Nigeria Timeline

96 key events · 1903–2026 · updated July 1, 2026

Key events in the history of the Federal Republic of Nigeria — from the 1914 amalgamation to today. Filter by decade or search below.

2026
29 Jun 2026 FEC Approves Sweeping NYSC Reforms Milestone
1 Apr 2026 DSS Detains Former Governor Nasir El-Rufai Politics
29 Mar 2026 Palm Sunday Attack in Jos Kills 27 Security
18 Mar 2026 Tinubu’s Historic UK State Visit Politics
16 Mar 2026 Maiduguri Triple Suicide Bombings Security
5 Mar 2026 ISWAP Mass Abduction in Ngoshe, Borno Security
16 Feb 2026 US Deploys 100 Military Personnel to Nigeria Security
31 Jan 2026 Fela Kuti Wins Posthumous Grammy Lifetime Award Culture
2025
25 Dec 2025 US Airstrikes on Nigerian Soil Security
1 Oct 2025 Coup Plot Foiled, Military Officers Arrested Security
26 Jun 2025 Tinubu Signs Four Tax Reform Laws Economy
18 Mar 2025 Emergency Rule Declared in Rivers State Politics
17 Jan 2025 Nigeria Admitted to BRICS Economy
2024
1 Aug 2024 “End Bad Governance” Nationwide Protests Politics
18 Jul 2024 New Minimum Wage of ₦70,000 Signed Economy
29 May 2024 National Anthem Changed Back to “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” Politics
3 Apr 2024 300% Electricity Tariff Hike for Band A Politics
12 Jan 2024 Dangote Refinery Begins Production Economy
2023
26 Oct 2023 Supreme Court Upholds Tinubu’s Election Politics
4 Sep 2023 Lagos Blue Line Rail Begins Operations Politics
14 Jun 2023 Naira Floated / Exchange Rate Unified Economy
29 May 2023 Removal of Fuel Subsidy by Tinubu Economy
19 Jan 2023 Naira Redesign & Cash Crisis Economy
29 May 2023 Bola Ahmed Tinubu Sworn in as President Milestone
2021
20 Mar 2021 Burna Boy & Wizkid Win Grammy Awards Culture
2020
20 Oct 2020 #EndSARS Protest & Lekki Toll Gate Shooting Security
2019
12 Jul 2019 Nollywood Becomes the Second Largest Film Industry in the World Culture
2018
31 May 2018 #NotTooYoungToRun Bill Passed Politics
2015
29 May 2015 Muhammadu Buhari Becomes President Politics
2014
14 Apr 2014 Chibok Girls Kidnapping by Boko Haram Security
7 Apr 2014 Nigeria Becomes Africa’s Largest Economy Economy
2012
2 Oct 2012 Oil Subsidy Removal Protests Begin Economy
2 Jan 2012 Occupy Nigeria — Fuel Subsidy Removal Protests Economy
2011
16 Dec 2011 Introduction of Cashless Policy by CBN Politics
2010
5 May 2010 President Yar’Adua Dies Politics
2009
30 Jul 2009 Boko Haram Founder Mohammed Yusuf Killed Security
25 Jun 2009 Niger Delta Amnesty Programme Launched Politics
2008
14 Aug 2008 Bakassi Peninsula Handed to Cameroon Politics
2007
29 May 2007 Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Becomes President Politics
2005
21 Apr 2005 Nigeria Clears $30 Billion Paris Club Debt Politics
1999
27 Oct 1999 Introduction of Sharia Law in Northern Nigeria Politics
29 May 1999 Start of the Fourth Republic Milestone
1998
7 Jul 1998 MKO Abiola Dies in Detention Politics
8 Jun 1998 Death of General Sani Abacha Politics
1996
3 Aug 1996 Nigeria Wins Olympic Gold in Football Sports
1995
10 Nov 1995 Ken Saro-Wiwa Hanged With Eight Others Politics
1994
21 Jun 1994 Nigeria’s Super Eagles Play in Their First FIFA World Cup Sports
1993
17 Nov 1993 General Sani Abacha Overthrows Shonekan Politics
26 Aug 1993 Babangida Steps Down Politics
12 Jun 1993 Presidential Election & Annulment of 1993 Politics
1992
22 May 1992 Deregulation of the Banking Sector Politics
1991
12 Dec 1991 Abuja Becomes Nigeria’s Capital Politics
27 Aug 1991 Creation of 30 States Milestone
1990
22 Apr 1990 Failed Coup Against Babangida Security
1986
4 Jun 1986 Introduction of Structural Adjustment Program (SAP) Politics
1985
27 Aug 1985 Military Coup of 1985 Security
1983
17 Jan 1983 “Ghana Must Go” — Mass Deportation of 2 Million Immigrants Politics
31 Dec 1983 Military Coup of 1983 Security
1980
22 Mar 1980 Nigeria Wins First AFCON Title Sports
1979
1 Oct 1979 Return to Civilian Rule Politics
1977
22 May 1977 Introduction of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Politics
15 Jan 1977 FESTAC ‘77 Politics
1976
3 Feb 1976 Creation of 19 States Milestone
1 Feb 1976 Abuja Chosen as Nigeria’s New Federal Capital Politics
13 Feb 1976 General Murtala Mohammed Assassinated Politics
1975
29 Jul 1975 General Yakubu Gowon Overthrown Politics
1973
22 Jan 1973 Plane crash in Kano killing 176 people Security
1971
12 Jul 1971 Nigeria Joins OPEC Politics
12 Jul 1971 Nigeria joins Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC Politics
1970
15 Jan 1970 End of the Biafran War Politics
1967
9 Aug 1967 Biafra Invades Mid-West Region Politics
27 May 1967 Nigeria Restructured: 12 States Replace 4 Regions Politics
5 Jan 1967 Aburi Accord — Last Chance for Peace Politics
6 Jul 1967 Start of the Biafran War Politics
1966
29 Sep 1966 Anti-Igbo Pogrom in Northern Nigeria Politics
23 Feb 1966 Secession of the “Niger Delta Republic” Milestone
16 Jan 1966 Formation of the Federal Military Government of Nigeria Security
29 Jul 1966 Counter-Coup of 1966 Security
15 Jan 1966 First Military Coup Security
1965
11 Oct 1965 1965 Western Nigeria Regional Elections and the Political Crisis Politics
1 Jun 1965 Completion of the Port Harcourt Refinery Economy
1964
1 Dec 1964 1964 Tiv Uprising Politics
1 Dec 1964 National parliamentary election Politics
1963
1 Oct 1963 Nigerian First Republic Milestone
1962
1 Jun 1962 Tennessee Nigeria Offshore Oil Licence Economy
1961
11 Feb 1961 1961 British Cameroons referendum Politics
1960
1 Oct 1960 Independence Milestone
1958
4 Mar 1958 Establishment of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Politics
1957
14 Mar 1957 First Miss Nigeria Pageant Milestone
1956
15 Jan 1956 Discovery of Oil at Oloibiri Economy
1954
22 Oct 1954 Lyttleton Constitution Introduced Milestone
1946
11 Jul 1946 Richard Constitution Introduced Milestone
1929
20 Nov 1929 Aba Women’s Riot Politics
1922
12 Mar 1922 Clifford Constitution Introduced Milestone
1914
1 Jan 1914 Amalgamation of Northern & Southern Nigeria Milestone
1903
15 Mar 1903 British Conquest of the Sokoto Caliphate Politics
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