Current Affairs Questions and Answers 2026 | Nigerian Past Questions

NIGERIAN CURRENT AFFAIRS PAST QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2026

Are you preparing for Post UTME, scholarship examinations, recruitment tests, school entrance examinations, interviews, aptitude tests, or other competitive examinations in Nigeria? Studying Nigerian current affairs and general knowledge can help you prepare for questions covering Nigerian history, government, politics, geography, national institutions, international organizations, sports, economy, and important national events. Current Affairs Questions and Answers 2026

This updated guide provides a collection of Nigerian current affairs questions and answers, together with general-knowledge questions that are useful for examination preparation.

Unlike ordinary memorization, effective current-affairs preparation requires understanding important events, institutions, and facts and keeping your knowledge up-to-date.

What Are Current Affairs Questions?

Current affairs questions test a candidate's awareness of important events, people, institutions, and developments in Nigeria and around the world.

Depending on the examination, questions may cover:

• Nigerian history
• Nigerian government and politics
• Geography
• National symbols
• Nigerian economy
• Education
• International organizations
• African affairs
• Science and technology
• Sports
• Important national institutions
• Major national and international events

Current affairs may appear in Post UTME, scholarship tests, job aptitude tests, entrance examinations, interviews, and other assessments. The original Ulearngo article similarly presents current affairs as a component of preparation for Post UTME and other examinations.

Nigerian General Knowledge Questions and Answers

Below are selected questions that can help you revise important Nigerian facts.

1. What is the official name of Nigeria?

Answer: Federal Republic of Nigeria.

2. What is the capital of Nigeria?

Answer: Abuja.

3. How many states are there in Nigeria?

Answer: 36 states.

4. What is the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria?

Answer: Abuja.

5. When did Nigeria gain independence?

Answer: October 1, 1960.

6. When did Nigeria become a republic?

Answer: October 1, 1963.

7. Who was Nigeria's first president?

Answer: Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe.

8. Who was Nigeria's first prime minister?

Answer: Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa.

9. Who designed the Nigerian national flag?

Answer: Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi.

10. What do the green colors on the Nigerian flag represent?

Answer: Nigeria's agricultural wealth and natural vegetation.

11. What does the white color on the Nigerian flag represent?

Answer: Peace and unity.

12. How many geopolitical zones does Nigeria have?

Answer: Six.

They are:

• North Central
• North East
• North West
• South East
• South South
• South West

13. How many Local Government Areas does Nigeria have?

Answer: 774.

14. What is Nigeria's largest city by population?

Answer: Lagos.

15. Where was crude oil first commercially discovered in Nigeria?

Answer: Oloibiri, in present-day Bayelsa State.

16. What is Nigeria's senior men's national football team called?

Answer: Super Eagles.

17. Which university is generally recognized as Nigeria's first university?

Answer: University of Ibadan.

18. Who was the first Nigerian to win the Nobel Prize?

Answer: Professor Wole Soyinka.

19. Who gave Nigeria its name?

Answer: Flora Shaw.

20. What is the currency of Nigeria?

Answer: The Nigerian naira.

Nigerian History Questions and Answers

Understanding Nigerian history is important because examination setters frequently include questions about colonial administration, independence, constitutional development, and major historical events.

21. What year did the Northern and Southern Protectorates of Nigeria become amalgamated?

Answer: 1914.

22. Who is associated with the amalgamation of Nigeria in 1914?

Answer: Lord Frederick Lugard.

23. Who introduced the indirect rule system in Northern Nigeria?

Answer: Lord Frederick Lugard.

24. What was Nigeria's first political party?

Answer: Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP).

25. Who founded the Nigerian National Democratic Party?

Answer: Herbert Macaulay.

26. When did Nigeria's first military coup take place?

Answer: January 1966.

27. Who was Nigeria's first executive president?

Answer: Shehu Shagari.

28. What system of government did Nigeria operate immediately after independence?

Answer: Parliamentary system of government.

29. What was Nigeria's administrative capital before Abuja?

Answer: Lagos.

30. When was Abuja made Nigeria's capital?

Answer: Abuja officially became Nigeria's capital on December 12, 1991.

Nigerian Government and Politics Questions

31. What is democracy?

Answer: A system of government in which political authority ultimately derives from the people, generally through elections and representative institutions.

32. What is the supreme law of Nigeria?

Answer: The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

33. What are the three arms of government?

Answer: Executive, Legislature, and Judiciary.

34. What is the main function of the legislature?

Answer: Making laws.

35. What is the main function of the judiciary?

Answer: Interpreting and applying the law and administering justice.

36. What is the legislature at the federal level called?

Answer: The National Assembly.

37. What are the two chambers of Nigeria's National Assembly?

Answer: The Senate and the House of Representatives.

38. What is a pressure group?

Answer: An organized group that seeks to influence government policies without necessarily seeking to form the government.

39. What is an election?

Answer: A formal process through which voters choose candidates to represent them or occupy public offices.

40. What is a referendum?

Answer: A direct vote by citizens on a specific public or constitutional issue.

Nigerian Geography Questions and Answers

41. In which region of Africa is Nigeria located?

Answer: West Africa.

42. Which countries share land borders with Nigeria?

Answer: Benin, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon.

43. What is the largest river in Nigeria?

Answer: The River Niger.

44. Which major river joins the River Niger at Lokoja?

Answer: River Benue.

45. What is Nigeria's most populous geopolitical zone?

Answer: Northwest.

46. Which Nigerian state is known as the Centre of Excellence?

Answer: Lagos State.

47. Which state is known as the Sunshine State?

Answer: Ondo State.

48. Which state is popularly called the Coal City State?

Answer: Enugu State.

49. Which state is known as the Gateway State?

Answer: Ogun State.

50. Which state is popularly called the Akwa Ibom State?

Answer: Akwa Ibom State is commonly associated with the slogan "The Land of Promise."

International General Knowledge Questions

Current-affairs examinations can also include international organizations and world affairs.

51. What does UN stand for?

Answer: United Nations.

52. What does UNICEF stand for?

Answer: United Nations Children's Fund.

53. What does WHO stand for?

Answer: World Health Organization.

54. What does UNESCO stand for?

Answer: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

55. What does AU stand for?

Answer: African Union.

56. What does ECOWAS stand for?

Answer: Economic Community of West African States.

57. What is the headquarters of the United Nations?

Answer: New York City, United States.

58. What is the headquarters of the African Union?

Answer: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

59. How many continents are there?

Answer: Seven.

60. What is the largest continent?

Answer: Asia.

Nigerian National Symbols Questions

61. What does the Nigerian coat of arms contain above the shield?

Answer: An eagle.

62. What do the horses on Nigeria's coat of arms symbolize?

Answer: Dignity.

63. What does the eagle on the coat of arms represent?

Answer: Strength.

64. What does the black shield on the coat of arms represent?

Answer: Nigeria's fertile soil.

65. What is Nigeria's national motto?

Answer: "Unity and Faith, Peace and Progress."

Post UTME Current Affairs Practice Questions

The following multiple-choice questions can be used for practice.

66. Nigeria became a republic in:

A. 1959
B. 1960
C. 1963
D. 1966

Answer: C. 1963

67. Nigeria gained independence in:

A. 1958
B. 1960
C. 1963
D. 1970

Answer: B. 1960

68. Nigeria's first president was:

A. Tafawa Balewa
B. Nnamdi Azikiwe
C. Obafemi Awolowo
D. Ahmadu Bello

Answer: B. Nnamdi Azikiwe

69. The Nigerian legislature is known as:

A. Federal Council
B. National Assembly
C. National Council
D. Federal Parliament

Answer: B. National Assembly

70. The two chambers of the National Assembly are:

A. Senate and Cabinet
B. Senate and House of Representatives
C. House of Assembly and Senate
D. Council and Senate

Answer: B. Senate and House of Representatives

71. A political system in which citizens elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf is known as:

A. Direct democracy
B. Representative democracy
C. Military rule
D. Monarchy

Answer: B. Representative democracy

72. The highest court in Nigeria is the:

A. Federal High Court
B. Court of Appeal
C. Supreme Court
D. Magistrate Court

Answer: C. Supreme Court

73. Which organization promotes regional cooperation among West African states?

A. AU
B. ECOWAS
C. NATO
D. UNESCO

Answer: B. ECOWAS

74. Nigeria belongs to which continent?

A. Asia
B. Europe
C. Africa
D. South America

Answer: C. Africa

75. Which river gives Nigeria part of its name?

A. Benue
B. Niger
C. Ogun
D. Kaduna

Answer: B. Niger

Current Affairs for Job and Recruitment Exams

Current affairs can be particularly useful when preparing for recruitment examinations and aptitude tests.

Candidates should revise topics such as

• Nigerian government
• National institutions
• Nigerian history
• Constitution and democracy
• Economy and finance
• International organizations
• African Union
• ECOWAS
• National security institutions
• Education
• Major national developments
• Science and technology
• Sports
• Important international events

However, candidates should be careful with old online compilations. A question asking for the "current" office holder can become inaccurate as leadership changes. For example, the source article contains several historical office-holder answers that were current when the article was published in 2018 but are no longer current.

For that reason, students should verify time-sensitive information from authoritative sources before an examination.

Current Affairs for Scholarship Examinations

Scholarship examinations may combine current affairs with:

• English Language
• Mathematics
• General Knowledge
• Logical Reasoning
• Verbal Reasoning
• Quantitative Reasoning
• Nigerian history
• International affairs

A good preparation strategy is to study both historical facts and recent developments.

Current Affairs for Interviews

Current affairs questions may also appear during interviews.

An interviewer may ask questions about:

• Nigeria's political system
• Current national issues
• Your state
• Nigerian institutions
• International organizations
• Your academic field
• Recent developments
• General knowledge

Rather than memorizing hundreds of isolated answers, understand the subject behind each question.

How to Prepare for Nigerian Current Affairs Exams

1. Study Nigerian History

Learn important dates, people, political developments, and historical events.

2. Understand Government

Know the roles of the executive, legislature, and judiciary, and understand how government institutions function.

3. Follow Recent Events

Current affairs change frequently. Information that was correct several years ago may no longer be correct today.

4. Practice Questions

Use practice questions to identify areas where you need additional revision.

5. Review National Institutions

Learn the functions of major Nigerian institutions and agencies.

6. Study International Organizations

Understand organizations such as the United Nations, the African Union, and ECOWAS.

7. Avoid Memorizing Unverified Information

Some websites publish incorrect answers or leave old information online for many years. Always cross-check important facts with reliable sources.

Frequently Asked Questions About Nigerian Current Affairs

What are current affairs questions?

Current affairs questions test knowledge of recent events, important institutions, people, national issues, and general developments in Nigeria and around the world.

Which exams ask current affairs questions in Nigeria?

Current affairs may appear in post-UTME examinations, scholarship tests, recruitment examinations, aptitude tests, entrance examinations, and interviews.

How can I prepare for Nigerian current affairs?

Study Nigerian history, government, geography, national institutions, international organizations, and recent national and global events. Regular practice with questions and answers can also improve preparation.

Are current affairs questions the same for every examination?

No. Different institutions and examination bodies can select different topics and questions.

Can old current affairs questions still be useful?

Yes. Historical and general-knowledge questions can remain useful for revision. However, questions involving words such as "current," "present," "serving," "latest," or "now" should be verified because the answer can change over time.

Where can I get more Nigerian examination materials?

Students can use reputable academic-resource platforms such as Iresearchify to find educational materials, project resources, research topics, and other student-focused resources.

Final Revision Tip

Do not rely on a single list of "latest current affairs questions." Combine historical knowledge, general knowledge, and verified recent information.

For examinations, focus particularly on Nigeria's government, history, geography, national symbols, economy, international relations, major institutions, and recent developments.

Keep revising, practice answering questions under time limits, and verify time-sensitive facts before your examination.

Iresearchify provides students with academic resources, project materials, research support, and educational information to help them prepare more effectively.