On 1 October 2024, MINURSO celebrated Nigeria’s National Day by raising its national flag at the Mission HQ in Laayoune.
The Day marks Nigeria's proclamation of independence from British rule on the 1 October 1960.
Nigeria remains a major contributor of troops and police to United Nations peace operations. The country first provided peacekeepers to the UN Mission in the Congo (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo) in 1960, the year of its own independence.
Currently, 263 military and police officers are deployed in UN peacekeeping operations around the world, including MINURSO where the Deputy Force Commander is from Nigeria.
The green color of Nigeria’s national flag stands for the country’s natural wealth, while the white color stands for peace and unity.