This is a timeline of Nigerian history, comprising important legal and territorial changes and political events in Nigeria and its predecessor states. To read about the background to these events, see History of Nigeria. See also the list of heads of state of Nigeria.
Centuries: 17th18th19th20th21st
Early history
250,000 B.C. - ugwuele and Ngodo Acheulean men crafted deoterite stone tools in Isiume cave, Igboland 12,000 B.C. - The time of the iho Eleru men 8000 B.C. – Creation of currently known stone shelters were inhabited by early men 5000 – 3000 B.C. – Development of agriculture (probably including yam cultivation) and animal husbandry. 3000 - 500 B.C.- Iron smelting hamlet polities began in Lejja ,Nsude , Umundu . Pottery were made in Ugwuegu valley Ehugbo , Awgu Northern Igboland 500 B.C. – A.D. 200 – Nok culture flourishes in Northern Nigeria. 400–100 B.C. – Ironworking polity around Opi, Nsukka flourished . 500 A.D. - End of the Nok culture
Rise of Igbo, Yoruba, Edo, and Muslim civilizations
700 A.D – Early Ijaw settlement. 800 A.D – Mega-state at Igbo-Ukwu has complex social structure, produces copious artifacts including bronzes. Yoruba civilization already well established, based on thirteen farming villages centered at Ilé-Ifẹ̀. Kingdom of Kanem (later Kanem-Bornu) founded by Saif. 900 – The reign of the Kingdom of Nri began. 1100 – Rulers of the Kanem empire embrace Islam. Mai Dunama I (r. 1097–1150) drowns at Suez in 1150. Kanem establish diplomatic ties with Tunisia. 1200 – Ilé-Ifẹ̀ becomes Yoruba metropolis. Kanem increase influence in the Islamic world throughout the century. It establishes a hostel in Cairo for students and pilgrims from its domain. The empire conquers Fezzan during the reign of Dunama II (r. 1221–1259). Oba Ewedo comes to power in Benin Empire in 1255. 1300 – Fulani Muslim scholars settle in Kanem from the Mali empire. Beginning of war between the Kanem Empire and the Bilala; mai Dawud expelled from his capital of Njimi and subsequently killed in 1376. 1400 – Beginning of European contact on the Atlantic coast in 1450.Falola & Heaton, A History of Nigeria (2008), "Chronology" (pp. xiii–xviii). Mai Ali Ghaji (r. 1472–1504) establishes Birnin N'gazargamu and founds the Bornu empire. He conquers Borku and Tibesti, and further exacts tribute from some Hausa states, including Kano. 1500 – The nominally Muslim Hausa Kingdoms were established in Northern Nigeria. The ascension of Idris Alauma (r. 1571–1602/03) to the Bornu throne towards the end of this century. The empire reaches its zenith. The Kanem civil war ends resulting in Kanem being incorporated as a province within the Bornu Empire. Idris sends a diplomatic envoy to Istanbul requesting the return of the Fezzan region. However, the request was ultimately declined by the Ottoman authorities. Fezzan recaptured by Bornu in 1585.
17th century
18th century
Year Date 1728 Oyo Empire invades Kingdom of Dahomey. 1767 June British slave traders facilitate massacre on the Calabar River.Randy J. Sparks, The Two Princes of Calabar: An Eighteenth-Century Atlantic Odyssey; Harvard University Press, 2004; ; Chapter 1: "A Very Bloody Transaction: Old Calabar and the Massacre of 1767A.A.B".
19th century Year Date Event 1803 Escape to Igbo Landing in Georgia, USA.180421 FebruaryUsman dan Fodio's hijra out of Gobir begins marking the start of his jihad and the founding of the Sokoto Caliphate. 1807 25 March Slave Trade Act 1807: Britain prohibits subjects from trafficking in slaves.1808MayGwoni Mukhtar drives Mai Ahmad out of Birnin N'gazargamu and occupies the city.1809Birnin N'gazargamu recaptured by Mai Dunama IX with the assistance of Muhammad al-Kanemi and his followers.182317 FebruaryHugh Clapperton reaches Kukawa and is received by Shehu al-Kanemi.Hugh Clapperton visits Sokoto where he meets with Sultan Muhammad Bello. 1833 End of Oyo empire. 1841 Niger Expedition of Christian missionaries. 1846 Church Missionary Society sets up mission at Abeokuta.Kukawa becomes the capital of the Bornu empire. The Sayfawa dynasty reaches its end and the al-Kanemi dynasty begins its rule over Bornu. 1851 1 January Treaty Between Great Britain and Lagos, 1 January 1852Heinrich Barth reaches the Sokoto Caliphate and the Bornu empire 1861 6 August Lagos Treaty of Cession: British annexes Lagos, with status of Crown Colony. 1864 Samuel Ajayi Crowther becomes first African Anglican Bishop.G. I. C. Eluwa. "Background to the Emergence of the National Congress of British West Africa", African Studies Review, September 1971. 1879 George Taubman Goldie amalgamated various British ventures to form the United African Company (later known as the Royal Niger Company). 1880 The conquest of Southern Nigeria by the British began. 1885 Other European powers acknowledged British sovereignty over Nigeria at the Berlin Conference. 1887 King Ja Ja of Opobo exiled to West Indies by British. 1891 John Payne Jackson becomes publisher of Lagos Weekly Record.Parfait-Louis Monteil visits Sultan Abd ar-Rahman in Sokoto. 1892 British raid uses maxim guns to defeat Ijebu Kingdom, thereby moving towards complete dominance in the southwest area surrounding Lagos. 1893 British incorporate Yoruba lands in southwest into new protectorate. 1894 Brassmen revolt against Royal Niger Company.Rabih az-Zubayr conquers Bornu empire and establishes his capital in Dikwa. 1895 29 January King Koko leads successful attack on Royal Niger Company headquarters in Akassa. 2 February Consul-general Claude Maxwell MacDonald receives a letter from King Koko offering to release hostages in exchange for a redress of grievances against the Company. This request is declined. 20 February Royal Navy counter-attacks against King Koko, razes Nembe. 1897 4 January Covert foray of the Niger Coast Protectorate Force against Benin City is discovered and destroyed by the Kingdom of Benin. 9–18 February Retaliatory Benin Expedition of 1897 leads to capture of Benin City. 1898 Beginning of Ekumeku Movement against British rule. 1900 1 January All Nigeria now under Crown rule. Protectorate of Northern Nigeria created from Company holdings.
20th century