LP 35, NNPP 19, APGA 5, other 7, vacant 2; composition - men 344, women 14, percent of women 3.8%; note - total National Assembly percent of women 3.6%
Judicial Branch: highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 15 justices)

judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the president upon the recommendation of the National Judicial Council, a 23-member independent body of federal and state judicial officials; judge appointments confirmed by the Senate; judges serve until age 70

subordinate courts: Court of Appeal; Federal High Court; High Court of the Federal Capital Territory; Sharia Court of Appeal of the Federal Capital Territory; Customary Court of Appeal of the Federal Capital Territory; state court system similar in structure to federal system
Regions or States: 36 states and 1 territory*; Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Federal Capital Territory*, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara
Political Parties and Leaders: Accord Party or ACC [Christopher IMUMOLEN]

Africa Democratic Congress or ADC [Dumebi KACHIKWU]

All Progressives Congress or APC [Bola Ahmed TINUBU]

All Progressives Grand Alliance or APGA [Peter UMEADI]

Labor Party or LP [Peter OBI]

New Nigeria People’s Party or NNPP [Rabiu KWANKWASO]

Peoples Democratic Party or PDP [Atiku ABUBAKAR]

Young Progressive Party or YPP [Prince Malik ADO-IBRAHIM]
International Law Organization Participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
International Organization Participation: ACP, AfDB, ATMIS, AU, C, CD, D-8, ECOWAS, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LCBC, MIGA, MINURSO, MNJTF, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic Representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Mobolaji Sakirat OGUNDERO (since 1 November 2023)

chancery: 3519 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 800-7201 (ext. 100)

FAX: [1] (202) 362-6541

email address and website:

info@nigeriaembassyusa.org

https://www.nigeriaembassyusa.org/

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, New York
Diplomatic Representation from US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires ad interim David GREENE (since 31 March 2023)

embassy: Plot 1075 Diplomatic Drive, Central District Area, Abuja

mailing address: 8320 Abuja Place, Washington DC 20521-8320

telephone: [234] (9) 461-4000

FAX: [234] (9) 461-4036

email address and website:

AbujaACS@state.gov

https://ng.usembassy.gov/

consulate(s) general: Lagos
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