The postal history of Nigeria commenced in the mid-19th century with early mail linked to Fernando Po, an island off the African coast and to Lagos and other places on the coast. Lagos colony first issued stamps in 1874. Trading companies were based around the coast and the Niger delta area; postal services were developed in the Niger Company Territories, which extended up the Niger River, and in the Oil Rivers Protectorate covering other coastal areas. The protectorates of Northern Nigeria and Southern Nigeria were set up from 1 January 1900 and reorganisation in 1906 led to Lagos ceasing to be a separate postal administration. The country of Nigeria was formed from these parts in 1914, becoming independent in 1960. Civil war from 1967-1970 gave rise to the briefly separate postal administration of Biafra.

This link leads to a searchable list in Excel format of the pictorial designs on stamps of Nigeria since 1960.