Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and has a rich culture and history. Nigerians love to tell riddles as a form of entertainment and to challenge each other’s wits. Here are 41 riddles about Nigeria along with their answers.
Geographical Riddles
Riddle 1
I’m the largest city in Nigeria and was once the capital. I’m located in the southwest part of the country. What am I?
Answer: Lagos
Riddle 2
I’m a major river that flows through Nigeria and four other countries. I’m the third-longest river in Africa. What am I?
Answer: River Niger
Riddle 3
I’m a large inland delta in Nigeria formed where the Niger River splits into multiple tributaries. What am I?
Answer: Niger Delta
Riddle 4
I’m a major port city located where the Niger River meets the Atlantic Ocean. I’m the capital of my state. What am I?
Answer: Port Harcourt
Riddle 5
I’m Nigeria’s capital city located in the center of the country. I replaced Lagos as the capital in 1991. What am I?
Answer: Abuja
Riddle 6
I’m the tallest mountain in Nigeria, located along the border with Cameroon. What am I?
Answer: Chappal Waddi (2,419 m or 7,936 ft)
Riddle 7
I’m the longest river that’s fully within Nigeria. I flow through the Niger Delta before emptying into the Gulf of Guinea. What am I?
Answer: Benue River
Riddle 8
I’m a large inland body of water in Nigeria formed by the Kainji Dam. What am I?
Answer: Lake Kainji
History & Culture Riddles
Riddle 9
I’m the largest ethnic group in Nigeria. My people are known for their art, like the famous Nok Terracotta sculptures. Who am I?
Answer: The Hausa people
Riddle 10
I’m an ethnic group living in southeastern Nigeria, known for bronze casting and other metalwork. Who am I?
Answer: The Igbo people
Riddle 11
I’m an ethnic group living mainly in southwestern Nigeria, known for my intricate textiles. Who am I?
Answer: The Yoruba people
Riddle 12
I’m the historic kingdom located in northern and central Nigeria between the 9th and 19th centuries. What am I?
Answer: Kanem-Bornu Empire
Riddle 13
I’m the ancient civilization that flourished in northern and central Nigeria between 500 BC and AD 200. What am I?
Answer: Nok civilization
Riddle 14
I’m the ancient city located in Kano State and was once one of the largest cities in sub-Saharan Africa. What am I?
Answer: Kano
Riddle 15
I’m the Nigerian city that was once the capital of the Sokoto Caliphate, the largest state in West Africa during the 19th century. What am I?
Answer: Sokoto
Riddle 16
I’m the port city located in Rivers State that was a major slave trading port during the trans-Atlantic slave trade. What am I?
Answer: Port Harcourt
Riddle 17
I’m the language spoken as a lingua franca across much of Nigeria. I originated from the Hausa language. What am I?
Answer: Nigerian Pidgin
Riddle 18
I’m a popular Nigerian food made from cassava flour. I’m sticky when pounded and best eaten with soup or stew. What am I?
Answer: Fufu
Riddle 19
I’m a green and white flag that has been the flag of Nigeria since independence in 1960. What am I?
Answer: The flag of Nigeria
Politics & Government Riddles
Riddle 20
I’m the first president of Nigeria who served from 1963 to 1966 before he was overthrown in a coup. Who am I?
Answer: Nnamdi Azikiwe
Riddle 21
I’m the former Nigerian president who served from 1999 to 2007. I’m known for my fight against corruption. Who am I?
Answer: Olusegun Obasanjo
Riddle 22
I’m the current president of Nigeria, first elected in 2015. I’m known for launching large-scale infrastructure projects. Who am I?
Answer: Muhammadu Buhari
Riddle 23
I’m Nigeria’s major port city and the capital of Lagos State. I served as the capital of Nigeria from 1914 to 1991. What am I?
Answer: Lagos
Riddle 24
I’m Nigeria’s bicameral National Assembly consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. What am I?
Answer: The National Assembly of Nigeria
Riddle 25
I’m the highest court in Nigeria and the final court of appeal. I’m headed by the Chief Justice of Nigeria. What am I?
Answer: The Supreme Court of Nigeria
Sports & Entertainment Riddles
Riddle 26
I’m a Nigerian novelist and the first African to win the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986. Who am I?
Answer: Wole Soyinka
Riddle 27
I’m a Nigerian writer known for novels like Things Fall Apart and No Longer at Ease. Who am I?
Answer: Chinua Achebe
Riddle 28
I’m a Nigerian playwright and Nobel laureate known for plays such as The Lion and the Jewel. Who am I?
Answer: Wole Soyinka
Riddle 29
I’m a Nigerian novelist and critic who wrote The Joys of Motherhood and Second-Class Citizen. Who am I?
Answer: Buchi Emecheta
Riddle 30
I’m a Nigerian writer known for my debut novel Purple Hibiscus. Who am I?
Answer: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Riddle 31
I’m Nigeria’s most popular sport and I’m known as the “beautiful game.” What am I?
Answer: Football (soccer)
Riddle 32
I’m a Nigerian professional footballer who played for FC Barcelona and was named African Footballer of the Year four times. Who am I?
Answer: Jay-Jay Okocha
Riddle 33
I’m a Nigerian sprinter who was the first African woman to win an Olympic gold in the 100 meter race. Who am I?
Answer: Chioma Ajunwa
Riddle 34
I’m a form of Nigerian music that combines traditional Yoruba percussion with voices and modern instruments. What am I?
Answer: Afrobeat
Riddle 35
I’m a Nigerian singer-songwriter considered the king of Afrobeat known for songs like “Lady” and “Shakara.” Who am I?
Answer: Fela Kuti
Riddle 36
I’m a Nigerian singer-songwriter popularly called the “African Queen” who rose to fame in the 2000s. Who am I?
Answer: 2face Idibia
Riddle 37
I’m a Nigerian singer-songwriter who gained international fame with my 2013 hit “African Queen.” Who am I?
Answer: 2face Idibia
Animal & Plant Riddles
Riddle 38
I’m the largest monkey found in the Niger Delta. I get my name from my unique reddish-brown belly. What am I?
Answer: Red-bellied monkey
Riddle 39
I’m one of the “Big Five” animals found in Nigeria’s Yankari National Park. I’m the largest land mammal. What am I?
Answer: The African elephant
Riddle 40
I’m the national bird of Nigeria, known for my black and yellow plumage. What am I?
Answer: Yellow-throated greenbul
Riddle 41
I’m a tropical tree native to Nigeria that produces a nut used widely in Nigerian cuisine. What am I?
Answer: African walnut
Conclusion
Riddles have been a beloved part of Nigerian culture for generations. These brain teasers test your wits and teach you about Nigeria’s diverse geography, vibrant culture, complex history, political figures, literary greats, and flora and fauna. How many of these Nigeria riddles could you solve correctly? Challenge your friends and family to see who really knows the most about this fascinating country!
