Nigeria – Travel guide at Black Countries Worldwide
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| Nigeria |
Capital Abuja
Currency Nigerian naira (NGN)
Population 185.9 million (2016)
Electricity 230 volt / 50 hertz (BS 1363, BS 546)
Country code +234
Time zone UTC+01:00
Emergencies 112, 199 (emergency medical services, fire department, police)
Driving side right
Nigeria (Hausa: Nijeriya, Igbo: NaÃjÃrÃà , Yoruba: Nà ìjÃrÃà ) is a large country in equatorial West Africa. It is the continent's most populous nation. It has a southern coastline on the Gulf of Guinea and has Benin to the west, Cameroon to the southeast, Chad to the northeast, and Niger to the north. It is Africa's most populous country and the world's 7th most populous, and also the largest oil producer and largest economy in Africa. Often regarded as the giant of Africa, Nigeria along with South Africa is also one of the most important countries on the African continent, with delicious cuisines and great tourist attractions. Although the northern parts of the country may be dangerous due to the influence of an Islamist rebel group ISWAP, also called Boko Haram.
Regions
Southeast Nigeria
Land of the Igbo people, the Ibibio and Ijaw, as well as minorities and centre of the huge oil industry
Central Nigeria
Transitional zone between the southern forests and northern savanna
Eastern Nigeria
A rural region with several nature reserves and highlands along the border with Cameroon
Northern Nigeria
Land of the Hausa and Fulani, almost exclusively Islamic with sharia law imposed
Cities
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| Abuja |
Abuja — the capital, with beautiful rolling terrain and modern Nigerian architecture
Benin City — city of the Edo people
Calabar — oil region, with the world's highest concentration of butterflies in the surrounding regions
Enugu — the coal city
Ibadan — geographically the largest city in Africa
Kano — important Hausa city, commercial hub of the north
Lagos — second most populous city in Africa, former colonial capital and huge commercial hub
Osogbo — home of the Sacred Grove of Osun, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Port Harcourt — capital of Rivers State and largest city in the oil-rich region
History
The pre-colonial era
The Nok culture of northern Nigeria flourished between 1000 BC and 500 AD producing life-sized terracotta figures which are some of the earliest known sculptures in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Tiv culture in the north-central region of Nigeria dates to 6 BC. Some of the famous bronze terracotta sculpture heads from this culture have been shown around the world.
In the northern part of the country, Kano and Katsina have recorded history which dates back to around 999.
The kingdoms of Ifẹ and Oyo in the western block of Nigeria became prominent about 700–900 and 1400 respectively. The Yoruba mythology believes that Ile-Ife is the source of the human race and that it predates any other civilization. Another prominent kingdom in south western Nigeria was the Kingdom of Benin whose power lasted between the 15th and 19th century. Their dominance reached as far as the well-known city of Eko, later named Lagos by the Portuguese.
In southeastern Nigeria, the Kingdom of Nri of the Igbo people flourished from around the 10th century until 1911 and the city of Nri is considered to be the foundation of Igbo culture.
In northeastern Nigeria, the Kanem Empire ruled from the 8th century to 1376 and was succeeded by the Bornu Empire, which was a powerful Islamic monarchy until it was defeated by the Fulani in the early 19th century.
The first Hausa kingdom was actually ruled by a queen, Amina, in the 11th century. Hausa kingdoms, based in what's now northern Nigeria, flourished from the 15th to 18th centuries, before eventually being defeated by the Fulani, who proclaimed the Sokoto Caliphate in 1809. The Sokoto Caliphate ruled for less than 100 years before being abolished by the British.
Although the Bornu Empire and Sokoto Caliphate were eventually absorbed into British Nigeria, the descendants of the rulers retained their titles and influence through the colonial period and maintain them to this day.
Colonial era
Portuguese explorers were the first Europeans to begin trade in Nigeria, and called the main port Lagos after the Portuguese town of Lagos, in Algarve. This name stuck on with more European trade with the region. The Europeans traded with the ethnicities of the coast and also established a trade in slaves which affected many Nigerian ethnicities. Following the Napoleonic Wars, the British expanded trade with the Nigerian interior.
In 1885 British claims to a West African sphere of influence received international recognition and in the following year, the Royal Niger Company was chartered. In 1900 the company's territory came under the control of the British government, which moved to consolidate its hold over the area of modern Nigeria. On January 1, 1901 Nigeria became a British protectorate (northern and southern protectorates) and part of the British Empire. In 1914 the northern protectorate and the southern protectorate under the colonial rule were merged forming one single entity named "Nigeria" (meaning: Niger[river Niger] area. The name "Nigeria" was given by the wife of the British Governor-General in charge of the country - Sir Lord Lugard.
Following World War II, in response to the growth of Nigerian nationalism and demands for independence, successive constitutions legislated by the British Government moved Nigeria toward self-government on a representative and increasingly federal basis. By the middle of the 20th century, the great wave for independence was sweeping across Africa.
Post-independence
On October 1, 1960, Nigeria gained its independence from the United Kingdom. As was the habit of colonialists during that era, no attention was paid to the fact that the "protectorates" suddenly and quite chaotically merged hundreds of distinct and autonomous ethnicities, or to the fact that some communities were ripped apart by the sudden construction of boundaries that never existed before. There was never a truly developed sense of singular Nigerian identity. In part, it was this disequilibrium which set the stage in 1966 for several successive military coups.
The Northern coup, which was mostly motivated by ethnic and religious reasons, was a bloodbath of both military officers and civilians, especially those of Igbo extraction. The violence against the Igbo increased their desire for autonomy and protection from the military's wrath. By May 1967, the Eastern Region had declared itself an independent state called the Republic of Biafra and the 30-month Nigerian Civil War began. More than one million people died, many of them starving to death before Biafra was defeated.
During the oil boom of the 1970s, Nigeria joined OPEC and billions of dollars generated by production in the oil-rich Niger Delta flowed into the coffers of the Nigerian state. However, increasing corruption and graft at all levels of government squandered most of these earnings. Nigeria re-achieved democracy in 1999 and although the elections which brought Obasanjo to power in 1999 and again in 2003 were condemned as unfree and unfair, Nigeria has shown marked improvements in attempts to tackle government corruption and to hasten development. Ethnic violence over the lack of profit-sharing with residents of the oil-producing Niger Delta region and inadequate infrastructures are some of the current issues in the country.
Climate
Varies; equatorial in the south, tropical in the centre, arid in the north. Natural hazards include periodic droughts and flooding. Tornadoes and hurricanes are rare because they typically are weak at this stage and travel west of the Atlantic.
Terrain
Southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus; mountains in the southeast, plains in the north. The Niger river enters the country in the northwest and flows southward through tropical rain forests and swamps to its delta in the Gulf of Guinea. The highest point is Chappal Waddi at 2,419 m.
People
The people of Nigeria are generally nice, with some even engaging you with conversations. As the Giant of Africa, Nigeria has more than 500 ethnic groups with different languages and customs. The largest ethnic groups — Yoruba, Igbo, Fulani/Hausa and Tiv — comprise more than 75% of the population. They have strong religious beliefs and respect for the elders is a must-do.
Holidays
New Year's Day (January 1)
Easter (Good Friday and Easter Monday, according to the Western Christian tradition)
Workers day (May 1)
Children's Day (May 27)
Democracy Day (May 29)
Eid al-Adha
Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of Ramadan
Independence Day (October 1)
Christmas (December 25)
Boxing Day (December 26)
Entry requirements
Foreign nationals who are not citizens of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) need to apply for a visa to enter Nigeria. This can be obtained through an online system, then finalized at Nigerian embassies, high commissions and consulates worldwide. In some countries, such as the UK, a service provider is also used for the visa application process.
Nigerian visas are expensive, requiring payment of fees to multiple offices. For an applicant in the UK, there will be a US$164 fee payable online, followed by UK£20 for the High Commission and GBP75 for OIS Services who process the visa. The price of posting or delivering/collecting the passport is extra.
If you require a visa to enter Nigeria, you might be able to apply for one at a British embassy, high commission or consulate in the country where you legally reside if there is no Nigerian diplomatic post. For example, the British embassies in Pristina and Sofia accept Nigerian visa applications (this list is not exhaustive). British diplomatic posts charge UK£50 to process a Nigerian visa application and an extra £70 if the authorities in Nigeria require the visa application to be referred to them. The authorities in Nigeria can also decide to charge an additional fee if they correspond with you directly.
Travelers entering Nigeria overland can easily pick up a tourist visa at the Nigerian embassy in Niamey, Niger. Requirements are two passport photos and a reference in Nigeria, no letter of invitation needed. The price is 75,000/140,000 CFA francs (€115/213) for a 3-month single-/multiple-entry visa for most EU-citizens and processing time is around one day (November 2016).
By plane
International airports in Lagos, Abuja, Kano, and Port Harcourt.
Arik and Bellview Airlines make local and international flights (to other African countries and London), Aero to other African countries. Air Nigeria (formerly Virgin Nigeria) has ceased operations. Arik Air plies these routes.
Several European airlines fly to Nigeria: British Airways (London Heathrow - Abuja, Lagos), Virgin Atlantic (London Heathrow - Lagos), KLM (Amsterdam - Abuja, Lagos, Kano), Air France (Paris-Charles de Gaulle - Lagos), Alitalia (Rome- Fiumicino - Accra, Lagos), Turkish Airline (Istanbul - Lagos), Lufthansa (Frankfurt - Abuja, Lagos), Iberia Airlines (Madrid - Lagos)
US Based Delta Airlines operates 5 x per week non-stop service from Atlanta to Lagos using a Boeing 777-200 aircraft.
United Airlines operates non-stop service from Houston Bush-Intercontinental to Lagos.
Delta Airlines has nonstop service from New York to Abuja three times per week on a wide-body Boeing 767-300.
Other inter-continental airlines fly to Lagos. They include: China Southern Airlines (Beijing, Dubai), Emirates (Dubai), Middle East Airlines (Beirut), Qatar Airways (Doha).
There are African companies: South African Airlines from Johannesburg, Egypt Air from Cairo, Ethiopian Airlines from Addis Ababa, Kenya Airways from Nairobi, Afriqya Airways from Tripoli.
Besides these, there are other airlines (in addition to VNA and Bellview) that operate domestic and regional flights to places like Abidjan, Accra, Banjul, Conakry, Dakar, Douala, Freetown, Johannesburg, Libreville, Monrovia.
There are also airports in most states of the federation and local air travel is widespread.
By train
Majority of the trains in Nigeria are for transporting cargo but there are many that are meant for transportation of people.
The former president, Yar'adua, however, said that he planned to invest and aggressively pursue a nationwide train network which should be ready by 2011.
At the moment it is alright to travel on trains even if you are a foreign national.
By bus
Getting around is relatively easy, except that there could be delays due to traffic jams within most major cities. There are multitudes of coaches and buses that will take you to any part of Nigeria you wish (ABC Transport Services is well known for its services among others). Lagos state government also operates a transit system (BRT buses) which serves the Lagos metropolis.
By boat
Transport by boat isn't widespread unless you venture into the riverine areas of Nigeria.
By car
Driving in Nigeria (especially Lagos) is somewhat unique, vaguely resembling driving in Cairo. If mastered, you should however be able to cope in most other countries. While driving in Abuja is relatively decent due to regularly maintained roads, it still doesn't compare with roads in more developed countries.
Many roads are bad. Expect potholes of every size, and that, except on the highway, people will drive on the wrong side to avoid potholes or other bad patches of road. Sometimes entire roads are non-existent, so be prepared for anything.
Grass or branches on the road means there is a broken down vehicle ahead of you, be careful.
If you are white, get used to Nigerians shouting at you as you pass by. It will be something like "Oyibo", "Oniocha""MBakara", "Bature" or "white man". It all means the same, they are just telling you to smile as you pass.
Self-driving for short-term visitors unfamiliar with the roads, especially in Lagos, is by no means advisable and could actually be quite foolish, perhaps even dangerous. You could easily wander into an area or a road block set by local gangs. If you choose to rent a car, it will come with a driver familiar with the area and style of driving, which is the easier and safer option.
Places To See
Lagos: Bar Beach, Badagary Beach, Tarkwa Bay Beach
Lekki (suburb of Lagos): Lekki Forest Reserve - nice little fenced-off and interesting patch of tropical rainforest with wooden walkways located on the outskirts of the city on the Lekki Express Way, just before the second toll gate", as many people tend not to know about the existence of the place, so taxi will probably look at you with a "huh" expression even though he may drive past it daily, Lekki Beach, Eleko Beach
Hiking and tourism on the Plateau
Enugu: Hiking and traditional events, e.g. New yam and atiliogwu dancers.
Calabar: Harbour where you can get boat rides, a nice cinema, sit-out parks and slave monuments in the Marina Resort located in Calabar; also there is Tinapa (the Nollywood studios) a little drive outside the city.
Obudu: Small town a few hours to the north from Calabar very close to the Cameroon border - rent a car from Calabar airport (comes with driver) and ask the driver to take you there via Tinapa. This is a cool mountain escape with a nice resort (Obudu Mountain Resort) on the mountain (the president also has a weekend home there). They have some forest walks, hiking, one of the longest cable cars in the world and very nice pristine swimming pools with fountains available.
Imo: Igbo Ukwu Shrine, if you are interested in Nigerian art.
The old walled cities of Kano, Katsina and Zaria.
Oyo: Palace of Alaafin, traditional markets and Calabash carvers.
Machina: A town with its annual cultural festival which takes place in March featuring cultural events such as traditional wrestling and horse racing.
Argungu: A small town with its annual fishing festival that occurs three days with approximately 35,000 fishermen catching fish in the murky waters.
Abuja: The capital, one of the most beautiful African cities has many tourists attractions including The Zuma rock, Millenium park and lots of rolling hills
Language
English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, Tiv, Fulani, Efik, Ejagham, Urhobo Edo and Idoma
The official language in Nigeria is English. That sounds reassuring, but Nigerian English can be surprisingly different. Most Nigerians speak pidgin English as a second means of communication, which sometimes greatly differs from standard English, due to the addition of local slang and varying dialect.
Understanding Nigerian pidgin English may take time for the unaccustomed ear. The easiest way to overcome any initial language block is to ask questions.
There are also dozens of African languages spoken in Nigeria. The three most spoken ones are Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo.
Money
Exchange rates for Nigerian Naira
As of January 2018:
US$1 ≈ ₦360
€1 ≈ ₦430
UK£1 ≈ ₦490
Exchange rates fluctuate. Current rates for these and other currencies are available from XE.com
Nigeria's currency is naira (symbol: ₦, ISO 4217 code: NGN). Banknotes circulate in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1,000 and inflation typically runs in double figures.
It is advised to cash all your naira back into another currency at the airport before you leave Nigeria. The rate is irrelevant, as the naira is not worth that much outside Nigeria. Naira bills/coins may be of interest to currency collectors, but other than that, they will be nothing more than colorful souvenirs of your trip. Banks will change foreign currency to naira, but usually not the other way around, even though you are a foreigner. You would therefore need to use the Bureaux de Change at the International terminal or the new Domestic terminal or street vendors to get foreign currency should you end up with unused naira at the end of your trip. A safe place to change in Victoria Island is in the tourist market of Eko Hotel in Victoria Island.
Bargaining
At markets, you are supposed to haggle for your goods (a notable exception is bread: its price is fixed). As a general rule, the real price is about half the price that was first asked. The seller may exaggerate the price when he or she thinks that you are a rich tourist ignorant of the real price. After agreeing on a price, don't walk away without buying, this is considered very rude.
Shops like supermarket and restaurants will typically charge fixed prices. Fresh products and Western-style sit-in restaurants are quite expensive, with it not being uncommon to pay US$75 for a dinner per person.
Eat
There are many types of traditional cuisine to enjoy. For example: afang soup, okra soup, owo soup and starch in the Niger Delta, plantain (fried, boiled, roasted), pepper soup, amala, eba, efo, pounded yam (iyan - Yoruba for "pounded yam" pronounce " ee-yarn" ), jollof rice, ground nut soup, ogbono soup, isi ewu (goat's head stew), egusi soup, suya (kebab), moin moin, ewedu, gbegiri soup (beans soup), edikangikong, ground-rice, puff-puff, chin chin, ikokore, owerri soup (ofe owerri), which is the most expensive African soup in Nigeria.
For the less adventurous traveller, there are loads of "foreign" restaurants in Lagos, e.g. Sky Bar and the grill at Eco Hotel, Churasco's, Lagoon and Fusion all three next to each other (all-you-can-eat Brazilian grill, Indian and Sushi respectively) with a nice view of the lagoon, Piccolo Mondo, Manuella's Residence (great Italian Pizza from Manuella the Italian lady), Bungalow (close to Coschari's BMW in VI) - good sports bar, grill and Sushi, great Sunday buffet at Radisson Blu. Chocolate Royal is a nice family restaurant with excellent ice cream selection (including ice cream cakes) and pastries in VI. Inside Chocolate Royal is an Oriental restaurant called Métisse. Bottles in VI is a grill and Mexican restaurant. And there are loads more flavors from every corner of the world. Just Google and ask taxi to take you there. Outside Lagos and to a lesser extent Abuja, Western food will tend to disappear, with "Jollof Rice and fried chicken" being a "safe" option if you are not adventurous.
Drinks
Nigeria is one of the places where Guinness is brewed outside of Ireland. And they do it pretty well, although it's not the same product. The Guinness brand (with logo and copyrights where they should be) is also used to brew both an alcohol-free malt version of the black stuff, and an extra strong (about 7.5%) version of Guinness in Kenya (in the case of the latter) and Tanzania (in the case of the former).
Beer is actually big business in Nigeria, although the move toward evangelism and Islamic law is making its mark. Lagos is relatively unaffected due to its cosmopolitan nature. Heineken, Star, Harp, Gulder and other international beers are available.
Malt beverages (non-alcoholic) are very common in Nigeria.
The other cheap drink of choice is gin, which is locally made. Some locals will swear to it making their step uncle's dog blind, though, so be careful.
Sleep
Almost all hotels in Nigeria require you to pay before you get your key. This applies even to the Sheraton and the Hilton. Typically you are requested to pay 125% of the room rate and you will be refunded when settling the bill at your departure. If you stay more than one night you need to keep the credit up. However, paying this deposit by credit card can leave you open to subsequent fraudulent use of your details.
The Transcorp Hilton in Abuja is 5-star and a top ranked hotel in Nigeria. It's comparable to nice hotels in other developing countries.
In Port Harcourt, the Meridian is quite decent. It's a tad bit expensive but your money's worth is guaranteed.
In Lagos, the Sheraton Hotel and the Kuramo Lodge on Victoria Island are ranked 4 star. You can also try the Eko Hotel & Suites adjacent to Kuramo Lodge. It's definitely a favorite for tourists and foreigners.
In Kano, you can have an aircond room in Tahir Guest Palace, Prince hotel, or one of many small hotels. The Green Palace Hotel in Kano is awesome. It is roomy, not as isolated as the Prince, and just has a pleasant ambience.
Stay safe
Nigeria is not really dangerous destination with the level of crime greatly exaggerated by the media. Crime levels are fairly high, particularly in Lagos. The far north eastern regions of Nigeria is troubled by the Boko Haram jihadist group which is known for its attacks on non-Muslims and taking the law into their own hands. This Islamist group is also known for its harsh interpretation of sharia law which includes flogging. Boko Haram attacks Christians and proselytizers so avoid traveling to the north east in large groups.
The Niger Delta area is unsafe for tourists. There is continual low-level violence between government and militant groups, and there have been several kidnappings of foreign oil workers.
Stay healthy
Travelers to Nigeria are required to vaccinate themselves against yellow fever, preferably 10 days before arrival in Nigeria. As malaria is prevalent, malaria pills and mosquito nets are also recommended. Polio vaccination in Nigeria is intermittent and there is a high rate of infection in the North.
For the latest traveler's health information pertaining to Nigeria, including advisories and recommendations, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Nigeria destination website at: http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/nigeria.htm
Respect
Ramadan is the 9th and holiest month in the Islamic calendar and lasts 29–30 days. Muslims fast every day for its duration and most restaurants will be closed until the fast breaks at dusk. Nothing (including water and cigarettes) is supposed to pass through the lips from dawn to sunset. Non-Muslims are exempt from this, but should still refrain from eating or drinking in public as this is considered very impolite. Working hours are decreased as well in the corporate world. Exact dates of Ramadan depend on local astronomical observations and may vary somewhat from country to country. Ramadan concludes with the festival of Eid al-Fitr, which may last several days, usually three in most countries.
16 May – 14 June 2018 (1439 AH)
6 May – 3 June 2019 (1440 AH)
24 April – 23 May 2020 (1441 AH)
13 April – 12 May 2021 (1442 AH)
2 April – 1 May 2022 (1443 AH)
If you're planning to travel to Nigeria during Ramadan, consider reading Travelling during Ramadan.
If you are speaking the language, some of the languages have different ways for someone to address someone older than themselves. You do not hand things over to people, especially adults and people older than you, with your left hand. It's considered an insult.
You don't cross or jump over someone's legs if they are sitting with the legs extended out. It's considered bad luck.
Avoid shaking hands with elders and older people in non-Igbo villages. It's disrespectful to do that. Can you bow down a little? Kneeling or genuflecting for women or prostrating by men (especially among the Yoruba) is the normal thing to do. You may not need to do it either, but just show some form of respect when greeting older people. You can get away with not doing that in big cities or urban areas, they are less traditional there.
When entering a house in the predominantly Muslim North, you have to let them know in advance that you are visiting so that the women can prepare (cover themselves up). Some Islamic customs require women to cover their hair and bodies to other men and this is practiced in the North. Knock on the door and wait to be answered before going in. They will ask you to wait while the women are informed. Do not be offended by the wait.
Connect
The country code for Nigeria is 234.
Dialing out from Nigeria: you will need to dial +9 (followed by the) International Code (followed by the) phone digit numbers.
Dialing into Nigeria: callers use +234 (followed by the) phone digit numbers. There is also a company in Nigeria called Elixir Communication Worldwide that offers mobile phones for the blind and visually challenged. All the mobile operators have a roaming agreement with other mobile operators around the world.
Go next
Travel north to Niger, and into the Sahara Desert.
Travel east to Cameroon, for some mountain climbing.
Travel west to Benin, the best way out when traveling to Europe overland.
Travel northeast to Chad.
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