ABSTRACT
Referred to as the “global giant of Africa,” the Federal Republic of Nigeria in West Africa borders Niger in the north, Chad in the northeast, Cameroon in the east, and Benin in the west. The capital is Abuja, while Lagos is the most populous city in the country, as well as one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world. With an estimated 219.5 million people, Nigeria remains the most populous country in Africa and the seventh in the world. With almost 62 percent of the population under the age of 25, Nigeria is also the third largest youth-populated country in the world. Noted for its cultural diversity, the country comprises more than 250 ethnic groups that speak close to 500 different languages. Over 60 percent of the population is linked to the three major ethnic groups: the Yoruba in the west, Hausa-Fulani in the north, and Igbo in the east. English is the official and most widely spoken language. The country is divided nearly in half between Muslims who live predominantly in the north and Christians who live predominantly in the south.
