1861    The United Kingdom annexes Lagos, Nigeria.

1901    Nigeria becomes a British protectorate.

1960    Nigeria gains independence from the United Kingdom.

1960    Nigeria joins the United Nations.

1966    The government of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa in Nigeria is overthrown in a military coup d’état.

1967    The Nigerian Eastern Region declares independence as the Republic of Biafra, sparking a civil war.

1969    Nigeria bans Red Cross aid to Biafra.

1970    After a 32-month fight for independence from Nigeria, Biafra surrenders.

1995    In Nigeria, playwright and environmental activist Ken Saro-Wiwa, along with eight others from the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (Mosop), are hanged by government forces.

1998    At Jesse, in the Niger Delta, Nigeria, a petroleum pipeline explodes killing about 1200 villagers, some of whom are scavenging gasoline.

1999    Olusegun Obasanjo becomes Nigeria's first elected president since mid-1983.

1999    Olusegun Obasanjo takes office as President of Nigeria, the first elected and civilian head of state in Nigeria after 16 years of military rule.

2002    An EAS Airlines BAC 1-11-500 crashes in a suburb of Kano, Nigeria shortly after takeoff killing more than 148 people.

2002    In Nigeria, more than 100 people are killed at an attack aimed at the contestants of the Miss World contest.

2004    Yelwa massacre of more than 630 nomad Muslims by Christians in Nigeria.