NOV20
All country briefings

Africa · Country briefing

Nigeria

A child-friendly mission briefing for 20 November — capital, climate, school day, languages, fun facts, native animals, and five questions to ask the class on the other side of the world.

  • Capital
    Abuja
  • Population
    ~220 million
  • Time zone
    Africa/Lagos (UTC +1)
  • Currency
    Nigerian naira (NGN)
Nigeria, with Abuja marked
loading map…

Climate in November: Dry season starting; warm to hot.

Capital

Abuja

Photo to be commissioned

Fun facts

What makes Nigeria a bit special.

  • Languages

    Over 500 spoken

  • Nollywood

    World's second-largest film industry

  • Afrobeats

    Music heard around the world today

  • Population

    Africa's most populous country

  • Jollof rice

    A national dish (also a friendly rivalry with Ghana)

  • Aso Rock

    Huge granite hill towering over Abuja

Native animals

Wildlife your partner class might know best.

  • 🐘

    African forest elephant

    Smaller than its savannah cousin

  • 🦜

    African grey parrot

    One of the smartest birds — can mimic voices

  • 🦁

    West African lion

    Rare and protected in Kainji National Park

  • 🐒

    Drill monkey

    Lives only in a small part of West Africa

  • 🐋

    Manatee

    A gentle 'sea cow' in coastal rivers

School life

In a Nigeria classroom

English is widely the language of instruction. Many schools start with assembly.

Typical school day: Often 08:00–14:30.

School year: September to July.

Greetings to learn

Say hello like a local

  • Hello!
    English
  • Sannu!
    Hausa
  • Bawo!
    Yoruba
  • Kedu!
    Igbo

Five questions to ask

Conversation starters

  1. 01How many languages do you speak?
  2. 02What do you do for fun after school?
  3. 03What's your favourite food?
  4. 04What music do you love?
  5. 05What's something amazing about your community?

What not to assume

Friendly cautions

  • ℹNigeria is one of the world's most linguistically diverse countries.
  • ℹLagos is famous but the capital is Abuja.

Culture

Food, music, sport, festivals.

  • Food

    • Jollof rice
    • Egusi soup
    • Suya
    • Akara

  • Music

    • Afrobeats
    • Highlife
    • Juju

  • Sport

    • Football
    • Athletics
    • Basketball

  • Festivals

    • Eid
    • Christmas
    • Local cultural festivals
Reflection prompts
  • “What language do you wish was taught in your school?”
  • “What food would you most want to taste from Nigeria?”

Could your class meet Nigeria?

Choose Nigeriawhen you register — we’ll show you the time-zone feasibility.

Register your classroom