What did the Nigerian flag look like before independence?

What was Nigeria’s flag journey before independence in 1960?

Nigeria used many flags before they settled for the green white green that’s still in use today.

Here’s a breakdown of Nigeria’s flags:

1800s:

• British Takeover (1800): Britain took control of Nigeria and used British naval flags (Blue and White Ensigns).

• British West Africa (1870): A British Blue Ensign with a badge featuring an elephant, palm tree, sand, and green mountains is adopted for the region that includes Nigeria.

• Oil Rivers Colony (1884): Britain claims the Niger Delta, renaming it the Oil Rivers, and continues using the British Blue Ensign.

• Royal Niger Company (1887–1888): This company controls parts of Nigeria and uses a flag based on the British White Ensign with a unique badge. They later switch to a blue ensign with the same badge.
• Niger Coast Protectorate (1893): The Oil Rivers Protectorate gets a new name, but the British Blue Ensign remains the flag.

ALSO READ: Why Nigeria abandoned the old national anthem ‘Nigeria, We Hail Thee’ in 1978

1900s:

• Nigeria Split (1900): The country is divided into north and south, each using a variation of the British Blue Ensign: the North keeps the blue ensign, and the South uses a green circle on a white background.

• Unified Colony (1914): Nigeria becomes a unified British colony, and the British Blue Ensign returns as the sole flag.
• Independence (1960): Nigeria gains independence and adopts its current green-white-green tricolour flag, designed by Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi. This new flag symbolised wealth (green) and peace (white).