Official name

Federal Republic of Nigeria

Form of state

Federal republic, comprising 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT, Abuja)

Legal system

Based on English common law

National legislature

National Assembly, comprising the 109-seat Senate and the 360-seat House of Representatives; both are elected by universal suffrage for four-year terms

National elections

Most recent legislative and presidential elections, April 21st 2007; Umaru Yar'Adua was elected to the presidency, and his party, the People's Democratic Party, won a majority of seats in both houses of the National Assembly; he was sworn in on May 29th 2007; state governor elections were held on April 14th 2007; next national elections are scheduled for April 2011

Head of state

President, elected by universal suffrage to serve a four-year term; in May 2010 the acting president, Goodluck Jonathan, was sworn in as head of state following the death, after prolonged illness, of the president, Mr Yar'Adua

State government

State governors and state houses of assembly

National government

The Federal Executive Council, which is chaired by the president; appointed July 26th 2007; extensive reshuffle carried out in April 2010

Main political parties

People's Democratic Party (PDP); Action Congress (AC); All Nigeria People's Party (ANPP); Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA); All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA); more than 30 political parties are currently registered

President, commander-in-chief of the armed forces & minister for power: Goodluck Jonathan

Key ministers

Agriculture & water resources: Ahmed Abdullah

Commerce & industry: Jibril MartinsKuye

Defence: Adetokunbo Kayode

Education: Ruqayyatu Rufai

Environment & housing: John Odeh

Finance: Olusegun Aganga

Foreign affairs: Odejin Ajumogobia

Health: Christian Otu Onyebuchi

Information & communications: Dora Akunyili

Interior: Emmanuel Iheanacho

Justice & attorney-general of the federation: Mohammed Bello Adoke

Labour: Chukwiemeka Wogu

Mines & steel: Musa Mohammed Sada

Petroleum: Deziani Allison-Madueke

Transport: Yusuf Sulaiman

Women's affairs: Iyom Josephine Anenih

Youth development: Akinlabi Olasunkanmi

Central Bank governor

Lamido Sanusi