This book provides a systematic introduction to the century-old history of the making of Nigeria and the related theoretical issues. The introduction is devoted to the unique significance of the writing of country-specific histories of modern African countries and the theoretical issues related to the studies on the historical process of state-building and development in modern African countries. In two broad dimensions, that is, the vertical historical presentation and horizontal structural description, the chapters in the main body systematically review how Nigeria has developed from a traditional tribal society to a modern state over the past century; the political changes, economic growth, social transformation, and cultural reconstruction it has undergone; as well as its achievements, setbacks, problems, and prospects. The author of this book has been observing the state-building and development of African countries for an extended period. The book is a unique, well-structured, and informative work that combines fieldwork with theoretical reflections and empirical experiences with theoretical analysis to explain the growth of young African countries in contemporary times.