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This page was last updated on 18 December 2008


Map of Nigeria



Legend: DefinitionDefinition Field ListingField Listing Rank OrderRank Order
   Introduction    Nigeria Top of Page
Background:
Definition Field Listing
British influence and control over what would become Nigeria grew through the 19th century. A series of constitutions after World War II granted Nigeria greater autonomy; independence came in 1960. Following nearly 16 years of military rule, a new constitution was adopted in 1999, and a peaceful transition to civilian government was completed. The government continues to face the daunting task of reforming a petroleum-based economy, whose revenues have been squandered through corruption and mismanagement, and institutionalizing democracy. In addition, Nigeria continues to experience longstanding ethnic and religious tensions. Although both the 2003 and 2007 presidential elections were marred by significant irregularities and violence, Nigeria is currently experiencing its longest period of civilian rule since independence. The general elections of April 2007 marked the first civilian-to-civilian transfer of power in the country's history.
   Geography    Nigeria Top of Page
Location:
Definition Field Listing
Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Benin and Cameroon
Geographic coordinates:
Definition Field Listing
10 00 N, 8 00 E
Map references:
Definition Field Listing
Africa
Area:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 923,768 sq km
land: 910,768 sq km
water: 13,000 sq km
Area - comparative:
Definition Field Listing
slightly more than twice the size of California
Land boundaries:
Definition Field Listing
total: 4,047 km
border countries: Benin 773 km, Cameroon 1,690 km, Chad 87 km, Niger 1,497 km
Coastline:
Definition Field Listing
853 km
Maritime claims:
Definition Field Listing
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate:
Definition Field Listing
varies; equatorial in south, tropical in center, arid in north
Terrain:
Definition Field Listing
southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus; mountains in southeast, plains in north
Elevation extremes:
Definition Field Listing
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Chappal Waddi 2,419 m
Natural resources:
Definition Field Listing
natural gas, petroleum, tin, iron ore, coal, limestone, niobium, lead, zinc, arable land
Land use:
Definition Field Listing
arable land: 33.02%
permanent crops: 3.14%
other: 63.84% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Definition Field Listing
2,820 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
Definition Field Listing
286.2 cu km (2003)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
Definition Field Listing
total: 8.01 cu km/yr (21%/10%/69%)
per capita: 61 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
Definition Field Listing
periodic droughts; flooding
Environment - current issues:
Definition Field Listing
soil degradation; rapid deforestation; urban air and water pollution; desertification; oil pollution - water, air, and soil; has suffered serious damage from oil spills; loss of arable land; rapid urbanization
Environment - international agreements:
Definition Field Listing
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
Definition Field Listing
the Niger enters the country in the northwest and flows southward through tropical rain forests and swamps to its delta in the Gulf of Guinea
   People    Nigeria Top of Page
Population:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
146,255,312
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
Definition Field Listing
0-14 years: 41.7% (male 31,171,949/female 29,806,204)
15-64 years: 55.3% (male 41,243,003/female 39,611,565)
65 years and over: 3% (male 2,152,318/female 2,270,267) (2008 est.)
Median age:
Definition Field Listing
total: 18.9 years
male: 18.8 years
female: 19 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.025% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
37.23 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
16.88 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
-0.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
Definition Field Listing
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 95.74 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 101.83 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 89.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total population: 46.53 years
male: 45.78 years
female: 47.32 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
5.01 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
5.4% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3.6 million (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
310,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
Definition Field Listing
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: malaria and yellow fever
respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: one of the most highly endemic areas for Lassa fever
water contact disease: leptospirosis and shistosomiasis
note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2008)
Nationality:
Definition Field Listing
noun: Nigerian(s)
adjective: Nigerian
Ethnic groups:
Definition Field Listing
Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, is composed of more than 250 ethnic groups; the following are the most populous and politically influential: Hausa and Fulani 29%, Yoruba 21%, Igbo (Ibo) 18%, Ijaw 10%, Kanuri 4%, Ibibio 3.5%, Tiv 2.5%
Religions:
Definition Field Listing
Muslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 10%
Languages:
Definition Field Listing
English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo), Fulani
Literacy:
Definition Field Listing
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 68%
male: 75.7%
female: 60.6% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
Definition Field Listing
total: 8 years
male: 9 years
female: 7 years (2004)
Education expenditures:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0.9% of GDP (1991)
   Government    Nigeria Top of Page
Country name:
Definition Field Listing
conventional long form: Federal Republic of Nigeria
conventional short form: Nigeria
Government type:
Definition Field Listing
federal republic
Capital:
Definition Field Listing
name: Abuja
geographic coordinates: 9 05 N, 7 32 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
Definition Field Listing
36 states and 1 territory*; Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Federal Capital Territory*, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nassarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara
Independence:
Definition Field Listing
1 October 1960 (from UK)
National holiday:
Definition Field Listing
Independence Day (National Day), 1 October (1960)
Constitution:
Definition Field Listing
new constitution adopted 5 May 1999; effective 29 May 1999
Legal system:
Definition Field Listing
based on English common law, Islamic law (in 12 northern states), and traditional law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
Definition Field Listing
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
Definition Field Listing
chief of state: President Umaru Musa YAR'ADUA (since 29 May 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Umaru Musa YAR'ADUA (since 29 May 2007)
cabinet: Federal Executive Council
elections: president is elected by popular vote for a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 21 April 2007 (next to be held in April 2011)
election results: Umaru Musa YAR'ADUA elected president; percent of vote - Umaru Musa YAR'ADUA 69.8%, Muhammadu BUHARI 18.7%, Atiku ABUBAKAR 7.5%, Orji Uzor KALU 1.7%, other 2.3%
Legislative branch:
Definition Field Listing
bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (109 seats, 3 from each state plus 1 from Abuja; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and House of Representatives (360 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 21 April 2007 (next to be held in April 2011); House of Representatives - last held 21 April 2007 (next to be held in April 2011)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PDP 53.7%, ANPP 27.9%, AD 9.7%, other 8.7%; seats by party - PDP 76, ANPP 27, AD 6; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PDP 54.5%, ANPP 27.4%, AD 8.8%, UNPP 2.8%, NPD 1.9%, APGA 1.6%, PRP 0.8%; seats by party - PDP 76, ANPP 27, AD 6, UNPP 2, APGA 2, NPD 1, PRP 1, vacant 1
Judicial branch:
Definition Field Listing
Supreme Court (judges appointed by the President); Federal Court of Appeal (judges are appointed by the federal government on the advice of the Advisory Judicial Committee)
Political parties and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
Accord Party [Ikra Aliyu BILBIS]; Action Congress or AC [Hassan ZUMI]; Alliance for Democracy or AD [Mojisoluwa AKINFENWA]; All Nigeria Peoples' Party or ANPP [Edwin UME-EZEOKE]; All Progressives Grand Alliance or APGA [Victor C. UMEH]; Democratic People's Party or DPP [Jeremiah USENI]; Fresh Democratic Party [Chris OKOTIE]; Labor Party [Dan NWANYANWU]; Movement for the Restoration and Defense of Democracy or MRDD [Mohammed Gambo JIMETA]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Aliyu Habu FARI]; Peoples Democratic Party or PDP [vacant]; Peoples Progressive Alliance [Clement EBRI]; Peoples Redemption Party or PRP [Abdulkadir Balarabe MUSA]; Peoples Salvation Party or PSP [Lawal MAITURARE]; United Nigeria Peoples Party or UNPP [Mallam Selah JAMBO]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
Academic Staff Union for Universities or ASUU; Campaign for Democracy or CD; Civil Liberties Organization or CLO; Committee for the Defense of Human Rights or CDHR; Constitutional Right Project or CRP; Human Right Africa; National Association of Democratic Lawyers or NADL; National Association of Nigerian Students or NANS; Nigerian Bar Association or NBA; Nigerian Labor Congress or NLC; Nigerian Medical Association or NMA; the Press; Universal Defenders of Democracy or UDD
International organization participation:
Definition Field Listing
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Definition Field Listing
chief of mission: Ambassador Oluwole ROTIMI
chancery: 3519 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 986-8400
FAX: [1] (202) 775-1385
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
Definition Field Listing
chief of mission: Ambassador Robin SANDERS
embassy: 1075 Diplomatic Drive, Central District Area, Abuja
mailing address: P. O. Box 5760, Garki, Abuja
telephone: [234] (9) 461-4000
FAX: [234] (9) 461-4036
Flag description:
Definition Field Listing
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green
   Economy    Nigeria Top of Page
Economy - overview:
Definition Field Listing
Oil-rich Nigeria, long hobbled by political instability, corruption, inadequate infrastructure, and poor macroeconomic management, is undertaking some reforms under a new reform-minded administration. Nigeria's former military rulers failed to diversify the economy away from its overdependence on the capital-intensive oil sector, which provides 20% of GDP, 95% of foreign exchange earnings, and about 80% of budgetary revenues. The largely subsistence agricultural sector has failed to keep up with rapid population growth - Nigeria is Africa's most populous country - and the country, once a large net exporter of food, now must import food. Following the signing of an IMF stand-by agreement in August 2000, Nigeria received a debt-restructuring deal from the Paris Club and a $1 billion credit from the IMF, both contingent on economic reforms. Nigeria pulled out of its IMF program in April 2002, after failing to meet spending and exchange rate targets, making it ineligible for additional debt forgiveness from the Paris Club. In the last year the government has begun showing the political will to implement the market-oriented reforms urged by the IMF, such as to modernize the banking system, to curb inflation by blocking excessive wage demands, and to resolve regional disputes over the distribution of earnings from the oil industry. In 2003, the government began deregulating fuel prices, announced the privatization of the country's four oil refineries, and instituted the National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy, a domestically designed and run program modeled on the IMF's Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility for fiscal and monetary management. In November 2005, Abuja won Paris Club approval for a debt-relief deal that eliminated $18 billion of debt in exchange for $12 billion in payments - a total package worth $30 billion of Nigeria's total $37 billion external debt. The deal requires Nigeria to be subject to stringent IMF reviews. GDP rose strongly in 2007, based largely on increased oil exports and high global crude prices. Newly-elected President YAR'ADUA has pledged to continue the economic reforms of his predecessor and the proposed budget for 2008 reflects the administrations emphasis on infrastructure improvements. Infrastructure is the main impediment to growth. The government is working toward developing stronger public-private partnerships for electricity and roads.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$296.1 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
Definition Field Listing
$166.8 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
6.4% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$2,100 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 17.7%
industry: 52.6%
services: 29.8% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
50.13 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 70%
industry: 10%
services: 20% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
4.9% (2007 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Definition Field Listing
lowest 10%: 1.9%
highest 10%: 33.2% (2003)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
Definition Field Listing
43.7 (2003)
Investment (gross fixed):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
23.7% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
Definition Field Listing
revenues: $19.43 billion
expenditures: $20.36 billion (2007 est.)
Public debt:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
14.4% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
5.4% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
9.5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
16.94% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$21.72 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$19.07 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$16.15 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
Definition Field Listing
cocoa, peanuts, palm oil, corn, rice, sorghum, millet, cassava (tapioca), yams, rubber; cattle, sheep, goats, pigs; timber; fish
Industries:
Definition Field Listing
crude oil, coal, tin, columbite; palm oil, peanuts, cotton, rubber, wood; hides and skins, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food products, footwear, chemicals, fertilizer, printing, ceramics, steel, small commercial ship construction and repair
Industrial production growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3.2% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
22.11 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
15.85 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Oil - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.352 million bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
312,000 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.473 million bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
154,300 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
36.22 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
34.1 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
12.9 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
21.2 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
5.21 trillion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$2.514 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$61.79 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
petroleum and petroleum products 95%, cocoa, rubber
Exports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
US 51.6%, Brazil 8.9%, Spain 7.7% (2007)
Imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$38.5 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
machinery, chemicals, transport equipment, manufactured goods, food and live animals
Imports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
China 10.6%, Netherlands 7.9%, US 7.8%, South Korea 6.6%, UK 5.7%, France 4.3%, Brazil 4.2%, Germany 4.1% (2007)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$51.33 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$8.007 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$33.64 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$12.63 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$32.82 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
Definition Field Listing
naira (NGN)
Exchange rates:
Definition Field Listing
nairas (NGN) per US dollar - 127.46 (2007), 127.38 (2006), 132.59 (2005), 132.89 (2004), 129.22 (2003)
   Communications    Nigeria Top of Page
Telephones - main lines in use:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.58 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
40.395 million (2007)
Telephone system:
Definition Field Listing
general assessment: further expansion and modernization of the fixed-line telephone network is needed
domestic: the addition of a second fixed-line provider in 2002 resulted in faster growth but subscribership remains only about 1 per 100 persons; wireless telephony has grown rapidly, in part responding to the shortcomings of the fixed-line network; multiple service providers operate nationally; mobile-cellular teledensity reached 30 per 100 persons in 2007
international: country code - 234; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
AM 83, FM 36, shortwave 11 (2001)
Television broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
3 (the government controls 2 of the broadcasting stations and 15 repeater stations) (2001)
Internet country code:
Definition Field Listing
.ng
Internet hosts:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1,048 (2008)
Internet users:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
10 million (2007)
   Transportation    Nigeria Top of Page
Airports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
70 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 36
over 3,047 m: 6
2,438 to 3,047 m: 12
1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 2 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 34
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 14
under 914 m: 19 (2007)
Heliports:
Definition Field Listing
2 (2007)
Pipelines:
Definition Field Listing
condensate 124 km; gas 3,071 km; liquid petroleum gas 156 km; oil 4,347 km; refined products 3,949 km (2007)
Railways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 3,505 km
narrow gauge: 3,505 km 1.067-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 193,200 km
paved: 28,980 km
unpaved: 164,220 km (2004)
Waterways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
8,600 km (Niger and Benue rivers and smaller rivers and creeks) (2007)
Merchant marine:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 68
by type: cargo 4, chemical tanker 12, combination ore/oil 1, liquefied gas 2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 46, specialized tanker 2
foreign-owned: 3 (Japan 1, South Africa 1, Spain 1)
registered in other countries: 34 (Bahamas 2, Bermuda 11, Cook Islands 1, Georgia 1, Italy 1, Liberia 2, Panama 10, Poland 1, Seychelles 1, Sierra Leone 1, unknown 3) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Definition Field Listing
Bonny Inshore Terminal, Calabar, Lagos
Transportation - note:
Definition Field Listing
the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Niger Delta and Gulf of Guinea as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; numerous commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; crews have been robbed and stores or cargoes stolen
   Military    Nigeria Top of Page
Military branches:
Definition Field Listing
Nigerian Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
Definition Field Listing
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 16-49: 31,929,204
females age 16-49: 30,638,979 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 16-49: 18,556,755
females age 16-49: 17,288,225 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
Definition Field Listing
male: 1,663,025
female: 1,585,224 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.5% of GDP (2006)
   Transnational Issues    Nigeria Top of Page
Disputes - international:
Definition Field Listing
Joint Border Commission with Cameroon reviewed 2002 ICJ ruling on the entire boundary and bilaterally resolved differences, including June 2006 Greentree Agreement that immediately cedes sovereignty of the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon with a phase-out of Nigerian control within two years while resolving patriation issues; the ICJ ruled on an equidistance settlement of Cameroon-Equatorial Guinea-Nigeria maritime boundary in the Gulf of Guinea, but imprecisely defined coordinates in the ICJ decision and a sovereignty dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon over an island at the mouth of the Ntem River all contribute to the delay in implementation; only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty which also includes the Chad-Niger and Niger-Nigeria boundaries
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
Definition Field Listing
refugees (country of origin): 5,778 (Liberia)
IDPs: undetermined (communal violence between Christians and Muslims since President OBASANJO's election in 1999; displacement is mostly short-term) (2007)
Illicit drugs:
Definition Field Listing
a transit point for heroin and cocaine intended for European, East Asian, and North American markets; consumer of amphetamines; safe haven for Nigerian narcotraffickers operating worldwide; major money-laundering center; massive corruption and criminal activity; Nigeria has improved some anti-money-laundering controls, resulting in its removal from the Financial Action Task Force's (FATF's) Noncooperative Countries and Territories List in June 2006; Nigeria's anti-money-laundering regime continues to be monitored by FATF

This page was last updated on 18 December 2008


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