Independence Day is an annual public holiday in Nigeria observed on 1 October to commemorate the country's independence from the United Kingdom in 1960. It is celebrated nationwide with official ceremonies, military parades, cultural displays, and other public events. The holiday commemorates the formal transfer of sovereignty that took place in Lagos at midnight on 1 October 1960, when the Union Jack was lowered and replaced with Nigeria's green–white–green flag. Princess Alexandra of Kent, representing Elizabeth II, presented the constitutional instruments of independence, and the new federal government formally assumed authority. Preparations for the inaugural festivities included cultural events, receptions, and the commissioning of new infrastructure.
