Independence Day (Nigeria)

<p><a href="/facts/Nigeria/gbW17BX8">Nigeria</a>'s Independence Day is a public holiday observed annually on 1 October to commemorate the country's declaration of independence from <a href="/facts/Colonial_Nigeria/4MMDcBIb">British rule</a> in 1960. It marked the end of over sixty years of colonial governance and the emergence of Nigeria as a self-governing <a href="/facts/Constitutional_monarchy/C0TtVRq8">constitutional monarchy</a> within the <a href="/facts/Commonwealth_of_Nations/TcIRQnNq">Commonwealth of Nations</a>. The inaugural celebrations featured a formal ceremony in <a href="/facts/Lagos/sujDJmtW">Lagos</a>, attended by Nigerian leaders and international dignitaries.
</p><p>Independence Day is observed nationwide through official ceremonies including <a href="/facts/Military_parades/KdQU2at4">military parades</a> and flag-raising events, alongside traditional dances and cultural celebrations—a pattern mirrored by <a href="/facts/Nigerian_diaspora/NQndUzdq">Nigerian communities</a> abroad who mark the holiday by celebrating their heritage.
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Independence Day (Nigeria) open-in-new

Independence Day (Nigeria)