Nigeria is an African nation in West Africa bordering Niger, Chad, Cameroon, and Benin. Its capital is Abuja, and it is currently the most populous African country. The British colonized the region in the nineteenth century, but it became independent in 1960. Nigeria experienced a civil war from 1967-1970. Nigeria is home to more than 250 ethnic groups, and though the official language is English, many languages are spoken throughout the country. Prominent Nigerian authors include Wole Soyinka (the first African Nobel Laureate in literature), Chinua Achebe, and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.