Abuja Chosen as Nigeria’s New Federal Capital

In early 1976, Head of State General Murtala Mohammed accepted the recommendation of the Aguda Panel and announced that Nigeria’s federal capital would move from Lagos to a new city in the geographic centre of the country. The chosen site in the Federal Capital Territory was a sparsely populated area of 8,000 square kilometres inhabited mainly by the Gbagyi, Koro, and Gade peoples.

Lagos was deemed unsuitable as a permanent capital due to its association with the Yoruba ethnic group, chronic congestion, and lack of room for expansion. Construction of Abuja would take over a decade, costing billions of dollars. The capital was formally moved in December 1991 under General Babangida.