Government (Nigeria)
====================


     Long-form name:
         Federal Republic of Nigeria
     Type:
         military government since 31 December 1983
     Capital:
         Abuja; note - on 12 December 1991 the capital was officially moved from
         Lagos to Abuja; many government offices remain in Lagos pending completion
         of facilities in Abuja
     Administrative divisions:
         30 states and 1 territory*; Abia, Abuja Capital Territory*, Adamawa, Akwa
         Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Enugu, Imo,
         Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Niger, Ogun, Ondo,
         Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe
     Independence:
         1 October 1960 (from UK)
     Constitution:
         1 October 1979, amended 9 February 1984, revised 1989
     Legal system:
         based on English common law, Islamic law, and tribal law
     National holiday:
         Independence Day, 1 October (1960)
     Executive branch:
         president of the Armed Forces Ruling Council, Armed Forces Ruling Council,
         National Council of State, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
     Legislative branch:
         National Assembly was dissolved after the military coup of 31 December 1983
     Judicial branch:
         Supreme Court, Federal Court of Appeal
     Leaders:
       Chief of State and Head of Government:
         President and Commander in Chief of Armed Forces Gen. Ibrahim BABANGIDA
         (since 27 August 1985)
     Political parties and leaders:
         two political parties established by the government in 1989 - Social
         Democratic Party (SDP) and National Republican Convention (NRC)
     Suffrage:
         universal at age 21
     Elections:
       President:
         first presidential elections since the 31 December 1983 coup scheduled for
         late 1992
       National Assembly:
         first elections since it was dissolved after the 31 December 1983 coup
         scheduled for 4 July 1992
     Communists:
         the pro-Communist underground consists of a small fraction of the Nigerian
         left; leftist leaders are prominent in the country's central labor
         organization but have little influence on the government
     Member of:
         ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, GATT, IAEA,
         IBRD, ICAO, ICC, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMO, IMF, INMARSAT, INTELSAT,
         INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
         UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIIMOG, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO, WTO
     Diplomatic representation:
         Ambassador Zubair Mahmud KAZAURE; Chancery at 2201 M Street NW, Washington,
         DC 20037; telephone (202) 822-1500; there is a Nigerian Consulate General in
         New York