Military dictatorship in Nigeria

Federal Republic of Nigeria (1966; 1966–1999) Republic of Nigerianote (1966)
1966–1979 1983–1993 1993–1999
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "Peace, Unity, Freedom"[1] (1966–1978) "Unity and Faith, Peace and Progress"[1] (1978–1979; 1983–1993; 1993–1999)
Anthem: Nigeria, We Hail Thee[1] (1966–1978) Arise, O Compatriots[1] (1978–1979; 1983–1993; 1993–1999)
Capital	Lagos (1966–1979; 1983–1991) Abuja (1991–1993; 1993–1999)
Largest city	Lagos
Common languages	English Hausa Igbo Yoruba and other regional languages
Religion	Islam Christianity Traditional beliefs
Government	Federal presidential republic under military dictatorship (January–May 1966; 1966–1979; 1983–1993; 1993–1999)[2][3] Unitary presidential republic under military dictatorship (24 May 1966 – 31 August 1966)
Head of State/ President
• 1966	Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsib
• 1966–1975	Yakubu Gowon
• 1975–1976	Murtala Mohammed
• 1976–1979	Olusegun Obasanjo
• 1983–1985	Muhammadu Buhari
• 1985–1993	Ibrahim Babangida
• 1993–1998	Sani Abacha
• 1998–1999	Abdulsalami Abubakarc
Chief of Staff / Vice President
• 1966	Babafemi Ogundipe (first)
• 1998–1999	Mike Akhigbe (last)
Legislature	None (rule by decree)
Historical era	Cold War
• Established	15 January 1966
• Unification Decree[2]	24 May 1966
• 1966 Nigerian counter-coup	28 July 1966
• Federal system restored[3]	31 August 1966
• Biafra secessiond	30 May 1967
• 1975 Nigerian coup d'état	30 July 1975
• 1976 Nigerian coup attempt	13 February 1976
• Second Republic	1 October 1979
• 1983 Nigerian coup d'état	31 December 1983
• 1985 Nigerian coup d'état	27 August 1985
• 1993 Nigerian coup d'état	17 November 1993
• Fourth Republic	29 May 1999
Area
1991[4]	923,768 km2 (356,669 sq mi)
Population
• 1991[4]	88,514,501
Currency	Nigerian pound (1966–1973) Naira (₦) (1973–1979; 1983–1993; 1993–1999)
Time zone	UTC+1 (WAT)
Drives on	left (until 2 April 1972)[5] right
ISO 3166 code	NG
Preceded by Succeeded by First Nigerian Republic Second Nigerian Republic Second Nigerian Republic Third Nigerian Republic Fourth Nigerian Republic
Today part of	Nigeria Cameroone
^a Formal name of the country from 24 May to 31 August 1966.[2][3] ^b as Head of the Federal Military Government ^c as Chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council ^d until 15 January 1970 ^e Bakassi peninsula; governed by Nigeria until 2008

The military dictatorship in Nigeria was a period when members of the Nigerian Armed Forces held power in Nigeria from 1966 to 1999 with an interregnum from 1979 to 1983. The military was able to rise to power often with the tacit support of the elite through coups d'état. Since the country became a republic in 1963, there had been a series of military coups.