Nigeria’s National Orientation Agency (NOA) has issued new guidance on how the national anthem should be rendered at public functions, directing that only the first stanza of “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” be sung at official events.

The four-point directive also designates the third stanza as the National Prayer, to be recited at the beginning of events, while the National Pledge should be taken at the close.

According to the agency, all three stanzas of the anthem are reserved for major national occasions such as Independence Day, Presidential Inaugurations, Armed Forces Remembrance Day, Democracy Day (June 12) and the inauguration of the National Assembly. 

The clarification follows the 2024 re-adoption of “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” as the national anthem, replacing “Arise, O Compatriots.”

NOA’s key points at a glance:

• Sing/recite only stanza 1 at official events.
• Use stanza 3 as the National Prayer at the start of events.
• Render all three stanzas only on specified national occasions.
• Recite the National Pledge at the end of events.