Nigeria’s Facts File

Nigeria became an independent country on October 1, 1960 and assumed the status of a Federal Republic on October 1, 1963. The republican status removed the vestiges of British colonialism because the Queen of England stopped being the ceremonial head of state of Nigeria. Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe became the President of Nigeria and therefore assumed the position of ceremonial head of state of the country. Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa was the Prime Minister at that me and was the effective head of Federal Government of Nigeria. That was when Nigeria was practicing parliamentary democracy—British style.