Democratic Nigeria
Nigeria’s democratic governments from 1999 to present, including presidential administrations, reforms, protests, and state politics.
Early Motor Transport in Southern Nigeria: How Five Vans Connected Ibadan and Oyo in 1908
Early motor transport in Southern Nigeria entered an important phase in January 1907, when the colonial administration introduced an organised motor van service between...
Nigeria’s Census Crisis: Two Disputed Counts and the Struggle for Power in the First Republic
Nigeria’s census crisis of 1962 and 1963 became one of the most consequential political controversies of the country’s First Republic. What began as an...
Nigeria’s First Republic: 4 Critical Events Behind Its Collapse
Nigeria's First Republic emerged from an independence settlement that placed population, parliamentary representation and regional political authority at the centre of the country's democratic...
Treasury building at Shendam, Nigeria, 1923: Inside the Powerful Machinery of Colonial Taxation
The Treasury building at Shendam, Nigeria, 1923 offers an unusually tangible glimpse into the machinery of colonial government. At first sight, the structure appears...
Lagos Steam Tramway: The Remarkable 1902 Rail Link That Connected Lagos Island to Iddo
The Lagos Steam Tramway opened on 23 May 1902 as an important connection between Lagos Island and the railway terminus at Iddo. More than...
Central Bank of Nigeria Building: The Landmark 1959 Opening at Tinubu Square
The Central Bank of Nigeria building at Tinubu Square, Lagos, formally opened on 1 July 1959, on the same day that the Central Bank...
The Western Nigeria Housing Corporation
The Western Nigeria Housing Corporation occupies an important place in Nigeria’s urban history. Created during the final years of colonial rule, the institution helped...
The Good Side of Sani Abacha: What His Government Built
For many Nigerians, the name Sani Abacha immediately brings back memories of military dictatorship, political repression, the execution of Ken Saro Wiwa and the...
Sir Kashim Ibrahim’s London Visit: 3 Remarkable Figures in Nigeria’s 1962 Federal Diplomacy
Sir Kashim Ibrahim’s London visit in 1962 produced a photograph that appears, at first glance, to show an ordinary ceremonial moment inside Nigeria House....
Udoji Award in 1975 Nigeria: How a ₦1,250 Windfall Captured an Oil Boom Turning Point
The Udoji Award in 1975 Nigeria remains one of the most memorable economic episodes of the country’s post-independence history. For thousands of public servants,...