Quick answerAbuja is the capital of Nigeria, with 2,057,985 people inside the city limits in 2026. The wider metropolitan area had about 4.0 million people in 2026. It is best known for the Aso Rock, the National Mosque and the National Christian Centre. Its official language is English, and its currency is the Nigerian naira.
Abuja is the capital of Nigeria, with about 2.1 million people in 2026 and about 4 million in the metropolitan area. It is a planned city in the centre of the country, home to Aso Rock, the National Mosque and the National Christian Centre.
Key facts
| Country | Nigeria |
|---|---|
| Population (city) | 2,057,985 (2026) |
| Population (metro) | 4,025,000 (2026) · Abuja metropolitan area |
| Elevation | 360 m above sea level |
| Time zone | Africa/Lagos |
| Language | English |
| Currency | Nigerian naira (NGN, ₦) |
| Coordinates | 9.06° N, 7.48° E |
Overview
Abuja is the capital of Nigeria, a planned city built in the centre of the country inside the Federal Capital Territory. It had about 2.1 million people in 2026, with about 3.8 million in the urban area and 4 million in the metropolitan area. The city stands at 360 metres above sea level, between the hills of the central plateau, at 9.06° N, 7.48° E.
Abuja was built in the 1980s to replace Lagos as the seat of government, and the move became official on 12 December 1991. Its landmarks include Aso Rock, the huge granite outcrop behind the presidential villa, the National Mosque with its golden dome, and the National Christian Centre, facing each other across the central boulevard.
Today Abuja hosts the National Assembly, the Supreme Court and most foreign embassies, and it is one of the fastest-growing cities in Africa. Zuma Rock, the great igneous monolith on the road from Abuja to Kaduna, is the city's best-known natural landmark.
What Abuja is known for
- Aso Rock
- National Mosque
- National Christian Centre
- Planned capital city
- Zuma Rock
Landmarks
- Aso Rock
- National Mosque
- National Christian Centre
- Millennium Park
- National Assembly Complex
- Zuma Rock
- Jabi Lake
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Abuja?
About 2.1 million people live in Abuja (2,057,985 in a 2026 estimate), with about 3.8 million in the urban area and about 4 million in the metropolitan area. That makes Abuja Nigeria's fourth-largest city and one of the fastest-growing cities in Africa.
What is Abuja famous for?
Abuja is famous as Nigeria's planned capital, built in the centre of the country to replace Lagos in 1991. It is known for Aso Rock, the granite outcrop behind the presidential villa, the National Mosque with its golden dome, and the National Christian Centre.
Where is Abuja located?
Abuja is in central Nigeria, inside the Federal Capital Territory, about 500 kilometres north-east of Lagos. It stands on the central plateau at 360 metres above sea level. Its coordinates are 9.06° N, 7.48° E, near the geographic centre of the country.
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Keep exploring
- Nigeria — the country Abuja is in
- Lagos — another city in Nigeria
- Kano — another city in Nigeria
- Ibadan — another city in Nigeria
- All cities in Nigeria
- All countries — the full list
Sources & last updated
Last updated: . Figures are shown with their year; where sources disagree, the value is left out rather than estimated.