Flag of Nigeria

Nigeria's flag has three upright stripes: green, white and green. The two green stripes are on the outside and the white stripe is in the middle.

At a glance

Adopted: October 1, 1960
Shape (height : width): 1:2
Capital: Abuja
Continent: Africa
Colours: green
white

What it means

Green: agriculture
White: unity and peace

Where it came from

The flag was designed by Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi, a student from Ibadan. In 1959 he entered a national competition for Nigeria's new flag and won out of about 3,000 entries (Flags of the World gives 2,870).

His design had a red sun with rays on the white stripe. The judges liked the stripes but took the sun away, leaving the simple green-white-green flag.

History

Before independence, Nigeria was a British colony and from 1914 flew a colonial flag of the Nigeria Protectorate. The new flag was raised for the first time at midnight on 1 October 1960, the moment Nigeria became independent from the United Kingdom.

The design has not changed since then. Its use is set out in the Flag and Coat-of-Arms Ordinance of 1960.

Besides the plain flag, Nigeria has a state flag with the coat of arms and special ensigns for civil ships, the navy and the air force.

Fun facts

The designer was a student when he won the contest.
His original design had a red sun, which was removed before the flag was adopted.
The flag was first raised at the stroke of midnight on independence day.
Lieutenant David Ejoor of the army guard was the first to raise it.
Government standards call the green shade Emerald Green.
The flag is twice as long as it is tall, a 1:2 shape.