Can you guess which country has the 7th largest population in the world? Ok, you’ll probably say Nigeria. But that’s because you read my post title, right?

Chances are, there’s a lot that you and the kids in your life can learn about this West African country and its many cultures. Use these children’s books, games, videos, and fun facts to get started!

Related Post: Best Children’s Books Set in Africa

Copyright: len4foto / 123RF Stock Photo

Disclosure: I received free review review copies from the publishers of Baby Goes to Market and Chicken in the Kitchen. All opinions are my own.This post includes affiliate links. When you make a purchase through these links I earn a small commission, at no additional cost to you. You can read my full disclosure policy here. 

Best Children’s Books about Nigeria

Chicken in the Kitchen by Nnedi Okorafor and Mehrdoht Amini

What would you do if you saw a gigantic chicken making a rukus in your kitchen? The night before the New Yam festival, Anyaugo has to stop an intruding chicken from ruining the special dishes her grandma and auntie made. She decides she must consult the Wood Wit, a nature spirit who gives strange but helpful advice.

After following the Wood Wit’s advice to speak “Chickenese,” Anyaugo discovers that the tall chicken is in fact, one of the masqueraders from the festival who wants a midnight snack!

This humorous tale and its bold, engaging illustrations will entertain children while teaching them about important aspects of Igbo culture. (Recommended for ages 4 to 9)

Too Small Tola by Atinuke and Onyinye Iwu

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Tola may be small, but it’s no indication of her physical and mental strength! She takes after Grandmommy, whose nickname is Mama Mighty. In this delightful chapter book, Atinuke shows children modern day life in the bustling city of Lagos, Nigeria (challenging not only gender stereotypes, but stereotypes about Africa as well.)

My kid and I laughed out loud multiple times as Tola and Grandmommy carried home towers of goods from the marketplace. (Of course, they stop often to reward themselves with goodies, the news of which makes Tola’s lazy brother jealous.) Tola later showed her emotional strength when faced with a bully at the apartment’s water pump, inspiring her neighbors to stand with her. This book was a joy to read, and I’m hoping this book won’t be the last we hear of Tola. (#ownvoices, recommended for ages 7 – 10)

Catch that Goat! A Market Day in Nigeria by Polly Alakija

Just before leaving, Ayoka’s mother tells her to look after the goat, but the mischevious animal wastes no time in escaping. Ayoka heads to the market to find the goat. But each time she asks someone if they’ve seen her goat, they only respond with what all of their own items that are suddenly missing. Could the goat be responsible?

The children I’ve read this book to love both the word bubbles and the goat’s antics. After the story, there are several pages of illustrated bonus material about Yoruba language and culture, as well as facts about Nigeria. (Recommended for ages 3 to 7)

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My Grandfather is a Magician: Work and Wisdom in an African Village by Ifeoma Onyefulu

Nigerian author Ifeoma Onyefulu has written so many wonderful children’s books about her native country. Sadly, most seem to be out of print, but used copies are still fairly easy to find online.

In this book about occupations, children learn about one family and the many different jobs their members do. Granfather is  a traditional healer who knows all about the power of plants and trees. Father is a teacher; mother owns a bakery; and “Uncle Law” is a lawyer. Children will recognize many of the jobs in the book, while also learning about new ones. (Recommended for ages 4 to 10).

I also highly recommend Emeka’s Gift: An African Counting Book by Onyefulu!

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Baby Goes to Market by Atinuke and Angela Brooksbank

When mama takes baby to market, baby is very curious about all the sights, sounds, tastes, and smells. Because baby is so sweet, vendors keep giving baby all kinds of food to eat (without Mama knowing.) Baby stashes the extras in Mama’s basket, until finally she feels the weight of the bananas, coconuts, and more.

She’s alarmed at all the food she didn’t pay for, until the vendors reassure her that they wanted baby to have them! My 5 year old found baby’s antics delightful. We both enjoyed discovering all the playful details of the marketplace in the illustrations.  (Recommended for ages 2 to 6)

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“Why the Sky is Far Away” in The Barefoot Book of Earth Tales by Dawn Casey and Anne Wilson

This Edo folktale serves as a cautionary story to all of us who sometimes take more than we need.

Once, people could break off a piece of the sky and eat it whenever they wished. No one had to work for food, and the sky came in many delicious flavors.

But the sky didn’t like the way the people were wasting it and tossing away bits of sky like garbage. After a stern warning, the people promised to be more careful. But after an especially festive wedding, Osato decides she wants just a little bit more. When plunges her spoon into the sky for just one more taste, everything changes. (Recommended for ages 5 – 11)

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Games Played by Children in Nigeria

Okoso

In the book Emeka’s  Gift, author Ifeoma Onyefulu shows a pair of girls playing the game okoso. To play all you need is objects that spin, such as shells, spinning tops, or even pen caps. The player whose object spins the longest wins the game.

Catch the Tail

I highly recommend the book Growing Up Global: Raising Children To Be At Home in the World by Homa Sabet Tavangar. She has an entire chapter about games around the world.

One game from Nigeria is catch the tail. Children form two teams, with each team representing a snake. The last person in each chain has a handkerchief or scarf in their pocket (the “tail”.) Whoever catches the other team’s “tail” wins the game.

Related Post: Learn about South Africa – Best Children’s Books and Activities

Dara math game

Dara is a strategy game from the Dakakari people of Nigeria. It’s a three in a row game played on a checkerboard surface, but since it has some additional twists it’s a great game for older elementary children to play. Erica at What Do You Do All Day explains all the rules in this post. She also has a video that shows you how to play.

Ayo (you may know this game as Mancala)

This strategy game is played in many different African countries. You may have been introduced to it with the name mancala. The Yoruba people of Nigeria call the game ayo.

In this two player game, each player tries to capture more stones (or seeds, marbles, etc.) than their opponent. This version of ayo/mancala has a beautiful wooden board. You can also make a simple DIY version with egg cartons.

Related Post: Ten Ways to Raise Little Global Citizens

Explore Nigeria with the Bino and Fino Cartoons

I was delighted to find the cartoon series Bino and Fino recently. It’s created by Adamu Waziri, a Nigerian who saw that there was a lack of educational cartoons created by Africans.

I love the children’s voices who do the voiceovers for Bino and Fino (unlike many American cartoons, they actually sound like real children.) The pair go on many adventures, learning about topics from African history, culture, science and sports.

If you’re an Amazon prime subscriber, season 1 of Bino and Fino is included in your subscription.

You can also purchase DVDs and adorable plushes from the Bino and Fino website.

Important Facts About Nigeria

There are at least 250 languages (and possibly many more) spoken in Nigeria. Because of colonial influence, English is the official language, but in rural areas most people communicate in their indigenous languages.

Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa, and has the 7th largest population of any country in the world.

The landscapes of Nigeria are diverse, from rainforest to beaches to savannahs and mountains.

Nigeria produces more oil than any other African country. Many people who live in the River Niger delta are not happy with the environmental damage caused by oil production.

The film industry is strong in Nigeria, and is referred to as “Nollywood.”

Learn Yoruba words with Olabella

Yoruba is one of the most popular indigenous languages in Nigeria, and is spoken by many people in the western part of the country. Children can learn basics words and phrases from these short videos made by Olabella.