General Information on Nigeria
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Basic Facts
- Map collection courtesy of University of Texas. Click on the map for a fuller image
- Population: 124 million (UN 2003)
- Capital: Abuja
- Major cities: Lagos, Abuja
- Administrative subdivisions: 36 states and 1 territory; Abia, Abuja Federal Capital Territory, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nassarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara
- Average annual income: US $290 (World Bank, 2001)
- Legal system: based on English common law, Islamic Shariah law (only in some northern states), and traditional law (CIA Factbook 2003)
- Main courts: Supreme Court (judges appointed by the President); Federal High Court, Federal Court of Appeal (judges are appointed by the federal government on the advice of the Advisory Judicial Committee), State High Court, State Court of Appeal, Sharia Court of Appeal, Special Criminal Offense Tribunals, Juvenile Court (Law Library of Congress 1989, US Dpt of Justice)
- Main prisons: 123 prisons, 2 borstal homes, and 244 county lock-ups (US Dpt of Justice, Law Library of Congress 1989)
- Number of Prisons: Kirikiri Prison, Lagos (US Dpt of Justice)
- Number of cases known to the police: 72,002 (US Dpt of Justice 1989)
- Prison population: 62, 153 (US Dpt of Justice 1983) 44,450 (UK Home Office 2000)
- Volume of crime per 100,000 inhabitants: 40 (UK Home Office 2000)
Ratified Regional and International Treaties
- International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (CCPR): ratified 29 October 1993
- International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR): ratified 29 October 1993
- Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW): ratified 13 July 1985
- Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC): ratified 19 April 1991
- Convention Against Torture (CAT): ratified 28 July 2001
- Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racism and Discrimination (CERD): ratified 04 January 1969
- Convention on Protection of Rights of Migrant Workers (MWC): not ratified
African Union
- The Organization of African Unity (OAU) Charter: not ratified
- African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights: ratified 22/06/83
- African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (1991): not ratified
Other
- Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa: ratified 23 May 1986
- IMF: Selected African Member States
- WTO: African Member States
- Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS): Member States
- African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA): Country Eligibility: (October 2, 2000)
General Information
- Country Watch: Nigeria
- Alliances for Africa: Africa Office
- Norwegian Council for Africa: Nigeria
- Africa Action: West Africa Country-Specific Data and News Sources
- Columbia University: West Africa Region and Countries
- Stanford University: West Africa
- Amnesty International: West Africa Region and Countries
- Library of Congress Federal Research Division: Africa Country Pages
- U.S. Dept. of State: African Affairs and Countries
- CIA: Chiefs of State and Cabinet Members of Foreign Governments: Selected African Countries
- Political Resources: Africa and Selected Countries
- World Bank Group: Africa and Selected Countries
- Human Rights Watch: Africa and Selected Countries
- Contemporary Africa Database: Society, Politics and Governance - Selected African Countries
- University of Pennsylvania: The African Studies Center and Country Specific Pages
News
- Economist Country Briefings: Nigeria and South Africa
- BBC: African Countries' profiles
- All Africa: West Africa and Selected Countries
- IRIN News West Africa
- IFEX: News from West Africa and Selected Countries
- Oneworld: West Africa and Selected Countries
Legal Information
- Constitution Finder (University of Richmond): Selected African Countries
- Hieros Gamos World Government Resources: Selected African Countries
- Pace University School of Law: Nigerian Environmental Laws
- Nigeria Law
- Emory University Law School Islamic Family Law: Nigeria
- UNHCR Country of Origin and Legal Information: Nigeria
- International Constitutional Law (ICL): Selected African countries' constitutions
- Law Library of Congress: Selected African Countries
- NATLEX: National Legislation for Selected African Countries
- ForIntLaw: National Legislation for Selected African Countries
- FindLaw: Selected African Countries' Legislation
- JURIST: National Legislation, Summaries and Links for Selected African Countries
- World Directory of National Parliamentary Libraries: Selected African Countries (German Bundestag)
- World Law Index: Selected African Countries
- Cornell Law School Laws Online: National Legislation Database