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Since 1999 and the return to democracy, the Federal Republic of Nigeria has entered something of a new golden age, finally laying to rest the demons of the past. In April 2007, the first civilian handover of power in the country’s history saw President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua come to power. Under Yar’ Adua’s predecessor, Olusegun Obasanjo, the government of the African giant had begun to implement some much-needed reforms, in an attempt to move the country’s economy away from its dependence on oil and reduce corruption.

- Official Name	Federal Republic of Nigeria
- Conventional   Short Form	Nigeria
- Capital and Seat of   Government	Abuja (approx. 2.6m residents)
- Form of Government	Federal Republic, Presidential Democracy (“Fourth Republic”) was introduced in 1999
- Head of State and   Government	President Umaru Musa Yar’ Adua, Grand Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (GCFR), President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, elected in April 2007
- Area	923.800 sq km
- Population	148 million (annual growth rate of 2 %) (as of 2006)
- Ethnic Groups	More than 250
- Religious Groups	Muslims (50%), Christians (40%), indigenous religions (10%)
- Languages	English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, Fulani
- Currency	Naira, 1 NGN = 100 Kobo