How much do you really know about Nigeria’s history? Beyond independence and the leaders we’ve read about, there are many events, people and kingdoms that influenced the country.
This quiz features 20 questions covering different periods in Nigeria’s past. Some may be familiar, while others might surprise you. Take this Nigerian history quiz and see how many you can get right!
1. Which of these contributed significantly to population loss in parts of present-day Nigeria during the 18th century?
The trans-Atlantic slave trade led to the forced removal of large numbers of people from West Africa. Many were captured and transported across the Atlantic to be sold into slavery in the Americas. Its impact varied across communities and regions.
2. Who pioneered Presbyterian missionary work in Calabar in 1846?
Scottish missionary Hope Masterton Waddell led the missionary party that arrived in Old Calabar in 1846. The mission later became an important centre for Christian teaching and education in the area.
3. In which year was the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) established?
The NYSC was established on 22 May 1973 by the military government of General Yakubu Gowon. It was created to promote national unity and encourage Nigerian graduates to contribute to national development.
4. Which of the following was a demand of the National Congress of British West Africa?
The National Congress of British West Africa campaigned for political reforms, including greater African participation in colonial government. Its demands included electoral reforms and increased African representation in legislative institutions.
5. Which factor helped Christian missionary activities gain influence in parts of colonial Nigeria?
Christian missions established schools where people learned to read and write, often alongside religious instruction. Education helped missions attract converts and influence social life in several parts of Nigeria.
6. Which two Yoruba towns were involved in a major struggle for political influence after the decline of the Old Oyo Empire?
Ibadan and Ijaye became important centres of power in nineteenth-century Yorubaland. Their rivalry led to war in the 1860s, as both sought political influence in the region.
7. The 1914 amalgamation brought together which two territories?
On 1 January 1914, the British administration under Lord Frederick Lugard amalgamated the Northern Protectorate with the Colony and Protectorate of Southern Nigeria. This brought the territories together under one colonial administration.
8. Which of these programmes was introduced during General Ibrahim Babangida's military administration, not General Olusegun Obasanjo's?
The Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) was introduced in 1986 under General Ibrahim Babangida. Operation Feed the Nation and the Universal Primary Education programme were introduced during General Olusegun Obasanjo's military administration in the 1970s.
9. In which year did Abuja officially become Nigeria's capital?
Abuja officially replaced Lagos as Nigeria's capital on 12 December 1991 during General Ibrahim Babangida's administration. The decision to move the capital had been made earlier, and the new city was developed to serve as a more centrally located federal capital.
10. In which year was the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) formed?
NADECO was formed on 15 May 1994. It campaigned for the restoration of democratic government and the validation of the results of the 12 June 1993 presidential election, which had been annulled by the Babangida government.
11. What system of government did Nigeria adopt under the Second Republic?
Nigeria adopted a presidential system under the 1979 Constitution. The President served as both Head of State and Head of Government, with executive powers separate from the legislature.
12. Which ancient Yoruba town is particularly famous for its naturalistic bronze and terracotta artworks?
Ile-Ife is renowned for its remarkable naturalistic sculptures, including works made from bronze, brass and terracotta. These artworks provide important evidence of the artistic and political sophistication of the ancient Ife civilisation.
13. The trans-Atlantic slave trade involved the forced transportation of enslaved Africans mainly across which ocean?
Enslaved Africans were transported across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas, where they were forced to work, particularly on plantations and in other forms of labour. This forced movement became a central part of the trans-Atlantic slave trade.
14. Which event led directly to the British conquest of Benin City in 1897?
Following the killing of a British-led delegation in January 1897, British forces launched a punitive expedition against Benin City in February. They captured the city, deposed Oba Ovonramwen and sent him into exile. The conquest was also connected to wider British commercial and imperial ambitions.
15. Which statement about pre-colonial Nigerian political systems is incorrect?
The Sarkin Fada was an important palace official in the Hausa states, associated with the administration of the royal household and palace workers. The other statements describe recognised features of the respective political systems.
16. In which year did Britain pass the Act abolishing its participation in the trans-Atlantic slave trade?
The British Parliament passed the Slave Trade Act in 1807, making the British slave trade illegal. This did not immediately end slavery in British colonies, which continued until emancipation legislation in 1833.
17. What did the British indirect rule system of administration involve?
Under indirect rule, British colonial authorities governed through existing traditional rulers and institutions. These authorities were used to implement colonial policies, collect taxes and maintain local administration, although their powers were subject to British control.
18. In which year did Taiwo Akinkunmi design Nigeria's national flag?
Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi designed the Nigerian flag in 1959 after entering a national design competition. The flag was officially adopted and first raised on 1 October 1960, Nigeria's Independence Day.
19. Who was Nigeria's Head of State when Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other Ogoni activists were executed in 1995?
Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other Ogoni activists, collectively known as the Ogoni Nine, were executed on 10 November 1995 during the military administration of General Sani Abacha. Their execution attracted international condemnation.
20. Which colonial Governor of Nigeria divided the Southern Provinces into Eastern and Western Provinces in 1939?
Sir Bernard Bourdillon was Governor of Nigeria when the Southern Provinces were divided into Eastern and Western Provinces in 1939. The change was part of the colonial government's administrative restructuring of Nigeria.
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