2. Nigeria The Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising thirty-six states and one Federal Capital Territory

3. Colonial heritage From 1851 to 1960 Nigeria was a Crown Colony of the British Empire.

4. Lagos Crammed, dirty, and corrupt, Lagos was the colonial capital and primary shipping port for goods exported from Nigeria’s exploited heartland.

5. Lagos is the home for nearly 20 million people.

6. IMF Nigeria is among the countries the IMF considers most at risk. This woman sells fruit in Lagos.

7. Containers are stacked high in this recent photo of the Nigeria port of Apapa. Courtesy of AFP/Getty

8. Abuja In 1976, it was decided to move the national capital from the port city of Lagos to a new city located near the centre of the country.

9. Umaru Musa Yar'Adua The current president of Nigeria was elected in 2007. He presides as both Chief of State and Head of Government and is elected by popular vote to a maximum of two four-year terms .

10. Bantu migrations Nigeria is believed to be the original homeland of the Bantu migrants who spread across most of central and southern Africa in waves in the 3000-year time period preceding 1100 C.E.

11. Nigerian Oil Since all effort was put into developing this profitable resource, other economic sectors, like agriculture and mining, were neglected. Nigeria’s economy is centered around oil… unfortunately.

12. Drilling for oil Oil drilling rigs, like this one in the Soku oil field is one of the many the Dutch-based Shell Oil has in Nigeria. Many blame Shell, however, for the widespread pollution (below) of its environment and corruption of its government.

13. Economy The country also wound up being heavily in debt to other nations and with a corrupt government that mismanaged funds (those that weren’t embezzled anyway).

16. Stolen crude Nigerian produces 2.256 million barrels of oil a day. Oil theft and sabotage is a daily problem.

17. Many feel that corporate links to military power keeps Nigeria subjugated to oil interests .

18. Reform efforts Only recently has the government started making reforms to get the country out of debt and restructure the economy thanks to the International Monetary Fund ’s Public Support Instrument (PSI).

19. Joint Ventures Workers on an oil rig in Nigeria where prudent management of oil savings and revenues is key to unleashing country's potential and to reducing poverty. (photo: AFP) The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation , a nationalized state corporation manages all joint ventures between foreign multi-national corporations and the Nigerian federal government.

20. In 2003 a joint venture was established in Lagos, Nigeria to form DeltaAfrik Engineering Ltd.

21. Yoruba One of the largest ethno-linguistic or ethnic groups in West Africa, with nearly 30 million individuals the Yoruba are found predominantly in Nigeria comprising approximately 21 percent of its total population.

22. Yoruba bronze head sculpture, Ife, Nigeria c. 12th century A.D. Ife bronze casting of a Kings head currently in the British Museum

23. July 18, 2006—Traditional Ibo dancers perform at the Sullivan Summit luncheon in Abuja Ibo

24. Hausa A Sahelian people chiefly located in the West African regions of northern Nigeria and southeastern Niger numbering 30-35 million.

25. Hausa Nigerian keyboard emphasizing the Hausa language.

26. Nobel-winning author Wole Soyinka delivers a lecture at the Hague