An Overview of Earthquakes and Tremors in Nigeria: Occurrences, Distributions and Implications for Monitoring

Geologically, Nigeria is located in a so-called stable Pre-Cambrain–Paleozoic age Basement terrain believed to be seismically safe. However, records have shown that earth tremors (minor earthquakes) have occurred in Nigeria from 1933 - 2018. An overview of these events would leave us with no other explanation than to question the previous assertion that Nigeria is seismically safe. The recent trend of earthquakes/tremors in Nigeria is an indication that seismic activities within the country are increasing and urgent measures need to be adopted to avert devastating consequences of big earthquakes in the most populous black nation in the world. Nigerian seismologists are all agreed that Nigeria is no longer an earthquake-free zone (aseismic) as previously believed following the series of earth tremors in different parts of the country in recent times. This development requires that measures be put in place to mitigate the devastating effects when a major earthquake occurs in Nigeria. Nigeria needs to immediately adopt a healthy and sustained monitoring of seismic activities within the country and its environs to avert the devastating impact of earthquakes in future. This is so because an earthquake is a natural phenomenon and nobody can stop its occurrence or even correctly predict it before it occurs. This paper therefore is aimed at giving an overview of incidences of earth tremors in Nigeria. The review of the setting of  geological and tectonic activities as well as the scale used in the measurements of earthquakes, causes and reported incidences and the status of Nigerian Seismic Stations in monitoring recent earthquakes. There is urgent need for the country to be prepared and get ready to invest in disaster monitoring equipment that will help in mitigating such disasters.