Biafra is a nation-state made up of the southern portion of Nigeria. It is bounded by Nigeria, Cameroon, South Africa, and Benin in the west, south, and east, respectively. The capital of Biafra is in the city of Lagos.

The name Biafra was derived from the Hausa word Biafra, meaning "Place of Abundant Life". The name was first used in 1914 by a group of Biafrans, who were dissatisfied with the colonial government of Nigeria. They considered Nigeria to be a place of abundant life, but also believed that it needed to be more than a colony. They also believed that Biafra should be a place of refuge for people from Europe and the United Kingdom, as well as a place of economic independence for all Africans.

The British government rejected the idea of an independent Biafra, and instead created the larger nation-state of Nigeria. The British did, however, allow the formation of an independent regional government in Southern Nigeria, called the Federation of Nigeria. The regional government was created to protect the rights of the local indigenous people, who were being oppressed by the local government.