Nigeria became a federation of nineteen states in

Analyze the question: It asks for the year Nigeria became a federation of nineteen states.

Concept: Nigeria's states were created in stages:

• 1963: Mid-Western Region created, giving 4 regions
• 1967: 12 states created by General Yakubu Gowon
• 1976: 19 states created by General Murtala Mohammed's regime
• 1987: 21 states created by General Ibrahim Babangida
• 1991: 30 states created by Babangida
• 1996: 36 states created by General Sani Abacha

Step-by-step solution:

1. Start from the 12 states created in 1967.
2. In February 1976, the Murtala Mohammed/Olusegun Obasanjo government created 7 new states, bringing the total to 19.
3. The new states were Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Gongola, Imo, Niger and Ogun. The creation also included the renaming of some existing states.
4. This makes 1976 the year Nigeria became a federation of 19 states.

Checking the options:

• A. 1989: no state creation that year.
• B. 1979: this was the year of the Second Republic, not state creation.
• C. 1991: 30 states were in place by then.
• D. 1976: 19 states were created. ✔

Answer: D. 1976.

Exam tip: Remember the sequence of state numbers: 12 → 19 → 21 → 30 → 36. Match it with the years: 1967, 1976, 1987, 1991, 1996. A helpful phrase is "Gowon 12, Murtala 19, Babangida 21 and 30, Abacha 36."