Nigeria
/naɪˈdʒɪəriə/noun
A country in West Africa.
Did you know?The name Nigeria was coined by journalist Flora Shaw, later Lady Lugard, from the Niger River, and the river’s own name is probably not native to the region at all.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient/Precolonial
Local
Niger
“The great river in West Africa; the exact original source of the name is uncertain.”
1897
English
Nigeria
“A newly coined name for the British colonial territory around the Niger River.”
1900
English
Nigeria
“Used officially for the British protectorates in the region.”
1960
English
Nigeria
“The name of the independent West African nation.”
Explore more surprising origins