Federal Republic of Nigeria - Jamhuriyar Taraiyar Nijeriya

Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa, bordering Niger in the north, Chad in the northeast, Cameroon in the east, and Benin in the west. Its southern coast is on the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean. The federation comprises 36 states and 1 Federal Capital Territory, where the capital, Abuja, is located. The constitution defines Nigeria as a democratic secular state. Nigeria has been home to a number of ancient and indigenous kingdoms and states over the millennia. The modern state originated from British colonial rule beginning in the 19th century, and took its present territorial shape with the merging of the Southern Nigeria Protectorate and Northern Nigeria Protectorate in 1914 by Lord Fredrick Lugard. The British set up administrative and legal structures while practicing indirect rule through traditional chiefdoms, Nigeria became a formally independent federation on October 1, 1960. It experienced a civil war from 1967 to 1970. It thereafter alternated between democratically elected civilian governments and military dictatorships until it achieved a stable democracy in 1999, with the 2011 presidential election considered the first to be reasonably free and fair.

Nigeria is often referred to as the "Giant of African Countries", owing to its large population and economy. With 206 million inhabitants, Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and the seventh most populous country in the world. Nigeria has the third-largest youth population in the world, after India and China, with more than 90 million of its population under the age of eighteen. Nigeria is viewed as a multinational state as it is inhabited by over 250 ethnic groups, of which the three largest are the Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba; these ethnic groups speak over 500 distinct languages and are identified with a wide variety of cultures. The official language of Nigeria is English, chosen to facilitate linguistic unity at the national level.

In May 1967, the Southern Region declared independence as a state called the Republic of Biafra, under the leadership of Lt. Colonel Emeka Ojukwu. The Nigerian Civil War began as the official Nigerian government side attacked Biafra on 6 July 1967 at Garkem. The 30-month war, with a long siege of Biafra and its isolation from trade and supplies, ended in January 1970.

The area near the border with Cameroon close to the coast is rich rainforest and part of the Cross-Sanaga-Bioko coastal forests ecoregion, an important centre for biodiversity. It is habitat for the drill monkey, which is found in the wild only in this area and across the border in Cameroon. The areas surrounding Calabar, Cross River State, also in this forest, are believed to contain the world's largest diversity of butterflies. The area of southern Nigeria between the Niger and the Cross Rivers has lost most of its forest because of development and harvesting by increased population, with it being replaced by grassland.

The first stamps for Nigeria were issued on 1 June 1914 following the amalgamation of all of the British colonies in the area (Northern Nigeria Protectorate and Southern Nigeria Protectorate). The first stamps were the standard King George V Empire keytype, which was also previously used for the issues of Northern Nigeria. The first issue of independent Nigeria was issued on 1 October 1960, following with a definitive issued on 1 January 1961. In 1963 Nigeria became a Republic within the British Commonwealth and a new definitive set was issued on 1 November 1965. Between 1960 and 1961 Nigerian definitives of 1953-57 were overprinted "CAMEROONS/U.K.T.T." for use in Southern Cameroons of the British Mandate territory of British Cameroons. This issue was also valid for use in Northern Cameroons until it joined Nigeria. In 1961, Southern Cameroons became part of Cameroon.

Postage stamps and postal history of the British Cameroons, It falls into two essential parts: the occupation of German Kamerun by Anglo-French forces in 1915, when German Colonial stamps were issued with an overprint and surcharge; and the situation following a 1961 plebiscite, after which the former British Cameroons, today known as Ambazonia, was divided between Cameroon and Nigeria. Stamps of German Kamerun were overprinted C.E.F. (Cameroons Expeditionary Force) and surcharged with values from one halfpenny to five shillings by the British occupation forces in July 1915. From about 1920, British Cameroons used stamps of Nigeria without overprint. These can be recognised only cancellation marks which show one of 15 relevant post offices. After the Second World War ended, British Cameroons was formally divided into its northern and southern constituents but both continued to use the Nigerian stamps with local cancellations. After French Cameroun became independent in January 1960, it was decided to hold plebiscites in Northern and Southern Cameroons in February 1961. Northern Cameroons opted to join Nigeria, effective from 31 May 1961, and so continued to use Nigerian stamps as before. Southern Cameroons opted to join Cameroon effective 1 October 1961. In the interval, stamps of Nigeria values one halfpenny to one pound, overprinted CAMEROONS U.K.T.T. (United Kingdom Trust Territory) were issued. These stamps were valid in Northern and Southern Cameroons until separate existence ended.

Between 30 May 1967 and 15 January 1970, the region of Biafra attempted to secede from Nigeria and issued their own postage stamps. Eventually, after a bloody civil war they rejoined Nigeria. The Republic of Biafra was a secessionist state in south-eastern Nigeria which existed from 30 May 1967 to 15 January 1970. The secession was led by the Igbo people following economic, ethnic, cultural and religious tensions among the various peoples of Nigeria and contributed to the causes for the Nigerian Civil War, also known as the Nigerian-Biafran War. Biafra was recognized by Gabon, Haiti, Côte d'Ivoire, Tanzania and Zambia.

The authorities in Biafra issued banknotes and postage stamps in order to assert their claim to sovereignty. The postage stamps were used mainly on internal mail within the region but also on some external mail sent by air via Libreville in Gabon. The stamps are not recognised as legitimate by all stamp catalogues. After independence, the Post Office in Biafra continued to use Nigerian stamps until they ran out when a "postage paid" cachet was applied instead until the first stamps were issued. The first stamps of Biafra were issued on 5 February 1968 and consisted of three values to mark Biafran "independence". On 1 April 1968 thirteen stamps of Nigeria from the 1965 issue were issued overprinted with the Biafran coat of arms and the words SOVEREIGN BIAFRA. The 1/2d and 1d values from the same 1965 Nigeria series also exist surcharged with new values and overprinted BIAFRA-FRANCE FRIENDSHIP 1968 SOVEREIGN BIAFRA but these stamps are not believed to have been used for postage. A number of further stamps were issued in 1968 and 1969 inscribed BIAFRA or REPUBLIC OF BIAFRA, including miniature sheets, further overprints and stamps ostensibly issued to raise funds for charity.

The Nigerian Postal Service, abbreviated as Nipost, is a government-owned and operated corporation, is the Nigerian postal administration responsible for providing postal services in Nigeria. The Nigerian Postal Service also have the following Business Ventures, EMS, Bulk Post Venture, NIPOST Central Workshop, Philatelic Services, Courier Regulatory Services, Parcel Post Venture and Nipost PostCash.

•