Nigeria

A former British protectorate, Nigeria gained full independence in 1960. Three provinces broke away from the central government to form the Republic of Biafra in 1967. The provinces returned to Nigeria in January 1970.
All stamps have “NIGERIA” in the frank except provisional uses in Biafra.
The stamps are grouped according to political conditions at date of initial use:

A - British protectorate, 1950

B - Independent republic, 1960

GROUP A: British protectorate period. All stamps include a crown in the design

Note the two different crown styles:

A1. Neopost (LV-4, LV-8), 1950.

Small upright frank with palm trees at sides and Tudor crown in centre.

Value tablet at bottom centre flanked by “N” at left and M# at right.

TM: BIC

Values seen: (£sd)

1, 1½, 2, 3, 6, 9, 1/-

[$5]

Values seen: (£sd)

½, 1/9-, 2/6, 3/-

[$20]

A2. Universal Postal Frankers “Multi-Value” (MV), 1950.

Large upright design with large-hole simulated perforation border.

Panels at top and sides with Tudor crown at bottom.

M# “U1” in bottom of TM.

V/F:

=/0(½)

a. Country name chiseled out of top panel and town mark blank. This stamp may have been used in Biafra, or it may be a die proof.

NOTE: Although this stamp is reported to have been in use, the authors have seen only proofs.

A3. Universal Postal Frankers “Multi-Value” (MV), 1951.

Large upright design with small-hole simulated perforation border.

Palm trees at sides.

Tudor crown at bottom flanked by “U” at left and M# at right.

TM: DC

V/F:

0/0

=/0

=/0=

A4. Universal Postal Frankers “Automax” (MV).

Similar to Type A3 but with St. Edwards crown, different style of value figures and closer spaced circles in the TM.

M# with “U” prefix.

TM: DC

V/F:

=0/0=

A5. Universal Postal Frankers “Simplex” (LV-25), 1951. [$25]

Similar to Type A3 but smaller frank with wider spacing between TM and frank.

Tudor crown, “NIGERIA” letters thick.

M# with “S” prefix.

TM: DC

Values:

½^D to =1/-

in half pence steps

A6. Universal Postal Frankers “Simplex” (LV-25). [$25]

As Type A5 but with St. Edward’s crown.

“NIGERIA” letters thin.

M# with “S” prefix.

TM: DC

Values:

½^D to =1/-

in half pence steps

A7. Roneo Neopost "Frankmaster" / "305" (MV), 1951.

Similar in size to Type A4 but wreath of petals at sides.

Top panel in shape of scroll.

Tudor crown at bottom.

M# with “RN” prefix.

TM: DC, BIC, nil

V/F: (£sd)

=0/= =

V/F: (decimal)

000

a. Handstamped “BIAFRA”. TM reads “ABA/ NIGERIA” (R 171)

[$250, two examples known]

b. Town mark without town name, blank at top, “NIGERIA” at bottom

c. Date and value figures only, without frame and town mark (with slogan identifying the user as Barclays Banks D.C.O., Hospital Road, Kaduna)

[$25]

GROUP B: Independent republic. Stamps without crown

B1. Neopost "Frankmaster" / "305" (MV), 1960.

Nearly square open design with palm trees at sides.

M# with “RN” prefix in small panel between palm trees at bottom.

TM: DC

V/F: (£sd)

=0/0=

=0/==

V/F: (decimal)

000

a. Date only without TM

b. TM unengraved

B2. Neopost "Frankmaster" / "305" (MV), 1967. [$250]

As Type B1 but with country name in top panel chiseled out.

This stamp was used in Biafra province for a short time after reunion.

V/F:

=0/0=

NOTE: This stamp was probably in use during the years of Biafran secession but examples have not been reported.

B3. Neopost “205/2205” (MV). [$5]

Very similar to Type B1 but slightly smaller and spacing between TM and frank much narrower.

M# with “NE” prefix.

TM: DC

V/F (£sd):

★^/ 0 –

V/F (decimal):

000

B4. Roneo Neopost “405/505” (MV). [$10]

Similar to Types B1 and B3 but frank wider than tall.

M# with “RV” prefix.

TM: DC

V/F:

000

0∙00

B5. Pitney Bowes-GB “Automax” (MV). [$25]

Frank with single-line outer frame line with rounded corners, broken at bottom for M#.

M# with “P.B. A” prefix.

TM: DC

V/F:

=0.oo

B6.1. Pitney Bowes-GB “6300” (MV).

Nearly identical to Type B5 except date is not as wide, and the value figures are different.

M# with “P.B. N” prefix.

TM: DC

V/F:

≋0.00

B6.2. Pitney Bowes-GB “Simplex” (LV).

As Types B5 and B6.1 except the spacing between the TM and frank is much wider, and the date figures are small.

M# with “P.B. N” prefix.

TM: DC

V/F:

00

B6.3. Pitney Bowes-GB “5300” (MV).

Similar to Type B6.1 except value figures are set lower than the date figures.

M# with “P.B. N” prefix breaks lower left corner of border.

TM: DC

V/F:

≋0 00

B7. Hasler “Mailmaster” (MV).

Frank is horizontal rectangle with square corners.

One seen without M# but with unengraved block with “H” prefix at bottom.

TM: DC

V/F:

00.00

B8. Neopost “Electronic” (MV), 1997. [$25]

Nearly square frank with “NIGERIA” and “POSTAGE PAID” vertical at sides outside frame line.

M# "BVN 0000P", "BVN 0001P", "BVN 0002P" and "BVN 0004P" seen.

TM contains “NIPOST” (for Nigeria Post) at top.

This appears to be either a Post Office stamp or may be for Official use only.

TM: DC

V/F:

≋000

a. M# "NE XXXXX" seen dated 11/4/2000, possibly a proof.

b. "BVN" prefix and M# unengraved, leaving solid blocks in their place.

B9. Pitney Bowes “6300” (MV).

One poor example seen of a stamp like Type B6 but without palm tree ornaments and with “POSTAGE PAID” stacked at right.

The town mark reads “NIPOST” at top, and this may indicate a Post Office stamp.

TM: DC with broken rims

V/F:

≋0 00

B10. Postalia “MS5/WK4” (MV).

Frank similar to Types A3 and A4 but without the crown.

The palm tree ornaments are more finely detailed.

M# with “PG” prefix centred in bottom panel.

TM: DC

V/F:

00.00

NOTE: Starting around 1995 the Government of Nigeria banned the use of private postage meters because of widespread counterfeiting.

Shown below are typical examples of these counterfeits which nearly always are crude and resemble hand stamps.

GROUP C: Bulkpost Venture

BULKPOST VENTURE was introduced by the Nigerian Postal Service on 1st July, 2000. The venture was assigned the responsibility of handling bulk mail business for NIPOST by providing bulkpost service to organizations and bodies who generate a large quantity of mail.

C1. Pitney Bowes-GB “A900/B900” (MV).

Frank with simulated perforation border, with Nigeria Post logo at left of value and "NIPOST" running vertically at right.

TM with "BPV" prefix running vertically at left and M# running vertically at right. M# BPV003, BPV006-BPV011 and PBV027 seen.

TM: DC

V/F:

0000

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