Flag of Nigeria

In preparation for the independence of Nigeria from the British Empire, a national planning committee was established which set a competition to select a national flag in 1958. In 1959, out of almost 3,000 entries, Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi won the competition with an equal green-white-green with a red quarter sun on the white stripe was chosen. After acceptance, the committee removed the red quarter sun.{{cite web|title=What the green in the Nigerian flag represents?|date=18 December 2017|first=Adrianna|last=Simwa|url=https://www.legit.ng/1141039-what-green-nigerian-flag-represents.html|website=Legit.ng|access-date=5 November 2023}} The accepted flag now consists of a vertical bicolour green-white-green; the green stands for agriculture and the white stands for unity and peace.{{cite book|title=Symbols (Routledge Revivals): Public and Private|isbn=9781136505577|year=1973|publisher=Taylor & Francis|first=Raymond|last=Firth|author-link=Raymond Firth|page=351}} On 1 October 1960, the modern-day flag became the first official flag of an independent Nigeria and was raised for the first time in a ceremony by Lieutenant David Ejoor.{{cite web|url=http://www.gamji.com/nowa/nowa52.htm|title=Barracks: The History Behind Those Names (Part 5b)|first=Nowa|last=Omoigui|access-date=5 November 2023|website=Gamji}}

{{gallery|mode=nolines|whitebg=no|height=100

|File:Flag of Nigeria (1914–1952).svg|{{FIAV|historical}} Flag of the Protectorate of Nigeria (1914–1960)|alt1=The flag created by Lord Lugard for the Nigerian Protectorate

|Flag of Nigeria (original proposal).svg|Akinkunmi's original design|alt2=The original design proposed by Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi in 1959

|Flag of Nigeria.svg|Final design|alt3=The design accepted by the national committee

}}

{{See also|Flag of Nigeria (1914–1960)}}

In the late 17th century, present-day Nigeria was made up of diverse ethnic groups without national flags{{cite encyclopaedia|last=Smith|first= Whitney|author-link=Whitney Smith|title=Flag of Nigeria|encyclopedia=Encyclopedia Britannica|date=13 November 2018|url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/flag-of-Nigeria|publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.|access-date= 5 November 2023}}

In 1914, after the amalgamation of the Southern Nigeria Protectorate and Northern Nigeria Protectorate, Lord Lugard chose a British blue ensign with a green hexagram described as the Zionist-like Star of David surrounding the royal crown with the white word "Nigeria" under it on a red disc as the flag of the Nigerian Protectorate.

The standard of the President of Nigeria from 1960 had a red field with a large green shield and fimbriated white in the centre. It also features a black shield with a wavy-edged "Y"—representing the confluence of the Niger and Benue Rivers. There are three black scrolls containing the legend "President", "Federal Republic", "of Nigeria" placed on each scroll respectively in gold letters.{{cite book|title=Flags of the World|first1=E. M. C.|last1=Barraclough|first2=William|last2=Crampton|year=1981|isbn=978-0-7232-2797-7|page=153|publisher=Frederick Warne & Co.|location=London and New York}} This was replaced with the Nigerian coat of arm placed on the white stripe of the Nigerian flag; this also serves as the state flag.{{cite book|title=The Complete Guide to Flags|first=William|last=Crampton|author-link=William Crampton|publisher=Gallery Books|location=New York|isbn=978-0862724665|pages=136|year=1990}}

{{Unreferenced section|date=June 2024}}

• National symbols of Nigeria
• List of Nigerian flags

{{Reflist}}

{{commonscat|Flags of Nigeria}}

• {{FOTW|id=ng|title=Nigeria}}

{{Africa topic|Flag of|title=Flags of Africa}}

{{Nigeria topics}}

{{nationalflags}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nigeria, Flag of}}

Category:National flags

Flag

Category:Flags adopted through competition

Category:Flags introduced in 1960

Category:Green and white flags