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From the 17th century the diverse multi-ethnic western African nation of Nigeria suffered exploitation by European nations as a
major centre for the African slave trade.
The trade was finally abolished by Great Britain at the turn of the 19th century and by 1914 Nigeria had become a colony of Great Britain.
As independence from Great Britain approached in the late 1950s, a flag competition was held to choose a new national flag
to represent an independent Nigeria. From nearly 3000 entries a submission by Nigerian
student Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi was chosen.
The flag was adopted as the national flag on Nigeria’s Independence Day, the 1st of October 1960. |
