Nigeria: Government#
Country name | conventional long form: Federal Republic of Nigeria conventional short form: Nigeria etymology: 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" |
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Government type | federal presidential republic |
Capital | Abuja
Abuja
geographic coordinates: 9 05 N, 7 32 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) |
Administrative divisions | 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 |
Independence | 1 October 1960 (from the UK) |
National holiday | Independence Day (National Day), 1 October (1960) |
Constitution | several previous; latest adopted 5 May 1999, effective 29 May 1999; amended several times, last in 2012 (2016) |
Legal system | mixed legal system of English common law, Islamic law (in 12 northern states), and traditional law |
International law organization participation | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
Citizenship | 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 |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Maj. Gen. (ret.) Muhammadu BUHARI (since 29 May 2015); Vice President Oluyemi "Yemi" OSINBAJO (since 29 May 2015); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Maj.Gen. (ret.) Muhammadu BUHARI (since 29 May 2015); Vice President Oluyemi "Yemi" OSINBAJO (since 29 May 2015) cabinet: Federal Executive Council appointed by the president 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 28-29 March 2015 (next to be held in February 2019) election results: Muhammadu BUHARI elected president; percent of vote - Muhammadu BUHARI (CPC) 53%, Goodluck JONATHAN (PDP) 46%, other 1% |
Legislative branch | description: bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (109 seats - 3 each for the 36 states and 1 for Abuja; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms) and the House of Representatives (360 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms) elections: Senate - last held on 28-29 March 2015 (next to be held in February 2019); House of Representatives - last held on 28-29 March 2015 (next to be held in 2019) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - APC 60, PDP 49; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - APC 225, PDP 125, other 10 |
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 on 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 65 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 |
Political parties and leaders | Accord Party or ACC (Mohammad Lawal MALADO) All Progressives Congress or APC (John Odigie OYEGUN) All Progressives Grand Alliance or APGA (Victor C. UMEH) Democratic Peoples Party or DPP (Biodun OGUNBIYI) Labor Party or LP (Alhai Abdulkadir ABDULSALAM) Peoples Democratic Party or PDP (Ahmed MAKARFI) |
Political pressure groups and leaders | Academic Staff Union for Universities or ASUU Campaign for Democracy or CD Civil Liberties Organization or CLO Committee for the Defense of Human Rights or CDHR Constitutional Right Project or CRP Human Right Africa National Association of Democratic Lawyers or NADL National Association of Nigerian Students or NANS Nigerian Bar Association or NBA Nigerian Labor Congress or NLC Nigerian Medical Association or NMA Universal Defenders of Democracy or UDDother: the press |
International organization participation | ACP, AfDB, 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), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Hakeem Toyin BALOGUN (since 27 August 2015) chancery: 3519 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (1) (202) 986-8400 FAX: (1) (202) 362-6541 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, New York |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Stuart SYMINGTON (since 1 December 2016) embassy: Plot 1075 Diplomatic Drive, Central District Area, Abuja mailing address: P. O. Box 5760, Garki, Abuja telephone: (234) (9) 461-4000 FAX: (234) (9) 461-4171 |
Flag description | three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green; the color green represents the forests and abundant natural wealth of the country, white stands for peace and unity |
National symbol(s) | eagle; national colors: green, white |
National anthem | name: "Arise Oh Compatriots, Nigeria's Call Obey" lyrics/music: John A. ILECHUKWU, Eme Etim AKPAN, B. A. OGUNNAIKE, Sotu OMOIGUI and P. O. ADERIBIGBE/Benedict Elide ODIASE note: adopted 1978; lyrics are a mixture of the five top entries in a national contest |