• Embassy of Nigeria São Tomé
  • Avenda kwame Nkrumah. C.P. 1000, Sao Tome

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About nigeria

Country Profile, The Land and People Fact File

Nigeria is located on the west coast of Africa and is the most populous black country in the world, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Benin and Cameroon. Nigeria covers 356,668 sq miles (923,7770 sq kilometres). It is about the same size as California, Nevada and Utah combined. Nigeria is diverse in people and culture. The history of the country goes back to 500 BC when the Nok people were the inhabitants. It was the end of the 15th century when European explorers and traders began their lucrative slave trade with the Yoruba and Benin peoples. In 1861 Lagos was colonized by the British and in 1914, the entire country became The Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria. Then, Nigeria became independent in 1960.
Area
923,766 sq. km.
Population
250 million (estimate).
Capital
Abuja.
Official Language
English

OTHER FACT FACTS

Three-tier structure—a federal government, 36 state governments, and 774 local government administrations.

Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba.

Christianity, Islam, Traditional.

Lagos, Onitsha, Kano, Ibadan, Port Harcourt, Aba, Maiduguri, Jos, Kaduna, Warri, Benin, Nnewi.

Refineries and Petrochemicals: Kaduna, Warri, Port Harcourt, Eleme. Iron and Steel:

Ajaokuta, Warri, Oshogbo, Katsina, Jos. Fertilizer: Onne- Port Harcourt, Kaduna, Minna, Kano Liquified Natural Gas: Bonny Aluminium Smelter: Ikot Abasi, Port

Harcourt.

Lagos (Apapa, Tin-can Island), Warri, Port Harcourt, Onne Deep Sea, and Hub Port, Calabar (EPZ).

Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt, Abuja, Enugu, Kaduna, Maiduguri, Ilorin, Jos, Owerri, Calabar, Yola, Sokoto. 

Over 15,000 km of intercity all-weather paved roads, including dual carriage express trunks.

2 main lines (southwest to northeast and southeast to northwest) interlinked and terminatory at Lagos, Port Harcourt, Kaura Namoda, Maiduguri, and Nguru. Major junctions at Kaduna, Kafanchan, and Zaria. Gauge: 1067mm; Total length 3505 route km.

Hydro-electric: Kainji, Jebba, Shiroro. Thermal and Gas: Egbin (Lagos), Ughelli, Afam, Sapele, National grid for electricity distribution; National pipeline network with regional depots for petroleum products distribution; National network (pipeline) for distribution of gas (under construction).

NAIRA and KOBO N1.00 = l00k (one naira = hundred kobos).

About Nigeria Health

Before 1999, the major problem of the health sector in Nigeria was identified to be the mortality rate among women and children due to preventable diseases, undernourishment, communication of under five years, as well as inadequate and decaying health facilities. These problems were further compounded, over the years, by inadequate funding, due to competing needs of other sectors such as education, housing, agriculture, etc.
However, each successful Administration usually rises to the occasion to stem the tide. The National Program on Immunization was established to take care of the high mortality rate among children and eradicate communicable and vaccine-preventable diseases, and it has been highly successful. Specific days of the year have been set aside by the Government, during which health officials go from house to house to immunize children against major childhood diseases. Moreover, immunizations are readily available at various hospitals and health centers, at no cost to parents. The Government is being assisted in this regard by many Non-Governmental Organizations and International Agencies. Rotary International, for example, has committed millions of dollars to the project known as the “Kick Polio out of Africa” campaign, the positive result of which has been tremendous.
Other measures the Government has taken to enhance the quality of health of Nigerians are the establishment of the National Action Committee on Aids (NACA) to combat the HIV/AIDS scourge, the National Foods and Drugs Administration Commission (NAFDAC) which has brought international recognition to Nigeria. The Government has equally set up the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) which is designed to make health care affordable for all citizens by making everyone contribute to the health care system, instead of putting the whole burden on the Government, as is the case currently. The scheme will soon be operational. To sustain improvements in health care delivery, attention is being paid to the expansion and strengthening of the primary health care system throughout the country. Family and reproductive health services are being strengthened, with particular emphasis on fighting HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, as well as malaria. Rehabilitation of strategic Teaching and Specialist Hospitals is also ongoing.
Nigeria Embassy in São Tomé