essay on nigeria independence day

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Nigeria Independence Day – October 1, 2024

Nigeria Independence Day is on October 1. It celebrates the country’s independence from British rule which occurred in 1960. The government of Nigeria celebrates this holiday annually. The President’s address to the public marks the beginning of the festivities, this is broadcasted on radio and television. The Nigerian Armed Forces, the Nigeria Police Force, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the workforce, and national education services all celebrate this day with the public. Offices and markets will close on this day and the citizens take to the street dressed in green and white to celebrate. Primary and secondary schools also perform a parade in various state capitals and local government areas.

History of Nigeria Independence Day

Southern Nigeria Protectorate was combined with the Northern Nigeria Protectorate in 1917 to create the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria. This is what we now know as modern-day Nigeria.

In 1950 the British Empire started to decline and many territories in Africa were calling for independence. This led to Nigeria being granted independence from Britain on October 1, 1960, and becoming the Federation of Nigeria. A new constitution was established with an elected prime minister and a ceremonial head of state. Nnamdi Azikiwe who was previously the Governor-General was the first President. Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa continued to serve as the prime minister, a position he had held since 1957.

In June 1961 the northern part of the Trust Territory of the Cameroons joined the Northern region of Nigeria and in October the Southern Cameroons united with the Republic of Cameroon to form the Federal Republic of Cameroon. On October 1, 1963, Nigeria became a republic with Azikiwe as president of the country.

Ethnic competitiveness, educational inequality, and economic imbalance caused regional stresses. To combat this the Mid-Western region was created in August 1963 but the country was still divided into three large geographic regions, each controlled by an ethnic group: the west by the Yoruba, the east by the Igbo, and the north by the Hausa-Fulani.

The fraudulent election in October 1965 led to the collapse of order in the west. In January 1966 a group of army officers attempted to overthrow the federal government, and Prime Minister Balewa and two of the regional premiers were murdered. Major General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi set up a military administration. He planned to abolish the regions and create a united government but this was met with anti-Igbo riots in the north. The political situation was worsened by the military intervention as the army split along ethnic lines. Officers clashed over power and the instigators and leaders of the January coup were accused of favoring Igbo domination.

In July 1967 after many attempts to save the country, a civil war broke out. It lasted from July 6, 1967, to January 15, 1970.

Nigeria Independence Day timeline

The British establish their presence in Lagos.

Britain consolidates its hold over the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria which it governs through local leaders.

Parliamentary elections are held in Nigeria on December 12, 1959.

Nigeria is granted independence.

Balewa is killed in a coup and Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi forms the military government.

Nigeria Independence Day FAQ s

When did nigeria gain independence.

Full independence was granted to the Federation of Nigeria on October 1, 1960.

How long was Nigeria colonized?

The Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria were colonized from 1914 to 1954 and the Federation of Nigeria from 1954 to 1960.

Who gave Nigeria her name?

Journalist Flora Shaw suggested the name Nigeria.

How to Observe Nigeria Independence Day

Wear green and white.

Wear green and white to celebrate. If you don’t have any clothes fitting that color scheme, don the flag.

Host a celebration

Plan a celebration and invite friends to celebrate the day with you. You can listen to traditional music and party the day away.

Cook an authentic Nigerian meal

Celebrate by cooking authentic Nigerian meals. Nigeria is known for its delicacies, why not try some today?

5 Facts About Nigeria

Seventh-most populous country in the world.

More than 200 million people call Nigeria home.

The population mainly comprises Christian or Muslims

Other religions are practiced in Nigeria but the majority of the population is Christian or Muslim.

English is the official language

There are 520 spoken languages in Nigeria but English is the official language.

Nigeria has a thriving film industry

Nollywood is the name of Nigeria's film industry and it is one of the largest film producers in the world.

The largest economy in Africa

Nigeria has the largest economy in Africa due to its export market.

Why Nigeria Independence Day is Important

There are celebrations outside of nigeria.

New York hosts the biggest celebration of Nigerian independence outside of Nigeria. Join in and celebrate!

It’s a day for family gatherings

Many spend the day with family and friends sharing traditional meals. Gather your family and friends and cook a traditional meal to experience the culture.

A day of rest

If parties and parades aren't your things, many also use this day as a day of rest. If a large celebration isn’t on your to-do list, taking the day off for some relaxation is perfectly acceptable.

Nigeria Independence Day dates

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Independence Day – Let Nigeria Rise

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Remembering Nigeria's Independence Day Through Past and Present Places

By The Centenary Project

Balogun/Idumota market (2019) The Centenary Project

Lagos, Nigeria's erstwhile political capital, is the only city with important sites that relive the memories of October 1, 1960

By Mark Kauffman LIFE Photo Collection

A Day to Remember On 1 October 1960, Nigeria was granted full independence from Great Britain. The country received its Freedom Charter, on 1 October 1960, from Princess Alexandra of Kent, the Queen's representative at the Nigerian independence ceremonies.

Princess Alexandra's Visit To Nigeria (1960-10) by Mark Kauffman LIFE Photo Collection

From 'Race Course' to Tafawa Balewa Square Nigeria's first Prime Minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa announced the country's independence in his speech read at what was then known as the 'Race Course', alongside Princess Alexandria and Sir James Robertson on October 1, 1960.

The 'Race Course' was subsequently renamed Tafawa Balewa Square and has since been given a facelift. It is the most well-known monument of Nigeria's independence.

Today, the main arena of Tafawa Balewa Square is used to host different public events including Independence Day celebrations on October 1 each year. (Pan the picture for a 360 degree view)

Top Afri(W) Nigeria Lagos Incl. Apapa And Yaba LIFE Photo Collection

From Independence to Tinubu Square Among the landmark monuments that commemorate Nigeria's independence is the Independence Square which was built in 1960. Afterwards, it was renamed Tinubu Square in honour of a foremost Lagos aristocrat, Madam Efunroye Tinubu, who died in 1887.

Tinubu Square is an open space landmark located in Broad Street in Lagos. It was reconstructed in 2007 to its current state.

Lagos, Nigeria by Priya Ramrakha LIFE Photo Collection

From Colonial Prison to Freedom Park During the colonial era, the government passed the prisons ordinance that introduced its own concept of criminal justice to the colony to keep order and protect their interests. For this reason, various prisons were constructed in and around Lagos.

Freedom Park rose from the remains of Her Majesty's Broad Street prisons which held some of Nigeria's notable political elite. It was constructed to preserve the history and cultural heritage of Nigerians and mark the country's 50th anniversary independence celebration in October, 2010.

Since 1960, October 1 has been a day for Nigerians to celebrate. Whether on the streets or in one of those renovated vestiges of the colonial era, it has always been a time to savour independence.

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• The Ultimate Guide To Celebrating...

The Ultimate Guide to Celebrating Nigeria's Independence Day

October 1, 2018 will mark 58 years since Nigeria gained its independence from the British in 1960. Here’s your ultimate guide to celebrating this monumental day at home and abroad.

Nigeria’s national history

The history of settlers living in Nigeria can be traced to 1100 BC. The Kingdom of Nri, the Benin Empire, the Songhai Empire and the Oyo Empire are all diverse ancient African civilizations that are said to have settled in the region now known as Nigeria.

Lagos , the former capital of Nigeria, was invaded by British forces in 1851 and then became a British protectorate in 1901. Colonization lasted for over a hundred years, benefiting from the region’s natural resources until after the World War II when a movement for independence arose. On October 1,1960 Nigeria gained its independence. Afterwards, an all-Nigerian Executive Council was formed and headed by Prime Minister, Alhaji Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa until three years later, when Nigeria became a republic led by Nnamdi Azikiwe as its first President.

Today, Nigeria’s three main tribes are the Yoruba , the Igbo and the Hausa . In addition to other smaller tribes, the country has over 520 languages , although it retains English as its official language.

How Nigerians celebrate Independence Day

It is common knowledge among Africans that Nigerians will find any excuse to party. Although most corporate businesses and government departments are closed, on Independence Day restaurants, shops, and markets are open as normal, making the most of the celebrations and helping families to prepare big meals for gatherings. The event is celebrated by Nigerians of all cultures and religions both at home and abroad.

Here are some of the ways Nigerians celebrate this special occasion :

Independence Day Parade

On the morning of October 1, the President of Nigeria broadcasts a live speech to declare the inauguration of the Independence Day celebrations. This is followed by the raising of the flag while the national anthem is being sung. A parade by the armed forces ensues, and finally the national cake is cut to commemorate the celebrations at Aso Rock (the name given to the Presidential Villa).

During the celebrations, people are out in the streets waving and wearing the colours of the flag – green and white. Some schools also put on their own parades, including the Boys Brigade in Abuja.

Organised parties and shows

“Ain’t no party like a Lagos party” is the catchphrase made popular by Afrobeat musician Banky Wellington, and this national holiday lives up to that promise . Most clubs in the cities host Independence Day-themed events. Some venues offer free entrance for women before a set time.

Young people also use this opportunity to put on their own events in their local areas, inviting their friends, classmates and other party-lovers, only emphasising that any excuse to party is a welcomed affair in Nigeria.

In the past, some TV stations and malls have been known to organise parties for children in their communities where they can enjoy games, food and raffles.

Comedy shows are also hosted by the best comedians in the industry. In 2017, the annual Lord Of The Ribs With Basketmouth took place at the Eko Hotel and Suites in Victoria Island, Lagos on September 30. The live event featured other African comedians from across the continent and diaspora such as D’Lai (USA), Donnivin Jordan (USA), Salvador (UGANDA), Kevin J (USA), Celeste Ntuli (SA), Angel Campey (SA), Okey Bakassi, I Go Dye, Buchi, Bovi, and I Go Save.

The next day at the same venue, the Supremacy Concert was scheduled, and included performances from artists such as Olamide, Tiwa Savage, Tekno, and D’Banj, among others.

Family gatherings and fireworks

For many Nigerians, the day is spent with family or visiting friends and sharing a traditional meal of jollof rice with plantain and chicken or other traditional soups such as egusi soup, ogbono soup, okro soup, or banga soup, which are either eaten with pounded yam, eba, amala or fufu.

As there are no official firework displays, most young people buy their fireworks from local vendors and light them themselves in celebration of the day.

Fun at the beach

For those with a love for the seaside, a day at the beach is a sure bet! Once again, the beach usually turns into a makeshift outdoor club as huge speakers can be found under tents blasting both the latest Afrobeats or older Fuji tunes which older generations are happy to call “the better type of music.”

Family and friends head to the beach with picnics. However, different types of barbecued meats and fish can be bought from independent traders.

A day of rest

For others, the national holiday is simply seen as a day of rest and a time to wind down. They enjoy taking a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life before it starts all over again the next working day.

Celebrations outside Nigeria

The biggest celebration of Nigerian independence outside of Nigeria is in New York, where every year the day is commemorated with a parade. Nigerians and her supporters in America travel from different states across the USA to the bustling city to celebrate the monumental event. The Independence Day festival started in 1991 and has continued ever since.

In 2017, the festival was a three-day celebration including a parade held from 10am to 5pm. The parade route started at Second Avenue and E. 54th Street and ended at E. 44th Street. The Organising Committee Chairman, Mr Yinka Dansalami said the event attracts an average of 75,000 people annually.

Meanwhile, in London, Nigerian event organisers Cococure are also set to celebrate in style with an Independence Day Afrobeat Brunch on October 6, 2018. The brunch will take place at their usual event space at Proud City, in East London, and will be hosted by MC Daps with music from DJ Sean. The menu includes bottomless prosecco and an all-you-can-eat buffet of traditional Nigerian foods.

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Nigeria at 61: Full text of President Muhammadu Buhari’s Independence Day speech

President Muhammadu<br />Buhari PHOTO: FACEBOOK/Femi Adesina

INDEPENDENCE DAY ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY, MUHAMMADU BUHARI, PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA ON THE OCCASION OF NIGERIA’S SIXTY FIRST INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY, FRIDAY 1ST OCTOBER, 2021.

Citizens of Nigeria.

It is with full gratitude to God that today, we celebrate Nigeria’s sixty first Independence Anniversary.

For 1st of October 1960 to happen, all hands were on deck. East, West, North all came together to celebrate freedom. Today should not only serve as a reminder of the day the British handed over the reins of power to Nigerians, but also unified Nigerians from all ethnic groups, religions and regions.

Today, despite the challenges we face, most Nigerians still maintain the spirit of 1st October. That positive outlook and determination to make Nigeria a peaceful and prosperous nation. It is due to this collective attitude that Nigeria doggedly continues to remain a united and indivisible nation.

Fellow Nigerians, the past eighteen months have been some of the most difficult periods in the history of Nigeria. Since the civil war, I doubt whether we have seen a period of more heightened challenges than what we have witnessed in this period.

Our original priorities for 2020 were to continue stabilising our economy following the deep recession while restoring peace in areas confronted with security challenges. But the COVID-19 pandemic and its devastating impact on all nations meant we needed to shift gears and re-strategise.

Nigerians came together as one to fight against COVID-19. It is this attitude and by the special grace of God, we continue to survive the pandemic as a nation and indeed, provide leadership and example at regional and international levels.

The doomsday scenario predicted for our country never came. Even as the Delta variant continues to spread, we have built the capacity we need to respond now and into the future.

I will therefore appeal to Nigerians not to take COVID lightly, adhere to public health and social measures, put your mask on and get vaccinated. We can control this pandemic, but it requires effort on everybody’s part. The investments we made in response to COVID-19 will also serve our country to tackle any future disease outbreaks or pandemics.

Despite the global inequity in access to vaccines, the Government of Nigeria has continued to explore all available options to ensure Nigerians have free access to safe and effective vaccines.

Some five million vaccine doses have been administered to Nigerians through efforts led by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency and we will continue to explore options for purchase or acquisition of vaccines such as through COVAX and the African Vaccine Acquisition Trust.

I will take this opportunity to remind the global community that the current state of access to COVID-19 vaccines is unacceptable. We cannot afford a situation where a handful of countries keep the global vaccine supply to themselves at the expense of other nations.

We must act now to accelerate equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. This is the message I conveyed to the international community in New York last week.

As we push to source vaccines for our immediate needs, we shall invest more to support our pharmaceutical and research agencies to come up with ideas for locally developed vaccines. Should another pandemic arise in the future, Our question is simple; will Nigeria be ready?

Accordingly, I have directed the Ministries of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Health, Education and Science and Technology to work with Nigerian and International pharmaceutical companies and research organisations to enhance Nigeria’s domestic pharmaceutical capacity.

Already, the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority is raising a $200 million fund for this initiative that will complement the Central Bank of Nigeria’s ongoing N85 billion Healthcare Sector Research and Development Intervention Scheme to support local researchers in the development of vaccines and drugs to combat communicable and non-communicable diseases, including COVID-19.

Fellow Nigerians, this is just the beginning.

Similarly, on our approach to food security, I am proud to announce Nigeria has commenced its journey to pharmaceutical independence.

This journey, which will take years to achieve but will ultimately result in Nigerian based companies developing the Active Pharmaceutical substances and competence needed for us to make our own drugs and vaccines.

Fellow Nigerians,

As our economy continues to open after the COVID-19 related lockdowns, we have also seen the resurgence of insecurity in certain parts of the country.

In the last four months, the gallant men and women of the Military and Security Agencies have made tremendous progress in addressing these new security challenges. We are taking the fight to our enemies from all angles and we are winning.

Earlier this year, I launched the Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure, the Deep Blue Project, which is designed to secure Nigerian waters up to the Gulf of Guinea. I am happy to inform Nigerians that we have taken delivery of key assets for this project and very soon, its impact will be felt.

In the North East region alone, over eight thousand Boko Haram terrorists have surrendered.

To support our surge approach to fighting banditry, the Nigerian Armed Forces have recruited over 17,000 personnel across all ranks. Furthermore, I have also approved for the Nigerian Police Force to recruit 10,000 police officers annually over the next six years.

I am also pleased to note that most of the Air Force platforms we acquired over the past three years have started to arrive in Nigeria. These will positively impact our security operations in all parts of the country.

In line with section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the security and welfare of Nigerians continue to be the prime focus on which programmes and projects of our government revolves.

Therefore, as a Government, we are ready to arrest and prosecute all persons inciting violence through words or action. Our resolve for a peaceful, united and one Nigeria remains resolute and unwavering.

That said, our hope is not to fight for peace. We can always settle our grievances peacefully without spilling any blood.

I will therefore take this opportunity, on this special day that symbolises the unity and oneness of our great nation, to ask all Nigerians to embrace peace and dialogue, whatever your grievances.

The seeds of violence are planted in people’s heads through words. Reckless utterances of a few have led to losses of many innocent lives and destruction of properties.

Such unfiltered and unsubstantiated lies and hate speeches by a few evil persons must be stopped. Our media houses and commentators must move away from just reporting irresponsible remarks to investigating the truth behind all statements and presenting the facts to readers.

We must all come out and speak against the lies being peddled. At this point, I would want to sincerely appreciate the large number of our Traditional, Religious and Community leaders as well as other well-meaning Nigerians who, in their various fora are openly spreading the message of peaceful co-existence and conflict settlement through dialogue in their respective communities.

Nigeria is for all of us. Its unity is not negotiable. And its ultimate success can only be achieved if we all come together with a common goal of having peace and prosperity for our nation.

We shall continue to work on dialogue based solutions to address legitimate grievances. But we remain ready to take decisive actions against secessionist agitators and their sponsors who threaten our national security.

The recent arrests of Nnamdi Kanu and Sunday Adeyemo, and the ongoing investigations being conducted have revealed certain high-profile financiers behind these individuals. We are vigorously pursuing these financiers including one identified as a serving member of the national assembly.

This is a clear example of how people abandon their national leadership positions for their selfish gains. Instead of preaching unity, they are funding and misleading our youth to conduct criminal acts that sometimes lead to unfortunate and unnecessary loss of lives and property.

As the so-called leaders run abroad to hide, our innocent youths are misled and left in the streets to fight for their senseless and destructive causes.

Government will continue, with greater level of peoples’ participation and in collaboration with our international partners, to improve the security architecture, reduce enabling environment for criminality to thrive and eliminate opportunities for terrorism financing.

Fellow Nigerians, our unrelenting effort at resolving an almost two-decade stalling on the management of our Petroleum resources and ensuring equitable consideration to our host communities has resulted in the enactment of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021.

This Act not only overhauls the Institutional, regulatory and fiscal framework of the Petroleum Industry but also reduces the previous opacity associated with this sector.

This is the first step to the reforms as the process is a continuous one. Already, to further improve the governance framework, I have sought for an amendment of sections 11(2)(b) and 34(2)(b). We will also continue to review and amend as appropriate.

At this juncture, it is very appropriate that I salute the leadership and members of the Ninth Assembly for their patriotism, dedication to duty, candour and most importantly the dispatch with which they have enacted legacy legislations for this nation. I do not take such level of cooperation for granted and hope it continues for the overall efficiency of the Federal machinery.

Nigeria’s Roadmap on Local Refining is on track with the Commissioning of a Modular refinery in Imo State.

A second is scheduled for commissioning by the end of this year in Edo State and the third one in Bayelsa State by 2022.

In addition to the modular projects, we also have the two mega refinery projects coming up in Lagos and Akwa Ibom States.

As these refineries are commissioned, more employment opportunities are created and there would be increased petroleum products available for local consumption which will significantly reduce our reliance on importation.

In further demonstrating our plan to reduce our dependence on oil and tapping from our enormous gas resources, this administration remains committed to the “Decade of Gas” Initiative, which is aimed at bringing to focus the utilization of our huge gas resources.

Already, we are supporting and promoting various gas-based projects including NLNG Train 7 and the mega urea and ammonia projects in the South-South region.

As we continue to optimise and enhance our oil and gas sector, I am also proud and delighted to state that our economic diversification strategy remains on course with the persistent increase in Non-Oil Sector contribution to GDP.

We recovered from economic recession in quarter four of 2020 with a GDP growth rate of 0.11%, and grew by 0.51% and 5.01% in real terms in the first and second quarters of 2021.

The Agricultural sector remains key to our economic diversification efforts as the sector has been a consistent driver of the non-oil sector contributing 22.35% and 23.78% to the overall GDP in the first and second quarter of 2021.

We have seen significant private sector investments in almost all areas of the agricultural value chain. And these have continued even during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Unfortunately, as our food production capacity has increased, food prices have been going up due to artificial shortages created by middlemen who have been buying and hoarding these essential commodities for profiteering.

To address this, I am hereby directing the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to rehabilitate the National Food Reserve Agency and also work with security agencies, the Nigerian Commodity Exchange, and the National Assembly to find a lasting solution to these disruptive and unpatriotic hoarding activities.

To further enhance food production, we have completed several new dams and are in the process of rehabilitating several River Basin Development Authorities to enhance ground water supply for rainfed agriculture as well as surface water for irrigation agriculture.

The water projects we completed between 2015 to 2020 have improved Nigerian’s access to potable water to 71% between 2015 and 2020. This means 12.5 million additional Nigerians now have direct access to potable water.

This Government remains concerned by the significant transportation infrastructure deficit we have. Addressing the challenges our commuters and lorry drivers face on the motorways is still a high priority to us.

To complement our budgetary allocations, the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund and the Road Infrastructure Development and Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Scheme, we recently established a N15trillion Infrastructural Corporation of Nigeria Limited (INFRACO), which is expected to begin operation by the fourth quarter of this year.

INFRACO will also focus on leveraging resources on a public-private sector basis for infrastructural development in Nigeria.

We hope through these innovative programs, the additional cost burden on individuals and businesses because of inefficient logistics operations will be reduced and ultimately, eliminated.

We currently have over 13,000 kilometres of roads and bridges under construction all over the country of which a fair percentage have been completed.

As we fix our roads, we also continue to extend and upgrade Nigeria’s railway network with the notable opening of the Warri- Itakpe standard gauge rail line.

To increase capacity, we have introduced more locomotives, coaches and wagons including the establishment of a Wagon Assembly in Kajola, Ogun State.

The sea ports however still remain problematic. The effect of our various interventions to reduce the gridlocks and inefficiencies have been slower than expected.

However, the implementation of the Electronic Call-Up System as well as the conversion of the Lillypond Container Terminal to a Vehicle Transit Area will further enhance the ease of cargo evacuation.

Our prioritisation of developing Nigeria’s Digital Economy has positively impacted the contribution of the ICT sector to our GDP.

We hope our present efforts to ensure all Nigerians use a National Identification Number as well as our planned roll-out of the fifth generation (5G) network technology will ensure we stay in line with the global innovation curve as a Nation.

As we embrace the digital economy in Nigeria, we are fully aware of the prospects and the perils. Our policies have been developed to enable Nigerians to take advantage of the prospects and avoid the perils of digital technologies.

Social media is a very useful platform that has enabled millions of Nigerians to connect with loved ones, promote their businesses, socialise, and access news and other information.

However, recent events have shown that the platform is not just an innocuous platform for information dissemination.

Rather some users have misused the platform to organise, coordinate, and execute criminal activities, propagate fake news, and promote ethnic and religious sentiments.

To address these negative trends, the Federal Government of Nigeria suspended the operations of Twitter in Nigeria on June 5, 2021 to allow the Government put measures in place to address these challenges.

Follow ing the suspension of Twitter operations, Twitter Inc. reached out to the Federal Government of Nigeria to resolve the impasse. Subsequently, I constituted a Presidential Committee to engage Twitter to explore the possibility of resolving the issue.

The Committee, along with its Technical Team, has engaged with Twitter and have addressed a number of key issues. These are:

a. National Security and Cohesion;

b. Registration, Physical presence and Representation;

c. Fair Taxation;

d. Dispute Resolution; and

e. Local Content.

Following the extensive engagements, the issues are being addressed and I have directed that the suspension be lifted but only if the conditions are met to allow our citizens continue the use of the platform for business and positive engagements.

As a country, we are committed to ensuring that digital companies use their platform to enhance the lives of our citizens, respect Nigeria’s sovereignty, cultural values and promote online safety.

Nigeria’s progressive diplomacy continues to manifest through growing numbers of highly placed Nigerians in positions of regional and global influences. Very recently, Nigeria won election for the position of Commissioner for the expanded Political, Peace and Security Affairs of the African Union.

Our persistent calls for a reorganized and reformed ECOWAS, to make the organization citizens-sensitive, paid off with the acceptance by the Authority of Heads of State and Governments of ECOWAS to commence the agreed reforms in the organization ahead of the next elections of the organization’s principal officers in December this year.

At the African Development Bank, World Trade Organization and indeed, the United Nations, footprints of Nigeria’s Diplomacy are clearly evident.

We remain confident that our goal of lifting 100million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years is achievable.

Considering the positive impact of our Social Investment Programs, I recently approved an increase in the number of N-Power program beneficiaries from 500,000 to 1,000,000.

Out of this, 510,000 have started the programme while the competitive selection process for onboarding the outstanding 490,000 beneficiaries is in progress.

The National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme is currently being implemented in 35 States of the Federation and the FCT. Over 103,000 women have been engaged and empowered as cooks under the programme, while about 10 million pupils are being fed across public primary schools in the country.

To grant increased access to credit to the most poor and vulnerable, I have directed an increase in the disbursement of Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme loans to an additional one million beneficiaries laying more emphasis on the smallholding farmers through the farmers Moni program.

For far too long we have neglected the centrality of the civil service as the engine of governance and this has manifested in ineffective service delivery.

There is widespread discontent and disillusion about the efficiency and probity of our civil service.

It is for this reason that we are refocusing the Nigerian Civil Service to provide World class service to run our country.

The youths of this great country remain propellants for our today and provide guarantees that we would have a secure tomorrow.

It is for this reason that I remain focused on expanding opportunities for their participation in politics and governance.

Recent appointments of young people into positions of authority and their track record so far, gives me confidence that we need to bring more of them into governance and this I promise to do.

More specifically, to encourage Girl-Child Education, female scholarship schemes, life skills and digital literacy skills to boost girl’s enrolment, retention and completion of schooling, are all initiatives put in place to ensure gender balance in appropriately positioning our youths for positions of leadership.

The commitment of this Administration to the well-being of people living with disabilities remains unwavering.

Government recognises their contributions to development and I have, in this regard, directed that all relevant Government Agencies pay special attention to the peculiarities of different abilities in the implementation of policies and programmes.

Rape and Gender Based Violence remains a sore point in our Nation as in many countries worldwide and this was worsened during and after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We are currently engaging Heads of Courts to establish Specialised Courts for the speedy and seamless trial of Rape/Gender-Based offences especially to ensure that justice is done for child victims of sexual violence.

On the other hand, work has advanced in the reformation, reintegration and reunification of Minors involved in one crime or the other.

The reformation in our Correctional Services has manifested in an increase in modernised custodial centres and a transformation from strictly punitive to attitudinal changes so that criminals do not relapse into their previous lifestyle.

As we begin to celebrate our sixty one years as a Nation, we need to be conscious that Nigeria does not start and end with the Federal Government. This country is a great collective where Government at all arms and levels as well as the private sector, and more importantly individuals, have a role to play.

In particular, security is a bottom to top undertaking. Joining hands and hearts together would enable us to secure ourselves and our country.

I fully understand the anxiety of many Nigerians on the inability of this country to go beyond a never-ending potential for becoming a great nation to an actually great one.

A lot has been achieved in the last six years on many fronts: in infrastructure, social care, governance, Nigeria’s image and influence in Africa and the international community.

But critics misdiagnose incremental progress as stagnation. Since coming to power, this Administration has tackled our problems head-on in spite of the meagre resources. No government since 1999 has done what we have done in six years to put Nigeria back on track.

We shall continue to serve the country: listen to all and protect our democracy and country.

Thank you all and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

In this article

• Muhammadu Buhari‎
• Nigeria at 61

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Nigeria at 63: four reasons for persistent disunity six decades on

Research associate, Curtin University

Assistant Professor of Political Science, Lakehead University

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At 63 the story of Nigeria can be anything from the “celebration of greatness to an act of barbaric cruelty”. These are the words of Nigerian writer Dipo Faloyin in his book Africa Is Not a Country .

Nigeria attained its independence from Britain on 1 October 1960 . Nearly half a century earlier, in 1914, the British amalgamated the Northern and Southern British protectorates into the Nigerian Federation. For many — including the Nigerian independence leader Chief Obafémi Awólòwò , in his book Path to Nigerian Freedom – the country that emerged from this amalgamation was “a mere geographical expression”.

Since independence, Nigeria has made deliberate attempts to knit a cohesive nation from this legacy of division. This has included measures such as power sharing arrangements , the creation of the National Youth Service Corps , as well as its vibrant cultural expressions through food, sports, and literature.

But there have also been missed opportunities at unity due to leadership failures on the part of successive Nigerian governments. In the end, as research shows , divisions persist. These often overshadow the country’s achievements.

We are political scientists and researchers with published works at the intersection of politics, culture, and society and the international politics of Africa.

We offer four reasons why Nigeria remains divided. We identified these as ethnic and religious division, economic disparities, identity and lack of nation building.

Most nations have been crafted out of disparate cultures. According to the Irish political scientist and historian, Benedict Anderson , all nations are imagined .

However, our observation is that the first reason for persistent disunity in Nigeria is the depth of ethnic and religious division.

Ethnic and religious division: This must be placed in the context of colonial mapping and plunder of material and cultural resources .

This came about from cobbling together starkly different cultures, lands and peoples. Before colonialism, what is now called Nigeria was peopled by different kingdoms and empires . These ranged from the Hausa states and Kanem-Bornu empire in the north, the Jukun states in the north central region, to Yoruba states in the south west, and Igboland and Delta City-states in the south.

The arbitrary borders drawn by the British during colonisation bundled together these numerous ethnicities and peoples without regard for their historical, cultural or socio-political differences.

Britain ruled Nigeria for close to 80 years. The Crown governed through what was called indirect rule . This allowed the colonial administration to govern from a distance. It delegated local administration to traditional authorities and native institutions.

Nigeria is home to over 300 ethnic groups – the Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, and Fulani are the major ones. Each group has its own language, culture, and traditions.

Nigeria is also divided along religious lines . It is predominantly Muslim in the North and Christian in the South. Indigenous religions are spread across the country, with some experiencing no dualism between these spiritualities. Indeed, this non-binary spiritual disposition was what made the Christian and Arab missionaries successful in Africa.

Economic disparities : The British Crown governed its conquered colonial territories through different systems of authority. Over time, these translated into different levels of economic development.

In the north, the colonial government relied on existing political structures of “centralised governing systems with a reputation for their bureaucratic, administrative, and judicial institutions” – mainly relics of the Sokoto Islamic Caliphate in the region.

In the South, however, the colonial administration revolved around artificially created authorities. These were usually in the form of warrant chiefs – a native leader whose legitimacy was based on a warrant issued by the colonial government rather than on the people’s culture and custom.

These different governance systems were allowed significant autonomy under the colonial system of indirect rule. Different levels of economic development began to emerge, which in turn created economic disparities. For instance, northern Nigeria has the highest concentration of less economically empowered states, communities and peoples.

Identity: As we have argued elsewhere , Nigeria was conceived by the colonial government as a business enterprise corporation, not as a nation. As one scholar pointed out , British rule also promoted the ideas of ‘the “North for Northerners,” “East for Easterners,” and “West for Westerners” within Nigeria.

Independence promised a new Nigeria that benefited all Nigerians. But the country failed to savour the “independence” moment. Nigerian leaders who took over wasted the opportunities offered by the gains of independence to dismantle the inherited colonial fissures of their societies.

Leaders such as the Sardauna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello , Chief Obafémi Awólòwò and Sir Nnamdi Azikiwe rose to champion the cause of their respective ‘ethno-regions’. They became guilty of Frantz Fanon’s charge of the pitfall of the nation being passed over for the race, and the tribe being preferred to the state.

This was to translate into a series of coups and conflicts, including the civil war of 1967 in which about a million people died.

We have argued that the failure to savour the independence moment makes Nigeria – not just the colonial administration – complicit in its identity crises. We also acknowledge how ground-level activists and people across the different divides shape the country’s future through everyday expressions of nationhood. Nigerians are intermarrying. They’re doing business together. And they often express a general sense of pride and unity in the country’s food, sports, music and movies.

Lack of nation building: Some scholars agree that nation building requires state building. Nation unity, therefore, comes on the heels of effective action being taken by the state. But that’s not how Nigerians experience their government. For them, the state doesn’t exist behind rituals of statehood.

In the state’s absence, citizens resort to what they have – their identities – as tools for survival. This further widens ethnic fault lines and creates new ones.

A lack of investment in the infrastructures of the state has also created deplorable conditions for ordinary Nigerians.

The outcome of using identities for political scores and advantage? The proliferation of conflicts and violent clashes.

Moving forward

At the everyday level, Nigerians should focus on advancing and celebrating their soft cultural resources. These include comedy, sport, food, music, movies, and a general sense of hope and positive interaction. We argue that this ground-level, soft but courageous and clear-minded activism has the potential to restore hope in the nation. It could even achieve more.

For its part, the Nigerian state must open its doors to the people, and address their economic hardships and insecurity. If this doesn’t happen the danger is that Nigerians will abandon democratic ways and turn to violence, as we are witnessing across West Africa and the Sahel .

• Colonialism
• Nation building
• Postcolonial Africa
• ethnic clashes
• Nigeria independence
• Religious identity

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Nigeria's independence: Six images from six decades

• Published 30 September 2020

As Nigeria prepares to celebrate its independence anniversary, the BBC's Nduka Orjinmo selects six images, one from each decade, that represent watershed moments in the country's 60 years of self-rule.

1960s - The making of an African giant

After decades of British colonial rule, Prime Minister Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa took on the reins of power and led independent Nigeria's new coalition government. The celebrations lasted for weeks in some parts of the country and for those present at the Race Course (now Tafawa Balewa Square) in Obalende, Lagos, on 1 October 1960, it was an unforgettable experience.

"Just before the stroke of midnight, they switched off the lights and lowered the British Union Jack," Ben Iruemiobe, then a bright-eyed 16-year-old student who witnessed the raising of the Nigerian flag, told the BBC.

"Then at midnight, the lights were switched back on and the green-white-green stood majestically for all to see. This was followed by a volley of fireworks, then the military band played and we rejoiced,"

A quick guide to Nigeria

1970s - A civil war that killed millions

Seven years after independence, a civil war erupted as Nigeria's eastern region tried to form the breakaway Biafra state.

The three-year conflict, which ended with Biafran surrender, resulted in the death of more than two million people, most of them women and children who died of starvation in eastern Nigeria.

For many easterners, the 1970s was a period to recover both emotionally and financially, especially for those who had lost their houses - termed abandoned properties - and all their savings.

US-based novelist Okey Ndibe, a child during the war, describes it as the defining event in Nigeria's difficult history.

"The [government's] main goal was achieved, but at grave human and moral cost.

"The ghost of Biafra continues to haunt Nigeria. Festering violence in the north-east zone, renewed agitations for Biafra, and demands by residents of the oil-rich Niger Delta for resource control, are consequences of Nigeria's failure to use justice as the arbiter of public policies," he told the BBC.

Remembering the war that many prefer to forget

1980s - 'Ghana Must Go!'

In 1983 the government of Shehu Shagari ordered more than a million West African migrants, most of them Ghanaians, to leave Nigeria at short notice as the country faced an economic downturn.

The red, white and blue chequered plastic bag that the desperate departing Ghanaians used to carry their possessions became known as "Ghana Must Go". But now they are more often seen as a symbol of sleaze in Nigeria, preferred by corrupt politicians to ferry huge amounts of cash.

Behind Ghana and Nigeria's love-hate affair

1990s - Democracy returns after years of military rule

After 16 years of brutal military rule, interrupted by 82 days of a civilian government in 1993, democracy returned to Nigeria in 1999. Gen Abdulsalam Abubakar transferred power to Olusegun Obasanjo, who had won nationwide elections.

The 1990s was a packed decade in Nigeria's political history - including the annulment of an election by the military in 1993, the global condemnation of the 1995 hanging of nine environmental activists, among them Ken Saro-Wiwa by military ruler Gen Sani Abacha, and Abacha's own death in 1998.

The handover to democratic rule was seen by many as a culmination of these three events. The 21 years since have seen the longest uninterrupted republic in Nigeria's history.

How first coup still haunts Nigeria

2000s - 'We are black, we are beautiful and we are in demand'

On 16 November 2001, when a group of women competed for the judges' attention at the Miss World beauty pageant in South Africa only a handful of Nigerians were aware of the event.

But by the end of the day, millions in Africa's most populous country had become familiar with the name of 18-year-old Agbani Darego - the first black African to be crowned Miss World.

"Prior to Agbani winning it wasn't easy to get Nigerians and Africans to participate in pageants because they didn't see themselves winning.

"But from having 20 to 50 participants we had hundreds of thousands who wanted to participate. Now the world wants African music, they want African dance. We are black, we are beautiful and we are in demand," Ben Murray-Bruce, a former organiser of the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria contest, told the BBC.

2010s - The abduction of the Chibok girls

In April 2014, Islamist militant group Boko Haram kidnapped 276 girls from their school in Chibok in Nigeria's north-east, where there is still an insurgency.

Boko Haram had kidnapped many girls and women before but the abduction of the schoolgirls sparked a global campaign with the hashtag #BringBackOurGirls.

Bukky Shonibare, one of the leaders of the Bring Back Our Girls Group in Nigeria that protested relentlessly for government intervention to help free the girls, says the abduction greatly affected education in northern Nigeria.

"Children - boys and girls - became scared of going to school, and parents had to make a choice of either keeping their children alive or sending them to school.

"Efforts at achieving gender equality were greatly affected. Gains recorded [previously], especially around girl-child education, were immensely affected," she said.

After six years, more than 100 of the girls are still missing.

The secret diaries of the Chibok girls

More on this story

How first coup still haunts Nigeria 50 years on

• Published 15 January 2016

Nigeria country profile

• Published 28 July 2023

Around the BBC

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Independence Day Speech by President Buhari on the Occasion of Nigeria 61st Independence Anniversary

Citizens of Nigeria.

It is with full gratitude to God that today, we celebrate Nigeria’s sixty first Independence Anniversary.

2. For 1st of October 1960 to happen, all hands were on deck. East, West, North all came together to celebrate freedom. Today should not only serve as a reminder of the day the British handed over the reins of power to Nigerians, but also unified Nigerians from all ethnic groups, religions and regions.

3. Today, despite the challenges we face, most Nigerians still maintain the spirit of 1st October. That positive outlook and determination to make Nigeria a peaceful and prosperous nation. It is due to this collective attitude that Nigeria doggedly continues to remain a united and indivisible nation.

4. Fellow Nigerians, the past eighteen months have been some of the most difficult periods in the history of Nigeria. Since the civil war, I doubt whether we have seen a period of more heightened challenges than what we have witnessed in this period.

5. Our original priorities for 2020 were to continue stabilising our economy following the deep recession while restoring peace in areas confronted with security challenges. But the COVID-19 pandemic and its devastating impact on all nations meant we needed to shift gears and re-strategise.

6. Nigerians came together as one to fight against COVID-19. It is this attitude and by the special grace of God, we continue to survive the pandemic as a nation and indeed, provide leadership and example at regional and international levels.

7. The doomsday scenario predicted for our country never came. Even as the Delta variant continues to spread, we have built the capacity we need to respond now and into the future.

8. I will therefore appeal to Nigerians not to take COVID lightly, adhere to public health and social measures, put your mask on and get vaccinated. We can control this pandemic, but it requires effort on everybody’s part. The investments we made in response to COVID-19 will also serve our country to tackle any future disease outbreaks or pandemics.

9. Despite the global inequity in access to vaccines, the Government of Nigeria has continued to explore all available options to ensure Nigerians have free access to safe and effective vaccines.

10. Some five million vaccine doses have been administered to Nigerians through efforts led by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency and we will continue to explore options for purchase or acquisition of vaccines such as through COVAX and the African Vaccine Acquisition Trust.

11. I will take this opportunity to remind the global community that the current state of access to COVID-19 vaccines is unacceptable. We cannot afford a situation where a handful of countries keep the global vaccine supply to themselves at the expense of other nations.

12. We must act now to accelerate equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. This is the message I conveyed to the international community in New York last week.

13. As we push to source vaccines for our immediate needs, we shall invest more to support our pharmaceutical and research agencies to come up with ideas for locally developed vaccines. Should another pandemic arise in the future, Our question is simple; will Nigeria be ready?

14. Accordingly, I have directed the Ministries of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Health, Education and Science and Technology to work with Nigerian and International pharmaceutical companies and research organisations to enhance Nigeria’s domestic pharmaceutical capacity.

15. Already, the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority is raising a $200 million fund for this initiative that will complement the Central Bank of Nigeria’s ongoing N85 billion Healthcare Sector Research and Development Intervention Scheme to support local researchers in the development of vaccines and drugs to combat communicable and non-communicable diseases, including COVID-19.

Fellow Nigerians, this is just the beginning.

16. Similarly, on our approach to food security, I am proud to announce Nigeria has commenced its journey to pharmaceutical independence.

17. This journey, which will take years to achieve but will ultimately result in Nigerian based companies developing the Active Pharmaceutical substances and competence needed for us to make our own drugs and vaccines.

Fellow Nigerians,

18. As our economy continues to open after the COVID-19 related lockdowns, we have also seen the resurgence of insecurity in certain parts of the country.

19. In the last four months, the gallant men and women of the Military and Security Agencies have made tremendous progress in addressing these new security challenges. We are taking the fight to our enemies from all angles and we are winning.

20. Earlier this year, I launched the Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure, the Deep Blue Project, which is designed to secure Nigerian waters up to the Gulf of Guinea. I am happy to inform Nigerians that we have taken delivery of key assets for this project and very soon, its impact will be felt.

21. In the North East region alone, over eight thousand Boko Haram terrorists have surrendered.

22. To support our surge approach to fighting banditry, the Nigerian Armed Forces have recruited over 17,000 personnel across all ranks. Furthermore, I have also approved for the Nigerian Police Force to recruit 10,000 police officers annually over the next six years.

23. I am also pleased to note that most of the Air Force platforms we acquired over the past three years have started to arrive in Nigeria. These will positively impact our security operations in all parts of the country.

24. In line with section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the security and welfare of Nigerians continue to be the prime focus on which programmes and projects of our government revolves.

25. Therefore, as a Government, we are ready to arrest and prosecute all persons inciting violence through words or action. Our resolve for a peaceful, united and one Nigeria remains resolute and unwavering.

26. That said, our hope is not to fight for peace. We can always settle our grievances peacefully without spilling any blood.

27. I will therefore take this opportunity, on this special day that symbolises the unity and oneness of our great nation, to ask all Nigerians to embrace peace and dialogue, whatever your grievances.

28. The seeds of violence are planted in people’s heads through words. Reckless utterances of a few have led to losses of many innocent lives and destruction of properties.

29. Such unfiltered and unsubstantiated lies and hate speeches by a few evil persons must be stopped. Our media houses and commentators must move away from just reporting irresponsible remarks to investigating the truth behind all statements and presenting the facts to readers.

30. We must all come out and speak against the lies being peddled. At this point, I would want to sincerely appreciate the large number of our Traditional, Religious and Community leaders as well as other well-meaning Nigerians who, in their various fora are openly spreading the message of peaceful co-existence and conflict settlement through dialogue in their respective communities.

31. Nigeria is for all of us. Its unity is not negotiable. And its ultimate success can only be achieved if we all come together with a common goal of having peace and prosperity for our nation.

32. We shall continue to work on dialogue based solutions to address legitimate grievances. But we remain ready to take decisive actions against secessionist agitators and their sponsors who threaten our national security.

33. The recent arrests of Nnamdi Kanu and Sunday Adeyemo, and the ongoing investigations being conducted have revealed certain high-profile financiers behind these individuals. We are vigorously pursuing these financiers including one identified as a serving member of the national assembly.

34. This is a clear example of how people abandon their national leadership positions for their selfish gains. Instead of preaching unity, they are funding and misleading our youth to conduct criminal acts that sometimes lead to unfortunate and unnecessary loss of lives and property.

35. As the so-called leaders run abroad to hide, our innocent youths are misled and left in the streets to fight for their senseless and destructive causes.

36. Government will continue, with greater level of peoples’ participation and in collaboration with our international partners, to improve the security architecture, reduce enabling environment for criminality to thrive and eliminate opportunities for terrorism financing.

37. Fellow Nigerians, our unrelenting effort at resolving an almost two-decade stalling on the management of our Petroleum resources and ensuring equitable consideration to our host communities has resulted in the enactment of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021.

38. This Act not only overhauls the Institutional, regulatory and fiscal framework of the Petroleum Industry but also reduces the previous opacity associated with this sector.

39. This is the first step to the reforms as the process is a continuous one. Already, to further improve the governance framework, I have sought for an amendment of sections 11(2)(b) and 34(2)(b). We will also continue to review and amend as appropriate.

40. At this juncture, it is very appropriate that I salute the leadership and members of the Ninth Assembly for their patriotism, dedication to duty, candour and most importantly the dispatch with which they have enacted legacy legislations for this nation. I do not take such level of cooperation for granted and hope it continues for the overall efficiency of the Federal machinery.

41. Nigeria’s Roadmap on Local Refining is on track with the Commissioning of a Modular refinery in Imo State.

42. A second is scheduled for commissioning by the end of this year in Edo State and the third one in Bayelsa State by 2022.

43. In addition to the modular projects, we also have the two mega refinery projects coming up in Lagos and Akwa Ibom States.

44. As these refineries are commissioned, more employment opportunities are created and there would be increased petroleum products available for local consumption which will significantly reduce our reliance on importation.

45. In further demonstrating our plan to reduce our dependence on oil and tapping from our enormous gas resources, this administration remains committed to the “Decade of Gas” Initiative, which is aimed at bringing to focus the utilization of our huge gas resources.

46. Already, we are supporting and promoting various gas-based projects including NLNG Train 7 and the mega urea and ammonia projects in the South-South region.

47. As we continue to optimise and enhance our oil and gas sector, I am also proud and delighted to state that our economic diversification strategy remains on course with the persistent increase in Non-Oil Sector contribution to GDP.

48. We recovered from economic recession in quarter four of 2020 with a GDP growth rate of 0.11%, and grew by 0.51% and 5.01% in real terms in the first and second quarters of 2021.

49. The Agricultural sector remains key to our economic diversification efforts as the sector has been a consistent driver of the non-oil sector contributing 22.35% and 23.78% to the overall GDP in the first and second quarter of 2021.

50. We have seen significant private sector investments in almost all areas of the agricultural value chain. And these have continued even during the COVID-19 pandemic.

51. Unfortunately, as our food production capacity has increased, food prices have been going up due to artificial shortages created by middlemen who have been buying and hoarding these essential commodities for profiteering.

52. To address this, I am hereby directing the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to rehabilitate the National Food Reserve Agency and also work with security agencies, the Nigerian Commodity Exchange, and the National Assembly to find a lasting solution to these disruptive and unpatriotic hoarding activities.

53. To further enhance food production, we have completed several new dams and are in the process of rehabilitating several River Basin Development Authorities to enhance ground water supply for rainfed agriculture as well as surface water for irrigation agriculture.

54. The water projects we completed between 2015 to 2020 have improved Nigerian’s access to potable water to 71% between 2015 and 2020. This means 12.5 million additional Nigerians now have direct access to potable water.

55. This Government remains concerned by the significant transportation infrastructure deficit we have. Addressing the challenges our commuters and lorry drivers face on the motorways is still a high priority to us.

56. To complement our budgetary allocations, the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund and the Road Infrastructure Development and Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Scheme, we recently established a N15trillion Infrastructural Corporation of Nigeria Limited (INFRACO), which is expected to begin operation by the fourth quarter of this year.

57. INFRACO will also focus on leveraging resources on a public-private sector basis for infrastructural development in Nigeria.

58. We hope through these innovative programs, the additional cost burden on individuals and businesses because of inefficient logistics operations will be reduced and ultimately, eliminated.

59. We currently have over 13,000 kilometres of roads and bridges under construction all over the country of which a fair percentage have been completed.

60. As we fix our roads, we also continue to extend and upgrade Nigeria’s railway network with the notable opening of the Warri- Itakpe standard gauge rail line.

61. To increase capacity, we have introduced more locomotives, coaches and wagons including the establishment of a Wagon Assembly in Kajola, Ogun State.

62. The sea ports however still remain problematic. The effect of our various interventions to reduce the gridlocks and inefficiencies have been slower than expected.

63. However, the implementation of the Electronic Call-Up System as well as the conversion of the Lillypond Container Terminal to a Vehicle Transit Area will further enhance the ease of cargo evacuation.

64. Our prioritisation of developing Nigeria’s Digital Economy has positively impacted the contribution of the ICT sector to our GDP.

65. We hope our present efforts to ensure all Nigerians use a National Identification Number as well as our planned roll-out of the fifth generation (5G) network technology will ensure we stay in line with the global innovation curve as a Nation.

66. As we embrace the digital economy in Nigeria, we are fully aware of the prospects and the perils. Our policies have been developed to enable Nigerians to take advantage of the prospects and avoid the perils of digital technologies.

67. Social media is a very useful platform that has enabled millions of Nigerians to connect with loved ones, promote their businesses, socialise, and access news and other information.

68. However, recent events have shown that the platform is not just an innocuous platform for information dissemination.

69. Rather some users have misused the platform to organise, coordinate, and execute criminal activities, propagate fake news, and promote ethnic and religious sentiments.

70. To address these negative trends, the Federal Government of Nigeria suspended the operations of Twitter in Nigeria on June 5, 2021 to allow the Government put measures in place to address these challenges.

71. Following the suspension of Twitter operations, Twitter Inc. reached out to the Federal Government of Nigeria to resolve the impasse. Subsequently, I constituted a Presidential Committee to engage Twitter to explore the possibility of resolving the issue.

72. The Committee, along with its Technical Team, has engaged with Twitter and have addressed a number of key issues. These are:

a. National Security and Cohesion;

b. Registration, Physical presence and Representation;

c. Fair Taxation;

d. Dispute Resolution; and

e. Local Content.

73. Following the extensive engagements, the issues are being addressed and I have directed that the suspension be lifted but only if the conditions are met to allow our citizens continue the use of the platform for business and positive engagements.

74. As a country, we are committed to ensuring that digital companies use their platform to enhance the lives of our citizens, respect Nigeria’s sovereignty, cultural values and promote online safety.

75. Nigeria’s progressive diplomacy continues to manifest through growing numbers of highly placed Nigerians in positions of regional and global influences. Very recently, Nigeria won election for the position of Commissioner for the expanded Political, Peace and Security Affairs of the African Union.

76. Our persistent calls for a reorganized and reformed ECOWAS, to make the organization citizens-sensitive, paid off with the acceptance by the Authority of Heads of State and Governments of ECOWAS to commence the agreed reforms in the organization ahead of the next elections of the organization’s principal officers in December this year.

77. At the African Development Bank, World Trade Organization and indeed, the United Nations, footprints of Nigeria’s Diplomacy are clearly evident.

78. We remain confident that our goal of lifting 100million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years is achievable.

79. Considering the positive impact of our Social Investment Programs, I recently approved an increase in the number of N-Power program beneficiaries from 500,000 to 1,000,000.

80. Out of this, 510,000 have started the programme while the competitive selection process for onboarding the outstanding 490,000 beneficiaries is in progress.

81. The National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme is currently being implemented in 35 States of the Federation and the FCT. Over 103,000 women have been engaged and empowered as cooks under the programme, while about 10 million pupils are being fed across public primary schools in the country.

82. To grant increased access to credit to the most poor and vulnerable, I have directed an increase in the disbursement of Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme loans to an additional one million beneficiaries laying more emphasis on the smallholding farmers through the farmers Moni program.

83. For far too long we have neglected the centrality of the civil service as the engine of governance and this has manifested in ineffective service delivery.

84. There is widespread discontent and disillusion about the efficiency and probity of our civil service.

85. It is for this reason that we are refocusing the Nigerian Civil Service to provide World class service to run our country.

86. The youths of this great country remain propellants for our today and provide guarantees that we would have a secure tomorrow.

87. It is for this reason that I remain focused on expanding opportunities for their participation in politics and governance.

88. Recent appointments of young people into positions of authority and their track record so far, gives me confidence that we need to bring more of them into governance and this I promise to do.

89. More specifically, to encourage Girl-Child Education, female scholarship schemes, life skills and digital literacy skills to boost girl’s enrolment, retention and completion of schooling, are all initiatives put in place to ensure gender balance in appropriately positioning our youths for positions of leadership.

90. The commitment of this Administration to the well-being of people living with disabilities remains unwavering.

91. Government recognises their contributions to development and I have, in this regard, directed that all relevant Government Agencies pay special attention to the peculiarities of different abilities in the implementation of policies and programmes.

92. Rape and Gender Based Violence remains a sore point in our Nation as in many countries worldwide and this was worsened during and after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

93. We are currently engaging Heads of Courts to establish Specialised Courts for the speedy and seamless trial of Rape/Gender-Based offences especially to ensure that justice is done for child victims of sexual violence.

94. On the other hand, work has advanced in the reformation, reintegration and reunification of Minors involved in one crime or the other.

95. The reformation in our Correctional Services has manifested in an increase in modernised custodial centres and a transformation from strictly punitive to attitudinal changes so that criminals do not relapse into their previous lifestyle.

96. As we begin to celebrate our sixty one years as a Nation, we need to be conscious that Nigeria does not start and end with the Federal Government. This country is a great collective where Government at all arms and levels as well as the private sector, and more importantly individuals, have a role to play.

97. In particular, security is a bottom to top undertaking. Joining hands and hearts together would enable us to secure ourselves and our country.

98. I fully understand the anxiety of many Nigerians on the inability of this country to go beyond a never-ending potential for becoming a great nation to an actually great one.

99. A lot has been achieved in the last six years on many fronts: in infrastructure, social care, governance, Nigeria’s image and influence in Africa and the international community.

100. But critics misdiagnose incremental progress as stagnation. Since coming to power, this Administration has tackled our problems head-on in spite of the meagre resources. No government since 1999 has done what we have done in six years to put Nigeria back on track.

101. We shall continue to serve the country: listen to all and protect our democracy and country.

Thank you all and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

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Nigeria Independence Day 2018: The importance of 1 October in the West African nation’s history

Country twice freed from authoritarian control to become vibrant democracy, article bookmarked.

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Nigeria celebrates its independence day on 1 October every year.

West Africa's most populous nation - home to approximately 186 million in 2018 - freed itself from British colonial rule on this date in 1960 and the anniversary is being marked on Monday with huge national celebrations and by the latest Google Doodle depicting the spectacular Zuma Rock west of Abuja .

President Muhammadu Buhari has already addressed the nation, pledging free and fair elections in 2019, praising the country's security forces for enhancing safety and calling for more compassionate exchanges on social media.

The best Google Doodles

His doing so provides the curtain-raiser for a day of festivities, including parades by students, traditional folk music concerts and Abuja's famous military march.

Today's occasion will also be observed by members of the Nigerian diaspora in cities around the world, with many pausing to reflect on their nation's history.

The first European colonists to establish a presence in Nigeria were Spanish and Portuguese explorers, who traded with the locals from port towns along the Gulf of Guinea, first establishing Lagos as the key commercial hub it remains today.

The British Empire began to dominate the territory in the 19th century through the Royal Niger Company, fending off German competition for resources and establishing the borders of modern Nigeria in 1914 when the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria was formed.

• Nigeria's comic book explosion: Why Lagos is the new Gotham

When calls for the end of colonial rule swept the continent after the Second World War , Nigeria was granted its independence precisely 58 years ago today, an occasion marked by fireworks, dancing, masquerades and a state banquet, attended by British representative Princess Alexandria.

Initially a parliamentary democracy under prime minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and governor-generals Nnamdi Azikiwe and Sir James Wilson Robertson, the country became a federal republic when a new constitution was adopted on 1 October 1963, Azikiwe becoming Nigeria's first president.

Following a coup in 1966, Nigeria was ruled by a military junta until democracy was restored in 1979, again on 1 October, a date of recurrent significance to the country and its people, a day on which it has twice been released from authoritarian control.

From the booming Nollywood film industry to the exploits of the Super Eagles on the football pitch, Nigerians have much to be proud of but the problem of uniting a nation of 36 states across which over 500 languages are spoken - seven per cent of the globe's total - can be tricky.

But the country's flag embodies precisely that goal: the green representing its agricultural lands, the white the people's commitment to peace and togetherness.

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October 1: Today In Nigeria’s History And Beyond

October 1 National Day or Independence Anniversary is no doubt Nigeria’s biggest celebration as a country. Hereunder are some of the spectacular events that made the day memorable both in Nigeria and beyond.

1. On October 1, 1960, Nigeria got it independence from Britain, and the Union Jack flag was lowered for the Nigerian green-white-green national flag.

2. On October 1, 1963, Nigeria proclaimed itself the Federal Republic of Nigeria and late Chief Nnamdi Azikiwe became the country’s first President.

3. October 1st is the 274th day of the year (275th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are days 91 remaining until the end of the year.

4. In 1979, Nigeria adopted a new constitution and transitioned to civilian rule with the swearing-in of Alhaji Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari of NPN as first democratically elected President on October 1.

5. On October 1, 1996, the then General Sani Abacha-led junta created six more States for the Federation, one each in the six geo-political zones of the country. They are Ekiti State in the South-West, Bayelsa State in the South-South, Ebonyi State is the South-East, Zamfara State in the North-West, Nasarawa State in the North-Central and Gombe State in the North-East.

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6. Nigeria celebrated its golden and diamond jubilees ten years apart, climaxing on October 1, 2010, and 2020, respectively with various events and ceremonies witnessed by invited world leaders.

7. On this day, Sunday October 1, 2023, President Bola Tinubu made his maiden Independence Day Anniversary address to Nigerians through television broadcast.

8. On October 1, 1977, Brazilian soccer legend Pelé closed out his career in an exhibition match between the Cosmos and Santos, following finishing his official playing career on August 28, 1977, by leading the New York Cosmos to their second Soccer Bowl title with a 2–1 win over the Seattle Sounders at the Civic Stadium in Portland, Oregon.

9. On October 1, 2020, not a few Nigerians were shocked when the then President Muhammadu Buhari while serving the second year of his second tenure of office, announced in a nationwide broadcast to mark Nigeria’s 60th Independence Anniversary a plan to adjust petrol pump price from N161, saying it made no sense for petrol to be cheaper in Saudi Arabia than Nigeria.

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What Is Independence Day In Nigeria?

• By aroundabuja

If you want to learn about what independence day in Nigeria is and why it is celebrated, you are going to find your answers in this article. So sit back and enjoy reading about this wonderful day in the Nigerian history.

• 1. Meaning of Independence Day in Nigeria
• 2. How Did Nigeria Gain Her Independence?
• 3.1. National Parades
• 4. Why Do Nigerians Celebrate Independence?
• 5. Conclusion

Meaning of Independence Day in Nigeria

Every October 1st, every Nigerian, no matter where they are in any part of the world, celebrates. What are they celebrating? They are celebrating freedom. The 1st of October was the day that Nigeria’s independence from British rule was proclaimed. So the day has become an official national holiday to celebrate such an amazing time in history.

How Did Nigeria Gain Her Independence?

Nigeria is a West African country that is bordered by Chad, Niger, Cameroon, the Gulf of Guinea, and Benin. With over 200 million people, Nigeria is the country with the most population in West Africa.

The country’s independence took place in 1960 when the British government promulgated laws giving independence to its African colonies. At the time leading up to independence, there had been a massive movement from several African countries demanding independence.

In 1885, Nigeria was two British colonies known as the Northern and Southern Nigerian Protectorates. But both colonies were united in 1914 to form one bigger Nigerian colony.

The agitation for independence started in the 1950s when African European colonies started demanding Independence from European powers. As a result, there was widespread conflict and turmoil, and that ultimately compelled European countries to grant freedom to African countries under their rule. Many African colonies, Nigeria included, got their independence in 1960. After Nigeria gained its independence, Nnamdi Azikiwe became the first president of Nigeria.

How Is Independence Day Celebrated in Nigeria?

It is an annual celebration in Nigeria that kicks off with the Nigerian president giving an address to the nation that is broadcasted on television and radio stations. Different sectors such as the Nigerian armed forces, the Ministry of Foreign affairs, the Nigerian police, the national education services, and the workforce all celebrate Independence day.

One of the ways this day is celebrated is primary and secondary schools perform a formal marchpast in their various local governments and state capitals. A lot of people wear white and green, the color of the Nigerian flag, to celebrate, while markets, schools, and offices close to commemorate this special day.

National Parades

Every year on Independence day, a civil-military parade holds at Eagle Square of which top dignitaries of the Nigerian presidential cabinet are usually in attendance. The President is usually present as the Commander-in-Chief. And along with the Presidential Guard Brigade Commander, the guard of honor also comprising various paramilitary forces are inspected by the President in a car inspection.

The Nigerian Army Band Corps provide music and salutes. And the event is brought to a close by a 21-gun salute fired by an Army Artillery Regiment detachment.

Why Do Nigerians Celebrate Independence?

Well, that question is a no-brainer. It’s just like asking a woman who has just put to birth why she is happy and celebratory. It was the day that Nigeria gained its freedom and could elect her own president so it’s really a big deal, not just for Nigerians, but for every African country that has gained independence from British rule.

Independence day was the day Nigeria gained her independence from British rule and so it became a yearly celebration in Nigeria. Nigerians celebrate this day by organizing bands, parades, parties, and gatherings because the day is worth celebrating.

I hope you have enjoyed reading this article. I would love to hear what your opinion is about Nigerians’ independence day celebration. So leave your comment in the comment section and follow aroundabuja.com for more updates.

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On Oct. 7, six days after the official Oct. 1 anniversary, thousands gathered on Manhattan’s East Side to celebrate Nigeria’s 57th independence day. After several hundred years of British presence in the area and official colonial control since the late 19th century, Nigeria won its independence from the U.K. in 1960, though it remained part of the British Commonwealth. The New York City area is home to about 36,000 Nigerian immigrants, many of whom came out to celebrate this weekend, 26 years since New York’s first Nigerian Independence Day Parade.

A dozen-plus floats made their way down 2nd Ave. in midtown Manhattan to end near Dag Hammerskjold Plaza, around the corner from the United Nations headquarters. Along the plaza, crowds milled about, eating  suya  and  jollof  rice from vendors lining the space, listening to positive words from various dignitaries and dancing to a short lineup of local Afrobeats artists. The floats, largely sponsored by a variety of local church associations or groups like the Nigerian Nurses Association of America, were blasting Afrobeats, r&b and hip-hop as their passengers danced and waved Nigerian flags.

Nigerian Nurses Association of USA march down 2nd Ave. Photos by Sebastian Bouknight.

Akwa Ibom State Association of Nigeria, New York chapter

A dancer with the Akwa Ibom State Association

Harlem’s Accra Restaurant representing

Ghana gets into the mix on the Accra Restaurant float

One of the most exciting floats was hosted by the Council of Cherubim and Seraphim Churches in the U.S.A. The group was decked out in all-white robes with frills and played a nonstop set of high-tempo gospel  juju  music, driven by a drum machine, talking drum player and guitarist. The group sang praise songs, sometimes to tunes of familiar Nigerian melodies like “Sweet Mother” by Prince Nico Mbarga, often joined by onlookers in song.

The Council of Cherubim and Seraphim Churches in the U.S.A.

“Nigerian is the new cool”

Revelers follow the Afrobeats truck

Several Nigerian and Nigerian-American dignitaries were present for the festivities, including Ude Chukwu, the Deputy Governor of Nigeria’s Abia State, Ugo Nwaokoro, the Deputy Mayor of Newark, N.J., and the Acting Consul-General of Nigeria in New York, Nicholas Ella. They took turns at the microphone, making rosy, positive remarks lauding the Nigerian-American community for their accomplishments in the U.S., for projecting a positive image of Nigeria to the world and for remaining united despite differences.

Dignitaries at the end of the parade

Float passengers wave to the dignitaries

However, at the end of the parade route, it was made clear that unity is not necessarily the name of the game when it comes to Nigerian communities in the U.S. (or in Nigeria, for that matter), and that, beneath the largely positive celebrations is a simmering, highly contentious issue. Across the street from Dag Hammerskjold Plaza, where the festivities were taking place, a group of protesters had set up camp to call for Biafran succession and to call out the Nigerian government for  alleged bloody and inhumane crackdowns  on pro-succession protests and leaders in Nigeria’s southeast in the past month. This conflict has been on a simmer since the ’60s, when the massive, brutal and strongly ethnically and religiously divided Biafran War decimated the southeastern area of Nigeria claimed by a largely Igbo Christian separatist movement. This year, 50 years after the Asaba massacre left hundreds dead in the region, Biafran  separatist sentiments are again stirring . The issue is not clear cut, however–some Igbo leaders and governors in the region are  calling for a unified Nigeria  and siding with the government of President Muhammadu Buhari. At the parade protest, demonstrators sang a song which carried a sharp message to Buhari, paraphrased as, “If all you want to do is kill people, here we are–kill us.”

Biafran separatists associated with the Indigenous People of Biafra (I.P.O.B.) – at the Nigerian Independence Day Parade

Pro-Biafra protestors carry the Biafran flag

Pro-Biafran priest fervently making his case

Across the street from the protest, the vibe was laid-back and dominated by music, food and pro-Nigerian speeches.

The crowd at Dag Hammerskjold Plaza

On the stage in the middle of plaza, we heard from several local Afrobeats singers, including Otunba and Chief Dejjy, interspersed with words from officials in the Nigerian-American community and city officials like Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer and Deputy Mayor Richard Beury.

Afrobeats singer Chief Dejjy

Acting Consul-General of Nigeria in New York, Nicholas Ella

President of the Organization for the Advancement of Nigerians, Solomon Bakare

A DJ announces the next artist

An MC hyping the crowd

Afrobeats singer Otunba

Keep your eyes out here on Afropop.org for a short video recap of the event!

KEYWORDS  AFROBEATS ,  BIAFRA ,  GOSPEL ,  INDEPENDENCE DAY ,  JUJU ,  NEW YORK ,  NIGERIA ,  PARADE ,  PHOTO ESSAY

Full Text of President Buhari’s Independence Day Speech

INDEPENDENCE DAY ADDRESS BY MUHAMMADU BUHARI, PRESIDENT AND COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE ARMED FORCES, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA DELIVERED ON THE OCCASION OF NIGERIA’S 62ND INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION ON 1ST OCTOBER, 2022

Fellow Nigerians,

I address you today, with a deep sense of gratitude to God and a high level of appreciation to all Nigerians whose tremendous goodwill gave me the opportunity to provide leadership for our great country at one of the trying times in her history.

2.​Conscious that today’s address would be my last on an Independence Day as your President; I speak to the millions of Nigerians, who believed in me, propelled and stood by me in my quest to bequeath a country where all citizens have equal opportunities to achieve their lives desires in a peaceful atmosphere.

3.​I am honoured to say that my story in the annals of Nigeria’s history is no household secret. My various attempts, failures and eventual success in being elected as a Democratic President in 2015 was made possible by the majority of Nigerians.

4.​ When you elected me, I readily acknowledged that the tasks before me were daunting but surmountable because of the growing national consensus that our chosen route to national development was democracy.

5.​This democracy was to be anchored on a clear understanding, application and the principles of separation of powers supported by a reformed public service that is more effective.

6.​I then pledged to Improve the Economy, Tackle Corruption and Fight Insecurity and this was further strengthened by my commitment to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in ten years as the central plank of my second term in 2019.

7.​To the Glory of God and His Grace as well as the commitment and passion displayed by many Nigerian supporters, we have made appreciable progress in these areas but not yet at our destination.

8.​Mindful of the task before us, we took some time in settling down and we re-positioned the Economy by providing strategic interventions in core areas at both the Federal and Sub-National levels.

9.​One of the areas where we have made significant progress is in the eradication of deeply entrenched corruption that permeates all facets of our national development.

10.​We strengthened the Institutions for tackling corruption and also cultivated international support, which aided the repatriation of huge sums of money illegally kept outside the country.

11.​The increasing number of prosecutions and convictions, with associated refunds of large sums of money is still ongoing. Furthermore, we would continue to block opportunities that encourage corrupt practices.

12.​In order to address Insecurity, we worked methodically in reducing Insurgency in the North East, Militancy in the Niger Delta, Ethnic and Religious Tensions in some sections of Nigeria along with other problems threatening our country.

13.​Our efforts in re-setting the economy manifested in Nigeria exiting two economic recessions by the very practical and realistic monetary and fiscal measures to ensure effective public financial management. In addition, the effective implementation of the Treasury Single Account and cutting down on the cost of governance also facilitated early exits from recessions.

14.​Fellow Nigerians, this administration removed several decades uncertainty for potential Investors in the Oil & Gas sector with the passage of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021. This landmark legislation created opportunities for foreign investments in addition to improving transparency in the management of the sector.

15.​Our administration has given the desired priority to the Agricultural Sector through a series of incentives to Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises that resulted in creating millions of jobs. Leading this initiative, the Central Bank of Nigeria’s intervention in a number of areas as well as the Anchor Borrowers Programme had created the required leverages for Nigerians towards self-sufficiency in food and the necessary attraction for farming as a business.

16.​The growing contribution of non-oil exports, especially in agriculture, information and communication technology as well as the performing arts to our national economy will enhance our foreign exchange earning capacity.

17.​We are confronting current economic challenges such as debt burden, growing inflation, living standards and increasing unemployment accentuated by our growing youthful population. These problems are globally induced and  we would continue to ensure that their negative effects are addressed in our policies.

18.​This administration will continue to ensure that our fiscal policies are supported by a robust and contemporary monetary policy that recognises our peculiarities in the midst of the growing global economic difficulties.

19.​This is evidenced by the recent Monetary Policy Committee decision to maintain all parameters, especially interest rates and marginally increased the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) from 14% to 15.5% and the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) from 27.5% to 32.5%. It is projected that this would further insulate our economy from over exposure to uncertainties at the international market by restraining growth in core inflation.

20.​As we continue to de-escalate the security challenges that confronted us at inception of this administration, newer forms alien to our country began to manifest especially in the areas of kidnappings, molestations/killings of innocent citizens, banditry, all of which are being addressed by our security forces.

21.​I share the pains Nigerians are going through and I assure you that your resilience and patience would not be in vain as this administration continues to reposition as well as strengthen the security agencies to enable them to deal with all forms of security challenges.

22.​At the inception of this administration in 2015, I provided the funding requirements of the security agencies which was also improved in my second tenure in 2019 to enable them to surmount security challenges. We will continue on this path until our efforts yield the desired results.

23.​ As we put in place all measures to ensure that Nigeria takes her place in the Comity of Nations, we recognize the importance of a well-educated populace as a panacea to most of the challenges we face.

24.​We have, therefore, pursued policies and implemented programmes designed to create a literate and proficient society that ensures that citizens are availed with opportunities for life-long achievements.

25.​I must confess that I am very pained by the recurring disruption to our tertiary education system and I am using this Independence Day celebration to re-iterate my call for the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to return to the classroom while assuring them to deal with their contending issues within the limits of the scarce resources available. This administration has made appreciable progress in redressing these issues that have been lingering for over eleven years.

26.​The Federal Government will continue to mobilize resources both internationally and nationally towards funding education to ensure that our citizens are well educated and skilled in various vocations in view of the fact that education is a leading determinant of economic growth and employment generation.

27.​Fellow Nigerians, we have also improved our health facilities, especially during and after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, which attracted commendation of the global community.

28.​As you are aware, Nigeria was one of the countries that defied global predictions of the socio-economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic because of our resilience, commitment and passion with which we individually and collectively managed the pandemic.

29.​This administration embarked on addressing critical ecological challenges across the country in order to mitigate the impact of Climate Change manifesting in the form of flood, soil erosion, desertification, air pollution amongst others

30.​We will continue to ensure that our infrastructure drive remains the key to Nigeria’s economic growth and for which every Nigerian will feel the impact.

31.​The Federal Government is already expanding ports operations to ensure that they provide opportunities for the growth of the Nigerian economy.

32.​We have also continued to accelerate our infrastructure development through serviceable and transparent borrowing, improved capital inflow & increased revenue generation by expanding the tax bases and prudent management of investment proceeds in the Sovereign Wealth Fund.

33.​To further open up our communities to economic activities, we have continued to boost our railway infrastructure with the completion of a good number of critical railways and at the same time rehabilitating as well as upgrading obsolete equipment.

34.​I am pleased to inform my fellow citizens that besides our emphasis on infrastructural development with its attendant opportunities for job creation, employment generation and subsequent poverty reduction, our focussed intervention directly to Nigerians through the National Social Investment Programme is also yielding benefits.

35.​There is hardly any ward, village or local government in Nigeria today that has not benefited from one of the following: N-Power, trader-moni, market moni, subsidized loans, business grants or Conditional Cash Transfers.

36.​All the aforementioned programmes along with various interventions by the National Social Investment programme, direct support to victims of flooding and other forms of disasters have provided succor to the affected Nigerians.

37.​Fellow Nigerians, no matter what gains we make, without a good governance system anchored on electing credible leaders on the basis of free, fair, credible and transparent elections, our efforts would not be enough.

38.​It is for this reason that I have resolved to bequeath a sustainable democratic culture which will remain lasting. The signing of the Electoral Act 2021 as amended with landmark provisions further assures us of a more transparent and inclusive Electoral Process.

39.​Having witnessed at close quarters, the pains, anguish and disappointment of being a victim of an unfair electoral process, the pursuit of an electoral system and processes that guarantee election of leaders by citizens remains the guiding light as I prepare to wind down our administration.

40.​You would all agree that the recent elections in the past two years in some states (notably Anambra, Ekiti and Osun) and a few federal constituencies have shown a high degree of credibility, transparency and freedom of choice with the people’s votes actually counting. This I promise would be improved upon as we move towards the 2023 General Elections.

41.​As we begin the transition process to another democratically elected government, I want to implore all aspirants to conduct issues-based campaigns devoid of hate speeches as well as other negative and divisive tendencies.

42.​I also want to express my wish that we see more female and youth participation in the forth-coming electoral cycle. I am sure that our teeming and energetic youths now realise that violence generally mar elections and so should desist from being used by politicians for this purpose.

43.​Reforms in the public sector are already yielding results especially in the delivery of services. On this note, I urge the general public to demand for citizen-centred services from the relevant authorities.

44.​On the international front, we have continued to take advantage of our bilateral and multilateral platforms to explore cooperation with friendly countries and partners whenever these areas of cooperation are to the advantage of Nigeria.

45.​Fellow Nigerians, in the past few years we have witnessed and overcome a good number of challenges that would ordinarily have destroyed our Nation. However, the indefatigable spirit of the Nigerian people has ensured that we overcome our challenges.

46.​It is in this spirit that I call on all of us to individually and collectively bring to the fore in dealing with all our development issues.

47.​I was called to serve, along with my team, I saw an opportunity to create a better Nigeria which we have done with the support of Nigerians. Almighty God and the good people of Nigeria supported us in laying a solid foundation for the Nigeria of our dreams.

​I thank you all and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

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In Photos: The British Royal Family's Visits to Nigeria

As Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's trip to Nigeria is underway, look back on other royal visits by Queen Elizabeth, King Charles, and more.

Nigeria is former British colony; the country gained independence in 1960, but remains a member of the Commonwealth , a voluntary association of 56 countries. Following Queen Elizabeth's death in 2022, King Charles succeeded his mother as head of the organization. "It is my sincere wish that the Commonwealth will continue to offer stability and continuity for future generations and will decide that one day the Prince of Wales should carry on the important work started by my father in 1949," Queen Elizabeth said in 2018. During her reign, Queen Elizabeth visited Nigeria twice—in 1956, when Nigeria was still a colony, and 2003, for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. Thus far, King Charles has yet to visit in his capacity as head of the Commonwealth. He previously visited in 1990 with his then-wife, Princess Diana , and again in 1999, 2006, and 2018.

In chronological order, here are the best photos of British royals in Nigeria:

In 1956, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip undertook a royal tour of Nigeria.

On their trip, they went to Lagos, Calabar, Enugu, Jos, Kaduna, Kano, and Port Harcourt. Here, the royal couple is pictured speaking with Cheif Okosoi at a reception at Enugu

At Kaduna Airport, Queen Elizabeth inspected a regiment.

The Queen met with Governor of the Western Region in Ijebu-ode.

In 1960, Nigeria declared independence, and Princess Alexandra traveled to the country to represent Queen Elizabeth at the independence celebrations. Here, she reads the Queen's speech in Lagos.

In 1990, Princess Diana and Prince Charles undertook a royal visit of Nigeria.

Diana and Charles each carried out a number of engagements solo.

See all the photos of Charles and Diana's trip to Nigeria here.

In 2001, the Princess Royal undertook a six-day royal visit to Nigeria.

In 2003, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip returned to Nigeria for the annual Commonwealth heads meeting.

Here, Queen Elizabeth meets Noidi Okereke Onyiwke (L, wearing purple), Director General of the Nigerian stock exchange, during a reception shortly after her arrival.

In this photo, Queen Elizabeth tours the secretariat of Karu Local council, near Abuja.

Philip and Elizabeth wave goodbye at the airport.

Then-Prince Charles set out on a royal tour of West Africa, and Nigeria was the second leg of his trip.

Here, Charles visited the oldest church in northern Nigeria located in Zazzau.

He returned 12 years later, with Camilla, then the Duchess of Cornwall.

See all the best photos of Charles and Camilla's 2018 tour of West Africa, here .

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle kicked off their three-day visit to Nigeria at a school.

Meghan took a selfie with students as Harry made a funny face behind them.

Emily Burack (she/her) is the Senior News Editor for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, culture, the royals, and a range of other subjects. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at Hey Alma , a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Twitter and Instagram .

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