Timeline of Nigerian history

This is a timeline of Nigerian history, comprising important legal and territorial changes and political events in Nigeria and its predecessor states. To read about the background to these events, see History of Nigeria. See also the list of heads of state of Nigeria.

Early history

• 8000 B.C. – Creation of oldest currently known artifacts and stone shelters. Igboland mostly occupied by foragers, including Bantu ancestors.
• 3000–500 B.C. – Development of agriculture (probably including yam cultivation) and animal husbandry.
• 500 B.C. – A.D. 200 – Nok culture flourishes in Northern Nigeria.
• 400–100 B.C. – Ironworking develops around Opi, Nsukka
• 500 A.D. - End of the Nok culture

Rise of Igbo, Yoruba, Edo, and Muslim civilizations

• 700 A.D – Early Ijaw settlement.
• 800 A.D –
  • Mega-state at Igbo-Ukwu has complex social structure, produces copious artifacts including bronzes.
  • Yoruba civilization already well established, based on thirteen farming villages centered at Ilé-Ifẹ̀.
  • Kingdom of Kanem (later Kanem-Bornu) founded by Saif.
• 900 – The reign of the Kingdom of Nri began.
• 1100 – Rulers of the Kanem empire embrace Islam. Mai Dunama I (r. 1097–1150) drowns at Suez in 1150. Kanem establish diplomatic ties with Tunisia.^: 75
• 1200 –
  • Ilé-Ifẹ̀ becomes Yoruba metropolis.
  • Kanem increase influence in the Islamic world throughout the century. It establishes a hostel in Cairo for students and pilgrims from its domain. The empire conquers Fezzan during the reign of Dunama II (r. 1221–1259).^: 75
  • Oba Ewedo comes to power in Benin Empire in 1255.
• 1300 – Fulani Muslim scholars settle in Kanem from the Mali empire. ^: 75 The Kanem civil war begins. Mai Daud expelled from his capital of N'jimi and subsequently killed in 1376.
• 1400 –
  • Beginning of European contact on the Atlantic coast in 1450.
  • Mai Ali Ghaji (r. 1472–1504) establishes Birnin N'gazargamu and founds the Bornu empire. He conquers Borku and Tibesti, and further exacts tribute from some Hausa states, including Kano.^: 77
• 1500 –
  • The nominally Muslim Hausa Kingdoms were established in Northern Nigeria.
  • The ascension of Idris Alauma (r. 1571–1602/03) to the Bornu throne towards the end of this century. The empire reaches its zenith. The Kanem civil war ends resulting in Kanem being incorporated as a province within the Bornu Empire. Idris sends a diplomatic envoy to Istanbul requesting the return of the Fezzan region. However, the request was ultimately declined by the Ottoman authorities. Fezzan recaptured by Bornu in 1585.

17th century

18th century

19th century

20th century

21st century

2011 upward

See also

• List of years in Nigeria
• Timelines of cities in Nigeria: Ibadan, Kano, Lagos, Port Harcourt

References

Bibliography

• REUTERS - Nigeria Chronology
• Ejiogu, EC. "Chinua Achebe on Biafra: An Elaborate Deconstruction". Journal of Asian and African Studies 48.6, 2013.
• Falola, Toyin, & Matthew M. Heaton. A History of Nigeria. Cambridge University Press, 2008. ISBN 978-0-511-39712-7
• Muslim Civic Cultures and Conflict Resolution: The Challenge of Democratic Federalism in Nigeria — John N. Paden
• Oriji, John N. Political Organization in Nigeria Since the Late Stone Age: A History of the Igbo People. New York: Palgrave Macmillan (St. Martin's Press), 2011. ISBN 978-0-230-62193-0

Further reading

• Nigeria and her important dates, 1900-1966. 1966.
• Day to day events in Nigeria : a diary of important happenings in Nigeria from 1960-1970. 1982.
• Twenty-one years of independence : a calendar of major political and economic events in Nigeria, 1960-1981. 1982.
• Institut für Afrika-Kunde; Rolf Hofmeier, eds. (1990). "Nigeria". Afrika Jahrbuch 1989 (in German). Germany: Leske Budrich. doi:10.1007/978-3-322-92639-5. ISBN 978-3-8100-0831-2. OCLC 19093344. Politik, Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft in Afrika südlich der Sahara
• Chronology of Nigerian history, 1799-1995. 1995.
• "Nigeria". Political Chronology of Africa. Political Chronologies of the World. Europa Publications. 2001. p. 335 . ISBN 0203409957.
• Military rule in Nigeria, 1966-1999 : chronicle of major events. 2007.
• Heinrich Bergstresser (2008). "Nigeria". In Andreas Mehler; et al. (eds.). Africa Yearbook: Politics, Economy and Society South of the Sahara in 2007. Vol. 4. Koninklijke Brill. pp. 151–166. ISBN 978-9004168053. ISSN 1871-2525.
• Toyin Falola; Ann Genova (2009). "Chronology". Historical Dictionary of Nigeria. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-6316-3.
• Nigeria at 50: historical epochs. 2010.
• Heinrich Bergstresser (2011). "Nigeria". In Andreas Mehler; et al. (eds.). Africa Yearbook: Politics, Economy and Society South of the Sahara in 2010. Vol. 7. Koninklijke Brill. pp. 159 . ISBN 9789004205567. ISSN 1871-2525.
• Events & dates that matter to Nigeria. 2013.