Independence Day (Nigeria)

Independence Day is an annual public holiday in Nigeria observed on 1 October to commemorate the country's independence from the United Kingdom in 1960. It is celebrated nationwide with official ceremonies, military parades, cultural displays, and other public events. The holiday commemorates the formal transfer of sovereignty that took place in Lagos at midnight on 1 October 1960, when the Union Jack was lowered and replaced with Nigeria's green–white–green flag. Princess Alexandra of Kent, representing Elizabeth II, presented the constitutional instruments of independence, and the new federal government formally assumed authority. Preparations for the inaugural festivities included cultural events, receptions, and the commissioning of new infrastructure.

Since then, Independence Day has been a key date in Nigeria's civic calendar. The President delivers a national broadcast, state governments organise parades and cultural programmes, and Nigerian communities abroad hold commemorations in cities such as New York City and London. The anniversary has occasionally been marked by national incidents or protests, such as the suspension of festivities following the 1992 Nigerian Air Force C-130 crash and the October 2010 Abuja bombings during the fiftieth-anniversary events. The holiday is legally recognised under the Public Holidays Act 1979, which designates 1 October as Nigeria's national day.