The name “Nigeria” first appeared in print on 8 January 1897 in The Times of London, in an article written and signed by Flora Shaw, the paper’s colonial editor. Shaw—who would later marry Sir Frederick Lugard, the future High Commissioner of the Northern Nigerian Protectorate—suggested the name as a concise and practical alternative to the long descriptive titles Europeans then used for the region.
Her proposal gave a single geographical label to an immense and culturally diverse area under increasing British influence. Shaw argued that a shorter name would simplify both administration and international recognition at a time when Britain was expanding its colonial presence in West Africa.
Derivation from the Niger River
Shaw’s name derived from the River Niger, the great waterway that flows through present-day Guinea, Mali, Niger, Benin, and Nigeria before emptying into the Atlantic.
The origin of the word “Niger” itself remains debated. Some scholars trace it to the Latin “niger,” meaning black, a term used by early European geographers to describe the dark waters or the people along the river. Others suggest it came from a local Tuareg phrase—often cited as egerew n-igerewen—used by peoples along the middle reaches of the river. Because neither explanation can be proven conclusively, historians generally present both as plausible.
Pre-Colonial and Early Colonial Descriptions
Before 1897, Europeans referred to the area with a variety of names:
“Central Sudan” or “Niger Sudan,” reflecting its location south of the Sahara.
“Hausa Territories,” in reference to the influential Hausa city-states of the north.
“Niger Empire,” used loosely in nineteenth-century travel literature.
These labels highlighted powerful pre-colonial polities such as the Sokoto Caliphate, Oyo Empire, Benin Kingdom, and others, but none captured the entire territory in a single term.
Colonial Context and the 1914 Amalgamation
Shaw’s suggestion came at the height of British colonial expansion in West Africa. By 1900 the British government had proclaimed the Protectorates of Northern and Southern Nigeria, formalising its control over the region.
In 1914, Sir Frederick Lugard—by then Shaw’s husband—oversaw the amalgamation of these two protectorates to form the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria. The name proposed by Flora Shaw seventeen years earlier became the official designation of the new political entity.
This act of naming exemplified a broader colonial pattern: compressing diverse ethnicities and kingdoms into a single administrative unit for imperial convenience. While the name “Nigeria” would later become a source of national pride, it originated as a tool of British governance.
Path to Independence and Enduring Legacy
The name endured through decades of colonial rule and into the era of nationalism. When Nigeria achieved independence on 1 October 1960, the colonial label became the name of the new Federal Republic of Nigeria, symbolising a modern state forged from many peoples and histories.
Over a century later, “Nigeria” remains more than a geographical term. It is a reminder of how colonial encounters shaped modern African identities and of how Nigerians have since infused the name with their own meanings of sovereignty and unity.
Key Timeline
Pre-1897: Region variously described as Central Sudan, Niger Sudan, Hausa Territories, Niger Empire.
8 January 1897: Flora Shaw publishes the article “Nigeria” in The Times of London.
1900: British government consolidates territories as Northern and Southern Protectorates.
1914: Lugard oversees the amalgamation; the name “Nigeria” becomes official.
1 October 1960: Independence as the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Sources
Flora Shaw, “Nigeria,” The Times (London), 8 January 1897.
Nollywood icon Genevieve Nnaji has fired off a sharp response after a man on X (formerly Twitter) advised Igbo men to stop marrying Igbo women and instead seek wives from other African countries.
The controversy began after a photo of a Rwandan woman said to be engaged to an Anambra man went viral.
Resharing the image, the user wrote, “Dear Igbo men, instead of marrying an Igbo woman who’ll falsely accuse you of r4ping your daughter, better look outside for a wife.
“Go to East Africa, especially Rwanda, and pick a damsel. They’re all over social media, and you can link up with them.”
Genevieve, who rarely comments on online drama, responded, “In other words, instead of checking yourself and taking accountability, go for the unsuspecting and carry on with your evil. Got it.”
Another user attempted to challenge her, claiming the original tweet was aimed at “false rape accusers” and that Genevieve was avoiding the real issue.
“His tweet was clearly against false rape accusers, but instead of holding the evil women accountable and demanding change, you chose to tweet this?”
But the actress hit back with equal clarity: “The same way a woman can’t tell an abusive man apart from a good one is the same way you shouldn’t say avoid all Igbo women. ‘Not all women’.”
Reality TV star Phyna has offered words of encouragement to fellow Big Brother Naija winner Imisi amid a family feud between the latter and her mother.
In an X post on Monday, Phyna wrote,”To Imisi, @imisiofficial and to anyone walking through the same fire… I’m praying for your strength.
“My own experience broke me, but I’m slowly rising.
“And I’m rooting for you with everything in me, don’t handle it like I did, build strong and focus on you baby girl.”
The post comes against the backdrop of a family dispute in which Imisi’s mother accused her daughter of hatred and revealed the poor condition of the home where she currently lives, despite Imisi winning N150 million after her Big Brother victory.
Imisi replied in Yoruba,”This is why Aunty Debola said you should not show your face to the world. I can’t be saying all that now, you are in the midst of people. Just overlook everything and leave social media.
“Don’t worry, I will send you money to rent a new house. I am tired of all this drama. I am still recovering from the stress of Big Brother.
“Should I be facing another stress now? Please forgive me, I am your daughter.”
Recall Imisi’s mother has publicly expressed frustration on social media, saying she does not need her daughter’s money after being sidelined following the win.
She also blamed Imisi for recounting her childhood experiences, which she claims involve untrue allegations of parental neglect and sexual assault.
In a video, she showed the old house she currently resides in, saying she is content with her situation, a revelation that sparked online controversy.
In 2023, after Phyna’s BBNaija win, her father, Felix Otabor, revealed in an interview that he was distressed by his daughter’s actions following her BBNaija win.
Otabor said Phyna had asked him to stop working as a hearse driver and requested that he sell his cars, promising to improve the family’s life.
He said he later struggled financially after selling the vehicles, losing his business momentum and community position, and has not seen his daughter since her victory.
He described feeling sidelined while she enjoyed her wealth.
Nollywood actress, Regina Daniels, has opened up about her marriage to her estranged husband, Senator Ned Nwoko.
It was reports that the embattled wife revealed why their seven-year relationship remained faithful despite his polygamous lifestyle.
In a reply to a comment on her Instagram page, Daniels said that during their years together, Nwoko never slept with other women outside their home because she held him well in the other room.
She wrote: “Yes i think he loved me but a toxic one! Because tell me why a polygamous man forgot what it meant to be in polygamy, except for the media.
“Just because it boosted his ego of being seen with multiple women which is easy by me because anyone that sees a man as an odogwu sees the wife as what? He basically had to beg that he share days at ours and other days with his other wives because they begged for his attention.
“Y’all should pls forget this yeye social media comparison because my ex man never slept outside one day in our 7 years of marriage. You know why? Because as a delta babe, I hold am well for the other room ladies use your skills that’s all men want actually!”
