Timeline of Nigerian history
Encyclopedia
Precolonial era
- 9th century — Bronzes found at the town of Igbo-UkwuIgbo-UkwuIgbo-Ukwu is a town in the Nigerian state of Anambra which was the site of three famous archaeological sites that revealed a highly sophisticated metal-working culture. The first, Igbo Isaiah, was uncovered in 1938 by Isaiah Anozie a local villager who stumbled upon the bronze works while digging...
are created. - 10th century — Nri kingdom begins.
- 11th century — BornoBorno-Places:Italy* Borno, Lombardy, a comune in the Province of BresciaNigeria* Borno State* Kanem-Bornu Empire Other:Borno may also refer to a commonly used spam on Xbox live deriving from a game of scrabble...
is established as an Islamic stateIslamic StateAn Islamic state is a type of government, in which the primary basis for government is Islamic religious law...
. - 15th century — Hausa kingdoms in the northNorthern NigeriaNorthern Nigeria is a geographical region of Nigeria. It is more arid and less densely populated than the south. The people are largely Muslim, and many are Hausa...
are established as nominally muslimMuslimA Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
states. - Early19th century — The Sokoto Caliphate is established through a jihadJihadJihad , an Islamic term, is a religious duty of Muslims. In Arabic, the word jihād translates as a noun meaning "struggle". Jihad appears 41 times in the Quran and frequently in the idiomatic expression "striving in the way of God ". A person engaged in jihad is called a mujahid; the plural is...
. - Early 19th century — Sokoto Caliphate goes to war with the Yoruba statesYoruba peopleThe Yoruba people are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa. The majority of the Yoruba speak the Yoruba language...
. - Mid to late 19th century — Christian missionary activity begins in Southern Nigeria
Colonial era
- 1880-1905— Southern Nigeria is conquered by the BritishUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and IrelandThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
. - 1901-1902 — The Aro ConfederacyAro ConfederacyThe Aro Confederacy was a political union orchestrated by the Igbo subgroup, the Aro people, centered in Arochukwu in present day Southeastern Nigeria. Their influence and presence was across Eastern Nigeria into parts of the Niger Delta and Southern Igala during the 18th and 19th centuries...
declines after the Anglo-Aro warAnglo-Aro WarThe Anglo-Aro War was a conflict between the Aro Confederacy in present day Eastern Nigeria, and the British Empire. The war began after increasing tension between Aro leaders and British colonialists after years of failed negotiations....
. - 1903 — BritishUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and IrelandThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
conquer most of Northern NigeriaNorthern NigeriaNorthern Nigeria is a geographical region of Nigeria. It is more arid and less densely populated than the south. The people are largely Muslim, and many are Hausa...
including the Sokoto Caliphate. - 1912 — Lord Lugard, governor of Northern NigeriaNorthern NigeriaNorthern Nigeria is a geographical region of Nigeria. It is more arid and less densely populated than the south. The people are largely Muslim, and many are Hausa...
establishes a system of indirect ruleIndirect ruleIndirect rule was a system of government that was developed in certain British colonial dependencies...
. - 1914 — Northern NigeriaNorthern NigeriaNorthern Nigeria is a geographical region of Nigeria. It is more arid and less densely populated than the south. The people are largely Muslim, and many are Hausa...
and Southern Nigeria are amalgamated to form NigeriaNigeriaNigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
. - 1946-1960 — Nigeria enters a period of decolonizationDecolonizationDecolonization refers to the undoing of colonialism, the unequal relation of polities whereby one people or nation establishes and maintains dependent Territory over another...
as Nigerian nationalismNationalismNationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
grows. - 1950 — The conference of northern and southern delegates holds in IbadanIbadanIbadan is the capital city of Oyo State and the third largest metropolitan area in Nigeria, after Lagos and Kano, with a population of 1,338,659 according to the 2006 census. Ibadan is also the largest metropolitan geographical area...
. - 1953 — The LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
conference, regarding Nigeria's federal formula, takes place. - 1957 — Nigeria holds its constitutional conference.
- 1959 — Nigeria holds its first national electionElectionAn election is a formal decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy operates since the 17th century. Elections may fill offices in the legislature, sometimes in the...
to setup an independentIndependenceIndependence is a condition of a nation, country, or state in which its residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory....
government. Northern NigeriaNorthern NigeriaNorthern Nigeria is a geographical region of Nigeria. It is more arid and less densely populated than the south. The people are largely Muslim, and many are Hausa...
wins most of the seats of parliament.
Post-colonial era (1960-present)
- October 1, 1960 — Nigeria gains her independence from BritainUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
; Tafawa Balewa becomes Prime MinisterPresident of NigeriaThe President of Nigeria is the Head of State and head of the national executive. Officially styled President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces. The current President of Nigeria is Goodluck Jonathan.-History:On October 1, 1960, Nigeria gained...
, and Nnamdi AzikiweNnamdi AzikiweBenjamin Nnamdi Azikiwe , usually referred to as Nnamdi Azikiwe and popularly known as "Zik", was one of the leading figures of modern Nigerian nationalism who became the first President of Nigeria after Nigeria secured its independence from the United Kingdom on 1 October 1960; holding the...
becomes PresidentPresident of NigeriaThe President of Nigeria is the Head of State and head of the national executive. Officially styled President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces. The current President of Nigeria is Goodluck Jonathan.-History:On October 1, 1960, Nigeria gained...
. - October 1, 1963 — Nigeria severs its remaining ties to Britain, and the Nigerian First RepublicNigerian First RepublicThe First Republic was the republican government of Nigeria between 1963 and 1966 governed by the first republican constitution.-Founding :...
is born.
- December 1, 1964 — The First civilian-to-civilian national election.
- January 15, 1966 — Nigeria's first military coup deposes the Nigerian First RepublicNigerian First RepublicThe First Republic was the republican government of Nigeria between 1963 and 1966 governed by the first republican constitution.-Founding :...
; Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa, was assassinated along with the premier of Northern Nigeria, Ahmadu BelloAhmadu BelloSir Ahmadu Bello was a Nigerian politician, and was the first premier of the Northern Nigeria region from 1954-1966. He was one of the prominent leaders in Northern Nigeria alongside Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, both of whom were prominent in negotiations about the region's place in an independent...
, and the Finance MinisterFinance Minister of NigeriaThe Minister of Finance of Nigeria is a senior cabinet official in the Nigerian Federal Executive Council. The Finance Minister's directs the Nigerian Ministry of Finance and ensures that it operates in a transparent, accountable and efficient manner to bolster the country's economic development...
, Festus Okotie-EbohFestus Okotie-EbohFestus Okotie-Eboh was a prominent and flamboyant Nigerian politician and former minister for finance during the administration of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa. Born to an Itsekiri Chief, in a town along the Benin River, he attended the Baptist School, Sapele for secondary education. He later joined the... - January 16, 1966 — The Federal Military Government is formed, with General Johnson Aguiyi-IronsiJohnson Aguiyi-IronsiMajor General Johnson Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi was a Nigerian soldier. He served as the Head of State of Nigeria from January 16, 1966 until he was overthrown and killed on July 29, 1966 by a group of northern army officers who revolted against the government.- Early life :Thomas Umunnakwe...
as the Head of StateHead of StateA head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
and Supreme Commander of the Federal Republic. - July 29, 1966 — A counter-coup by military officers of northern extractionNorthern NigeriaNorthern Nigeria is a geographical region of Nigeria. It is more arid and less densely populated than the south. The people are largely Muslim, and many are Hausa...
, deposes the Federal Military Government; General Johnson Aguiyi-IronsiJohnson Aguiyi-IronsiMajor General Johnson Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi was a Nigerian soldier. He served as the Head of State of Nigeria from January 16, 1966 until he was overthrown and killed on July 29, 1966 by a group of northern army officers who revolted against the government.- Early life :Thomas Umunnakwe...
is assassinated along with Adekunle FajuyiAdekunle FajuyiFrancis Adekunle Fajuyi, BEM was the first military governor of the former Western Region, Nigeria. Originally a clerk, the late Lt. Colonel Francis Adekunle Fajuyi of Ado Ekiti joined the Army in 1943 as a Non Commissioned Officer, and he was awarded the British Empire Medal in 1951 for helping...
, Military Governor of Western RegionWestern Region, NigeriaThe Western Region was a subdivision of the federation of Nigeria until 1967. Its capital was at Ibadan.It was established in the 1930s under British rule as a subdivision of the Southern Nigeria colony...
. General Yakubu GowonYakubu GowonGeneral Yakubu "Jack" Dan-Yumma Gowon was the head of state of Nigeria from 1966 to 1975. He took power after one military coup d'etat and was overthrown in another...
becomes Head of StatePresident of NigeriaThe President of Nigeria is the Head of State and head of the national executive. Officially styled President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces. The current President of Nigeria is Goodluck Jonathan.-History:On October 1, 1960, Nigeria gained...
. - 1967 — Ethnoreligious violence between IgboIgbo peopleIgbo people, also referred to as the Ibo, Ebo, Eboans or Heebo are an ethnic group living chiefly in southeastern Nigeria. They speak Igbo, which includes various Igboid languages and dialects; today, a majority of them speak English alongside Igbo as a result of British colonialism...
Christians, and HausaHausa peopleThe Hausa are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa. They are a Sahelian people chiefly located in northern Nigeria and southeastern Niger, but having significant numbers living in regions of Cameroon, Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire, Chad and Sudan...
/Fulani Muslims in EasternEastern Region, NigeriaThe Eastern Region was one of Nigeria's federal divisions, dating back originally from the division of the colony Southern Nigeria in 1954. Its capital was Enugu. The region was official divided in 1967 into three new states, East-Central State, Rivers State and South-Eastern State...
and Northern NigeriaNorthern NigeriaNorthern Nigeria is a geographical region of Nigeria. It is more arid and less densely populated than the south. The people are largely Muslim, and many are Hausa...
, triggers a migration of the IgboIgbo peopleIgbo people, also referred to as the Ibo, Ebo, Eboans or Heebo are an ethnic group living chiefly in southeastern Nigeria. They speak Igbo, which includes various Igboid languages and dialects; today, a majority of them speak English alongside Igbo as a result of British colonialism...
back to the East. - May 30, 1967 — General Emeka OjukwuChukwuemeka Odumegwu OjukwuChukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu was a Nigerian military officer and politician.Ojukwu served as the military governor of the Eastern Region of Nigeria in 1966, the leader of the breakaway Republic of Biafra from 1967 to 1970 and a leading Nigerian politician from 1983 to 2011, when he died, aged...
, Military Governor of Eastern NigeriaEastern Region, NigeriaThe Eastern Region was one of Nigeria's federal divisions, dating back originally from the division of the colony Southern Nigeria in 1954. Its capital was Enugu. The region was official divided in 1967 into three new states, East-Central State, Rivers State and South-Eastern State...
, declares his province an independent republicRepublicA republic is a form of government in which the people, or some significant portion of them, have supreme control over the government and where offices of state are elected or chosen by elected people. In modern times, a common simplified definition of a republic is a government where the head of...
called BiafraBiafraBiafra, officially the Republic of Biafra, was a secessionist state in south-eastern Nigeria that existed from 30 May 1967 to 15 January 1970, taking its name from the Bight of Biafra . The inhabitants were mostly the Igbo people who led the secession due to economic, ethnic, cultural and religious...
, and the Nigerian-Biafran War ensues. - January 8, 1970 — General Emeka OjukwuChukwuemeka Odumegwu OjukwuChukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu was a Nigerian military officer and politician.Ojukwu served as the military governor of the Eastern Region of Nigeria in 1966, the leader of the breakaway Republic of Biafra from 1967 to 1970 and a leading Nigerian politician from 1983 to 2011, when he died, aged...
flees into exileExileExile means to be away from one's home , while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened with imprisonment or death upon return...
; His deputy Philip EffiongPhilip EffiongPhilip Efiong was the first Vice President and the second and last President of the now defunct Republic of Biafra during the Nigerian Civil War of 1967 to 1970.-Early life:...
becomes acting President of BiafraBiafraBiafra, officially the Republic of Biafra, was a secessionist state in south-eastern Nigeria that existed from 30 May 1967 to 15 January 1970, taking its name from the Bight of Biafra . The inhabitants were mostly the Igbo people who led the secession due to economic, ethnic, cultural and religious... - January 15, 1970 — Acting President of BiafraBiafraBiafra, officially the Republic of Biafra, was a secessionist state in south-eastern Nigeria that existed from 30 May 1967 to 15 January 1970, taking its name from the Bight of Biafra . The inhabitants were mostly the Igbo people who led the secession due to economic, ethnic, cultural and religious...
, Philip EffiongPhilip EffiongPhilip Efiong was the first Vice President and the second and last President of the now defunct Republic of Biafra during the Nigerian Civil War of 1967 to 1970.-Early life:...
surrenders to Nigerian forces through future President of NigeriaPresident of NigeriaThe President of Nigeria is the Head of State and head of the national executive. Officially styled President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces. The current President of Nigeria is Goodluck Jonathan.-History:On October 1, 1960, Nigeria gained...
, Olusegun Obasanjo, and BiafraBiafraBiafra, officially the Republic of Biafra, was a secessionist state in south-eastern Nigeria that existed from 30 May 1967 to 15 January 1970, taking its name from the Bight of Biafra . The inhabitants were mostly the Igbo people who led the secession due to economic, ethnic, cultural and religious...
is reintegrated into Nigeria. - January 22, 1973 - A plane crashes in Kano, Nigeria killing 176 people.
- July 29, 1975 — General Yakubu GowonYakubu GowonGeneral Yakubu "Jack" Dan-Yumma Gowon was the head of state of Nigeria from 1966 to 1975. He took power after one military coup d'etat and was overthrown in another...
is overthrown in a bloodless coup; General Murtala MohammedMurtala MohammedGeneral Murtala Ramat Mohammed born was a military ruler of Nigeria from 1975 until his assassination in 1976.-Role during 1960s coups:...
becomes Head of State. - February 13, 1976 — General Murtala MohammedMurtala MohammedGeneral Murtala Ramat Mohammed born was a military ruler of Nigeria from 1975 until his assassination in 1976.-Role during 1960s coups:...
is assassinated on his way to work; His deputy, Lieutenant-General Olusegun Obasanjo becomes Head of State, and sets a date to terminate military rule. - 1979 — Shehu ShagariShehu ShagariShehu Usman Aliyu Shagari, Turakin Sakkwato served as the President of Nigeria's Second Republic , after the handover of power by General Olusegun Obasanjo's military government....
wins the election as the first Executive President of NigeriaPresident of NigeriaThe President of Nigeria is the Head of State and head of the national executive. Officially styled President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces. The current President of Nigeria is Goodluck Jonathan.-History:On October 1, 1960, Nigeria gained...
in the American-styled Second RepublicNigerian Second RepublicThe Second Republic was the republican government of Nigeria between 1979 and 1983 governed by the second republican constitution.- Founding :...
. - October 1, 1979 — Shehu ShagariShehu ShagariShehu Usman Aliyu Shagari, Turakin Sakkwato served as the President of Nigeria's Second Republic , after the handover of power by General Olusegun Obasanjo's military government....
is sworn in as President. - 1983 — President Shehu ShagariShehu ShagariShehu Usman Aliyu Shagari, Turakin Sakkwato served as the President of Nigeria's Second Republic , after the handover of power by General Olusegun Obasanjo's military government....
wins reelection. - December 31, 1983 — President Shehu Shagari'sShehu ShagariShehu Usman Aliyu Shagari, Turakin Sakkwato served as the President of Nigeria's Second Republic , after the handover of power by General Olusegun Obasanjo's military government....
government is ejected from power in a palace coup; The Second RepublicNigerian Second RepublicThe Second Republic was the republican government of Nigeria between 1979 and 1983 governed by the second republican constitution.- Founding :...
ends; General Muhammadu BuhariMuhammadu BuhariMuhammadu Buhari was a military ruler of Nigeria and an unsuccessful candidate for president in the 2003, 2007 and 2011 presidential elections...
becomes Head of State, and Chairman of the Supreme Military Council of Nigeria. - April 17, 1984 — The Buhari regime promulgates Decree No. 4, the "Public Officer's Protection Against False Accusation" Decree, which made it an offence to ridicule the government by publication of false information.
- August,1985 — General Muhammadu BuhariMuhammadu BuhariMuhammadu Buhari was a military ruler of Nigeria and an unsuccessful candidate for president in the 2003, 2007 and 2011 presidential elections...
is overthrown in a palace coup; General Ibrahim BabangidaIbrahim BabangidaGeneral Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida CFR DSS mni , popularly known as IBB, was a Nigerian Army officer and military ruler of Nigeria...
becomes Head of State and President of the Armed Forces Ruling Council of Nigeria. - April,1990 — Middle BeltMiddle BeltThe Middle Belt is a human geographical term designating the region of central Nigeria populated largely by minority ethnic groups and stretching across the country longitudinally. The Middle Belt is indeterminate in that it lacks designated "borders" and is charactized by a heterogeneity and...
Christian officers, led by Major Gideon Okar, attempt to overthrow Ibrahim BabangidaIbrahim BabangidaGeneral Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida CFR DSS mni , popularly known as IBB, was a Nigerian Army officer and military ruler of Nigeria...
in an unsuccessful coup. - 1992 — Two political parties, Social Democratic Party (SDP)Social Democratic Party (Nigeria)The Social Democratic Party of Nigeria, popularly known as SDP, was a political party created to encompass the ideals of a center left political organization. It was one of the products of a democracy project by former President Ibrahim Babangida to have two detribalized political parties, one a...
and National Republican Convention (NRC) are established in President Ibrahim Babangida'sIbrahim BabangidaGeneral Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida CFR DSS mni , popularly known as IBB, was a Nigerian Army officer and military ruler of Nigeria...
attempt to return to Civilian rule. Primary elections are annulled in the fall. - June 12, 1993 — MKO AbiolaMoshood Kashimawo Olawale AbiolaMoshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola , often referred to as M. K. O. Abiola, was a popular Nigerian Yoruba businessman, publisher, politician and aristocrat of the Egba clan...
wins the Presidential election; President Ibrahim BabangidaIbrahim BabangidaGeneral Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida CFR DSS mni , popularly known as IBB, was a Nigerian Army officer and military ruler of Nigeria...
annuls the election. - August 26, 1993 — President Ibrahim BabangidaIbrahim BabangidaGeneral Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida CFR DSS mni , popularly known as IBB, was a Nigerian Army officer and military ruler of Nigeria...
steps down due to pressure from the Armed Forces Ruling Council. Ernest Shonekan assumes the reins of power as the Interim Head of State. - November 17, 1993 — Ernest Shonekan is forced to resign from office. Defence MinisterDefence Minister of NigeriaThe Minister of Defence of Nigeria is a senior cabinet official in the Nigerian Federal Executive Council in charge of the Nigerian Ministry of Defence...
, Sani AbachaSani AbachaGeneral Sani Abacha was a Nigerian military leader and politician. A Kanuri from Borno by tribe, he was born and brought up in Kano, Nigeria. He was the de facto President of Nigeria from 1993 to 1998....
becomes Head of State, and establishes the Provisional Ruling Council of Nigeria. - March 13, 1995 — The AbachaSani AbachaGeneral Sani Abacha was a Nigerian military leader and politician. A Kanuri from Borno by tribe, he was born and brought up in Kano, Nigeria. He was the de facto President of Nigeria from 1993 to 1998....
administration arrests former Head of State, Olusegun Obasanjo for allegedly supporting a secret coup plot. - November 10, 1995 — Human and Environmental rights activist, Ken Saro-WiwaKen Saro-WiwaKenule "Ken" Beeson Saro Wiwa was a Nigerian author, television producer, environmental activist, and winner of the Right Livelihood Award and the Goldman Environmental Prize...
and eight others are hanged by the Sani AbachaSani AbachaGeneral Sani Abacha was a Nigerian military leader and politician. A Kanuri from Borno by tribe, he was born and brought up in Kano, Nigeria. He was the de facto President of Nigeria from 1993 to 1998....
administration. - June 8, 1998 — Head of State, Sani AbachaSani AbachaGeneral Sani Abacha was a Nigerian military leader and politician. A Kanuri from Borno by tribe, he was born and brought up in Kano, Nigeria. He was the de facto President of Nigeria from 1993 to 1998....
dies from a heart attack; Abdusalami Abubakar becomes Head of State, and Chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council of Nigeria; The Abubakar administration lifts the ban on political activities, and initiates a one-year transition to return to civilian rule. - June 15, 1998 — Former Head of State, Olusegun Obasanjo is released from prison.
- February 10, 1999 — Former Head of State, Olusegun Obasanjo wins the presidential election.
- May 29, 1999 — The Nigerian Fourth RepublicNigerian Fourth RepublicThe Fourth Republic is the republican government of Nigeria. Since 1999 it has governed the country according to the fourth republican constitution. It was in many ways a revival of the Second Republic, which was in place between 1979 and 1983 and suffers many of the same problems, such as multiple...
is inaugurated. Olusegun Obasanjo is sworn in as the second Executive President of Nigeria. - December 19, 1999 — President Obasanjo orders troopsMilitary of NigeriaThe Nigerian Armed Forces are the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The military has active duty personnel in three armed services, totaling approximately 85,000 troops and 82,000 paramilitary personnel. Its origins lie in the elements of the Royal West African Frontier Force that...
to raid the town of OdiODIODI has various meanings, including:* Office for Disability Issues - UK public body* One Day International cricket match* Overseas Development Institute - UK think tank on international development....
in the Niger DeltaNiger DeltaThe Niger Delta, the delta of the Niger River in Nigeria, is a densely populated region sometimes called the Oil Rivers because it was once a major producer of palm oil...
, in response to the murder of twelve policemen by local militia; The troops razed the town of Odi. - January 27, 2000 — Sharia law is established in the predominantly muslim Zamfara state; Eleven other states in the northNorthern NigeriaNorthern Nigeria is a geographical region of Nigeria. It is more arid and less densely populated than the south. The people are largely Muslim, and many are Hausa...
soon follow suit. - May,2000 — Religious riots erupt in Kaduna over the implementation of Sharia law.
- June 5, 2000 — The Obasanjo administration establishes the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC)Niger Delta Development CommissionThe Niger Delta Development Commission is a Federal Government agency established by Nigerian president, Olusegun Obasanjo in the year 2000 with the sole mandate of developing the oil-rich Niger Delta region of southern Nigeria....
to tackle the human and ecological issues in the Niger DeltaNiger DeltaThe Niger Delta, the delta of the Niger River in Nigeria, is a densely populated region sometimes called the Oil Rivers because it was once a major producer of palm oil...
region of southern Nigeria. - October 10, 2002 — The International Court of Justice (ICJ)International Court of JusticeThe International Court of Justice is the primary judicial organ of the United Nations. It is based in the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands...
ruled against NigeriaNigeriaNigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
in favor of CameroonCameroonCameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
over the disputed oil-rich BakassiBakassiBakassi is the peninsular extension of the African territory of Calabar into the Atlantic Ocean. It is currently ruled by Cameroon following the transfer of sovereignty from neighbouring Nigeria as a result of a judgment by the International Court of Justice...
peninsula territory. - 2002 — Religious riots erupt over the Miss World pageant hosted in AbujaAbujaAbuja is the capital city of Nigeria. It is located in the centre of Nigeria, within the Federal Capital Territory . Abuja is a planned city, and was built mainly in the 1980s. It officially became Nigeria's capital on 12 December 1991, replacing Lagos...
; The pageant is subsequently moved to LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. - April,2003 — President Olusegun Obasanjo wins reelection as presidentPresident of NigeriaThe President of Nigeria is the Head of State and head of the national executive. Officially styled President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces. The current President of Nigeria is Goodluck Jonathan.-History:On October 1, 1960, Nigeria gained...
. - May 29, 2003 — President Olusegun Obasanjo is sworn in for a second term as presidentPresident of NigeriaThe President of Nigeria is the Head of State and head of the national executive. Officially styled President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces. The current President of Nigeria is Goodluck Jonathan.-History:On October 1, 1960, Nigeria gained...
. - 2004 — Ethnoreligious violence erupts in Plateau StatePlateau StatePlateau State is the twelfth largest state of Nigeria, and is roughly located in the center of the country. It is geographically unique in Nigeria because its boundaries totally surround the Jos Plateau, having the Jos Plateau totally in its central and northern part...
; President Obasanjo declares a state of emergencyState of emergencyA state of emergency is a governmental declaration that may suspend some normal functions of the executive, legislative and judicial powers, alert citizens to change their normal behaviours, or order government agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans. It can also be used as a rationale...
in the state. - May 16, 2006 — The National Assembly of Nigeria votes against a constitutional amendment to remove term limits; President Obasanjo is prevented from contesting a third termThird Term AgendaThird Term Agenda is a term which was used to describe alleged, controversial attempts by supporters of Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo to change the constitution to allow for a third term in office...
in office. - June 13, 2006 — President Olusegun Obasanjo meets with his CameroonCameroonCameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
ian counterpart Paul BiyaPaul BiyaPaul Biya is a Cameroonian politician who has been the President of Cameroon since 6 November 1982. A native of Cameroon's south, Biya rose rapidly as a bureaucrat under President Ahmadou Ahidjo in the 1960s, serving as Secretary-General of the Presidency from 1968 to 1975 and then as Prime...
, and UN Secretary General, Kofi Anan in New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
to resolve dispute talks over BakassiBakassiBakassi is the peninsular extension of the African territory of Calabar into the Atlantic Ocean. It is currently ruled by Cameroon following the transfer of sovereignty from neighbouring Nigeria as a result of a judgment by the International Court of Justice...
. - August 1, 2006 — Nigerian troops begin to pull out of BakassiBakassiBakassi is the peninsular extension of the African territory of Calabar into the Atlantic Ocean. It is currently ruled by Cameroon following the transfer of sovereignty from neighbouring Nigeria as a result of a judgment by the International Court of Justice...
; BakassiBakassiBakassi is the peninsular extension of the African territory of Calabar into the Atlantic Ocean. It is currently ruled by Cameroon following the transfer of sovereignty from neighbouring Nigeria as a result of a judgment by the International Court of Justice...
becomes CameroonCameroonCameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
ian territory. - March 15, 2007 — The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)Independent National Electoral CommissionThe Independent National Electoral Commission , set up in 1998, is the electoral body which was set up to oversee elections in Nigeria.The INEC has encountered several controversies in the run-up to the April 2007 general elections, including criticism about its preparedness from Sada Abubakar,...
releases the names of 24 for the presidentialPresident of NigeriaThe President of Nigeria is the Head of State and head of the national executive. Officially styled President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces. The current President of Nigeria is Goodluck Jonathan.-History:On October 1, 1960, Nigeria gained...
elections. Vice President Atiku AbubakarAtiku AbubakarAlhaji Atiku Abubakar, alias Turakin Adamawa, GCON was the Vice-President of Nigeria from 1999 to 2007. He is a Muslim native of Adamawa State, and was an influential member of the ruling People's Democratic Party until 2006 when he switched affiliation to the Action Congress party...
is excluded from the list. - April 21, 2007 — Umaru Yar'Adua, Governor of Katsina State, .