Nigeria

The Federal Republic of Nigeria, colloquially known as Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic in West Africa that borders Benin to the west, Chad and Cameroon to the east, and Niger to the north. Its southern shore is on the Atlantic Ocean’s Gulf of Guinea. It is made up of 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, which is home to the capital, Abuja. Lagos, Kano, Ibadan, Benin City, and Port Harcourt are among its biggest cities. Nigeria is officially a secular democratic republic.

Modern-day Over the millennia, Nigeria has been the location of countless kingdoms and tribal governments. The current state arose from British colonial control beginning in the nineteenth century and the 1914 merger of the Southern Nigeria Protectorate and the Northern Nigeria Protectorate. The British established administrative and legal frameworks while exercising indirect authority via traditional chiefdoms. Nigeria established an officially independent nation in 1960, but it was engulfed in a civil war from 1967 to 1970. Since then, it has alternated between democratically elected civilian administrations and military dictatorships, until it attained sustained democracy in 1999, with the 2011 presidential elections seen as the first to be generally free and fair.

Nigeria is known as the “Giant of Africa” due to its enormous population and economy. Nigeria is the most populated country in Africa and the sixth most populous country in the world, with a population of roughly 184 million people. Nigeria has one of the world’s biggest youth populations. The country is regarded as a multinational state since it is home to over 500 ethnic groups, the three biggest of which are the Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba; these ethnic groups speak over 500 distinct languages and are associated with a diverse range of cultures. English is the official language. Nigeria is generally divided in half by Christians, who dwell primarily in the south, and Muslims, who live mostly in the north. Religions indigenous to Nigeria, such as those of the Igbo and Yoruba peoples, are practiced by a minority of the population.

Nigeria was the world’s 20th biggest economy in 2015, with a nominal GDP of more than $500 billion and a purchasing power parity of more than $1 trillion, respectively. In 2014, it surpassed South Africa to become Africa’s largest economy. Furthermore, the debt-to-GDP ratio is just 11%, which is 8% lower than the ratio in 2012. The World Bank considers Nigeria to be an emerging market; it has been characterized as a regional power on the African continent, a medium power in international affairs, and an emerging global power. Nigeria belongs to the MINT group of nations, which are commonly regarded as the world’s next “BRIC-like” economy. It is also one among the “Next Eleven” economies poised to become among the world’s largest. Among other international organizations, Nigeria is a founding member of the Commonwealth of Nations, the African Union, OPEC, and the United Nations.

During the 2014 Ebola outbreak, Nigeria was the first country to efficiently contain and eliminate the Ebola threat that was ravaging multiple other West African countries, as its unique method of contact tracing proved to be an efficient strategy eventually used by other countries, such as the U.s.a., when Ebola threats were discovered.

Boko Haram, an Islamist organisation that aims to destroy the secular form of government and install Sharia law throughout Nigeria, has been waging sectarian warfare in the country’s North East since 2002. In May 2014, Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan said that Boko Haram assaults had killed at least 12,000 people and paralyzed 8,000 more. At the same time, Benin, Chad, Cameroon, and Niger joined Nigeria in a joint effort to battle Boko Haram in the aftermath of the kidnapping of 276 schoolgirls and the expansion of Boko Haram assaults to these countries.

Nigeria’s population grew by 57 million between 1990 and 2008, representing a 60% rise in less than two decades. Almost half of all Nigerians are 14 or younger. Nigeria is the most populous nation in Africa, accounting for about 18% of the continent’s overall population; however, precise population figures are unknown.

According to the United Nations, the population was 154,729,000 in 2009, with 51.7 percent rural and 48.3 percent urban areas, with a population density of 167.5 persons per square kilometer. National census findings have been contested in recent decades. The most recent census, conducted in December 2006, yielded a population of 140,003,542. The sole gender split was available: men numbered 71,709,859, while females numbered 68,293,08. President Goodluck Jonathan said in June 2012 that Nigerians should restrict the number of children they have.

According to the United Nations, Nigeria has seen rapid population growth and has one of the world’s highest growth and fertility rates. According to their estimates, Nigeria is one of eight nations that will contribute for half of the world’s total population growth between 2005 and 2050. The UN predicts that by 2100, Nigeria’s population would range between 505 million to 1.03 billion people (middle estimate: 730 million). Nigeria had just 33 million inhabitants in 1950.

Nigerians account for one in every four Africans. Nigeria is now the world’s seventh most populated nation. According to 2006 estimates, 42.3 percent of the population is between the ages of 0 and 14, while 54.6 percent is between the ages of 15 and 65; the birth rate is considerably greater than the mortality rate, at 40.4 and 16.9 per 1000 people, respectively.

Lagos is Nigeria’s biggest city. Lagos has expanded from a population of about 300,000 in 1950 to an estimated 15 million now.

Nigeria has about 500 ethnic groups, each with its own language and traditions, resulting in a nation with a rich ethnic variety. The Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, and Fulani ethnic groups account for more than 70 percent of the population, while the Edo, Ijaw, Kanuri, Ibibio, Ebira, Nupe, Gwari, Itsekiri, Jukun, Urhobo, Igala, Idoma, and Tiv ethnic groups account for 25 to 30 percent; other minorities account for the remaining 5 percent.

Nigeria’s middle belt is renowned for its ethnic variety, which includes the Pyem, Goemai, and Kofyar. The official population count of each of Nigeria’s ethnicities has always been contentious and contested, since members of various ethnic groups think the census is manipulated to give a specific group numerical dominance (typically thought to be northern tribes).

Nigeria has a tiny minority of British, American, East Indian, Chinese (about 50,000), white Zimbabwean, Japanese, Greek, Syrian, and Lebanese immigrants. Immigrants from other West and East African countries are also welcome. These minority are mainly concentrated in big cities like Lagos and Abuja, or in the Niger Delta as workers of major oil corporations. Following the Cuban Revolution, a number of Cubans fled to Nigeria as political exiles.

Ex-slaves of Afro-Cuban and Afro-Brazilian ancestry, as well as immigrants from Sierra Leone, formed colonies in Lagos and other parts of Nigeria in the mid-nineteenth century. Following the abolition of slavery in the Americas, a large number of ex-slaves immigrated to Nigeria. Many of the immigrants, known as Saros (Sierra Leoneans) and Amaro (ex-slaves from Brazil), went on to become important merchants and missionaries in these towns.

Nigeria is a spiritually diverse country, with Islam and Christianity being the most commonly practiced faiths. Nigerians are almost evenly split between Christians and Muslims, with a small minority practicing Animism and other faiths. According to one recent estimate, Islam is practiced by more than 40% of Nigeria’s population (mainly Sunni, other branches are also present). 58 percent of the population adheres to Christianity (among them 74 percent are Protestant, 25 percent Roman Catholic, 1 percent other Christian). Animists and other religious adherents make about 1.4 percent of the population.

Islam dominated the north and had a sizable following in the country’s southwestern, Yoruba region. Nigeria has Sub-Saharan Africa’s biggest Muslim population. In Yoruba regions, Protestantism and indigenous syncretic Christianity are also present, while Roman Catholicism is more prevalent in south eastern Nigeria. Protestantism and Roman Catholicism were both dominant in the Ibibio, Annang, and Efik kiosa regions.

According to the 1963 census, 47 percent of Nigerians were Muslims, 35 percent were Christians, and 18 percent belonged to local indigenous groups. If this is correct, it shows a significant rise in the number of Christians (up 23%) since 1953, a decrease in individuals claiming indigenous beliefs (down 20%), and just a small (6%) dip in Muslims, which may most likely be ascribed to immigration, emigration, and birthrate.

The overwhelming majority of Muslims in Nigeria are Sunni, following the Maliki school of thought; however, a sizable minority follows the Shafi madhhab. Sufibrotherhoods have a high number of Sunni Muslim adherents. The majority of Sufis adhere to the Qadiriyya, Tijaniyyah, and/or Mouride groups. There is a sizable Shia minority (see Shia in Nigeria). Considerable northern states have integrated Sharia law into their formerly secular legal systems, causing some consternation. Kano State has attempted to include Sharia law in its constitution. The Kalo Kato or Quraniyyun movement is followed by the vast majority of Quranists. There are also Ahmadiyya and Mahdiyya communities in the country.

According to a CIA World Factbook study from 2001, about 50% of Nigeria’s population is Muslim, 40% is Christian, and 10% practices indigenous faiths. However, according to a recent study, the Christian population has surpassed the Muslim population. According to a Pew Research Center study on religion and public life published on December 18, 2012, in 2010, 49.3 percent of Nigeria’s population was Christian, 48.8 percent was Muslim, and 1.9 percent were adherents of indigenous and other faiths or unaffiliated. Furthermore, according to the Association of Religion Data Archives’ 2010 census, 46.5 percent of the overall population is Christian, slightly more than the Muslim population of 45.5 percent, and 7.7 percent are members of other religious organizations.

According to the Association of Religion Data Archives’ 2010 census, 46.5 percent of the overall population was Christian, slightly higher than the Muslim population of 45.5 percent, while 7.7 percent were adherents of other faiths. These figures, however, should be interpreted with care since sample data is mostly gathered from large metropolitan centers in the south that are mainly Christian.

According to the Pew Research study, 74% of Christians are Protestant, 25% are Catholic, and 1% belong to other Christian faiths, including a tiny Orthodox Christian population. The Hausa ethnic group (predominant in the north) was found to be 95 percent Muslim and 5 percent Christian, the Yoruba tribe (predominant in the west) was 55 percent Muslim, 35 percent Christian, and 10 percent adherents of other religions, and the Igbos (predominant in the east) and Ijaw (south) were 98 percent Christian, with 2 percent practicing other religions. The middle belt of Nigeria is home to the most minority ethnic groups in Nigeria, the most of whom are Christians and adherents of traditional faiths, with a tiny percentage of Muslims.

The Church of Nigeria of the Anglican Communion, the Assemblies of God Church, the Nigerian Baptist Convention, and The Synagogue, Church of All Nations are among the country’s leading Protestant denominations. Many other faiths, especially evangelical Protestant denominations, have grown significantly during the 1990s. Redeemed Christian Church of God, Winners’ Chapel, Christ Apostolic Church (the first Aladura Movement in Nigeria), Deeper Christian Life Ministry, Evangelical Church of West Africa, Mountain of Fire and Miracles, Christ Embassy, and The Synagogue Church Of All Nations are among them. Furthermore, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Aladura Church, the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and other indigenous churches have grown.

The Yoruba region has a sizable Anglican population, while Igboland is mainly Roman Catholic, and the Edo region is dominated by adherents of the Pentecostal Assemblies of God, which were brought into Nigeria by Augustus Ehurie Wogu and his colleagues at Old Umuahia.

Furthermore, Nigeria has become an African center for the Grail Movement and the Hare Krishnas, with the biggest Eckankar temple, with a total capacity of 10,000, located in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Nigeria is the 32nd-largest nation in the world, with a total size of 923,768 km2 (356,669 sq mi) on the Gulf of Guinea (after Tanzania). It is about the size of Venezuela and roughly twice the size of California in the United States. It has a 4,047-kilometer (2,515-mile) border with Benin ((773 km or 480 km), Niger (1,497 km or 930 mi), Chad (87 km or 54 mi), and Cameroon (1,690 km or 1,050 mi), and has at least 853 kilometers of coastline (530 miles). Nigeria is located between latitudes 4° and 14° North and longitudes 2° and 15° East.

Chappal Waddiat (2,419 m) is Nigeria’s highest peak (7,936 ft). The two major rivers are the Niger and the Benue, which meet and empty into the Niger Delta. This is one of the world’s biggest river deltas, including a significant region of Central African mangroves.

Nigeria’s terrain is diverse. The extreme south is characterized by its tropical rainforest environment, with annual rainfall ranging from 60 to 80 inches (1,500 to 2,000 mm). The Obudu Plateau is located in the southeast. Coastal plains may be found in both the southwest and southeast of the United States. Because of the abundance of mangroves in the region, the most southern part of this forest zone is designated as a “salt water swamp,” also known as a mangrove swamp. North of this is a fresh water swamp with flora that differs from the salt water swamp, and north of that is a rain forest.

The valleys of the Niger and Benue rivers constitute Nigeria’s most extensive topographical area (which merge into each other and form a “y” shape). The “rugged” upland to the southwest of the Niger. To the southeast of Benue are hills and mountains that comprise the Mambilla Plateau, Nigeria’s highest plateau. This plateau stretches all the way to the Cameroonian border, where the montane terrain is part of the Cameroonian Bamenda Highlands.

The area along the Cameroonian border near the coast is rich in rainforest and is part of the Cross-Sanaga-Bioko coastal forests ecoregion, an important biodiversity hotspot. It is home to the drill monkey, which can only be found in the wild in this region and over the border in Cameroon. The regions around Calabar, Cross River State, which are also in this forest, are said to have the greatest variety of butterflies in the world. The region of southern Nigeria between the Niger and Cross Rivers has lost much of its forest due to urbanization and increasing population harvesting, and it has been replaced by grassland.

Savannah covers everything between the extreme south and the far north (insignificant tree cover, with grasses and flowers located between trees). Rainfall is relatively restricted, averaging 500 to 1,500 millimetres (20 to 60 inches) each year. Guinean forest-savanna mosaic, Sudan savannah, and Sahelsavannah are the three types of the savannah zone. The Guinean forest-savanna mosaic consists of tall grass plains broken by trees. Sudan savannah is similar, but the grasses and trees are shorter. In the northeast, sahel savannah consists of areas of grass and sand. Rainfall in the Sahel area is fewer than 500 millimetres (20 in) each year, and the Sahara Desert is closing in. Lake Chad, which Nigeria shares with Niger, Chad, and Cameroon, is located in the country’s arid north-east corner.

Environmental issues

Nigeria’s Delta area, home to the country’s major oil sector, is plagued by severe oil spills and other environmental issues, which has led to violence.

The main environmental issues in Nigeria include waste management, particularly sewage treatment, the related processes of deforestation and soil degradation, and climate change or global warming. Garbage management issues in a megacity like Lagos and other large Nigerian cities are related to economic development, population expansion, and municipal governments’ incapacity to handle the resultant increase in industrial and residential waste. This massive waste management problem is also due to the unsustainable environmental management lifestyles of the KubwaCommunity in the Federal Capital Territory, where there are habits of indiscriminate waste disposal, dumping of waste along or into canals, sewerage systems that are channels for water flows, and so on.

High levels of trash pollution in major Nigerian cities are attributed to haphazard industrial development, increasing urbanisation, poverty, and municipal government incompetence. Some of the’solutions’ have been environmentally catastrophic, resulting in untreated garbage being deposited in areas where it may contaminate rivers and groundwater.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Nigeria had the greatest rate of deforestation in the world in 2005. (FAO). In 2005, 12.2 percent of Nigeria’s land area, or 11,089,000 hectares, was wooded. Between 1990 and 2000, Nigeria lost an average of 409,700 hectares of forest each year, equating to a 2.38 percent annual deforestation rate. Nigeria lost 35.7 percent of its forest cover, or about 6,145,000 hectares, between 1990 and 2005.

English is the official language of Nigeria. That may seem comforting, but Nigerian English may be very different. Most Nigerians use pidgin English, which may differ significantly from standard English owing to the inclusion of local slang and accent.

Consider American Creoles in the Louisiana area, or the exaggerated (but well-known) Jamaican pidgin English. Understanding Nigerian pidgin English may take some time for the unaccustomed ear, but it is certainly doable, not to mention fascinating, as learning a new language is frequently. Asking questions is the simplest method to overcome any first language barrier. They will not be shy about asking you to explain what you mean or admitting that they do not comprehend an outsider’s specific way of wording. Do not assume that a Nigerian’s failure to respond reflects ignorance. Remember that at first, your English will be as difficult for them to comprehend as theirs will be for you. The static will clear and mutual understanding will begin after you both adapt to a fresh rhythm of English.

In Nigeria, hundreds of African languages are spoken. The three most often spoken are Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo.

Nigeria’s country code is 234.

When dialing from Nigeria, dial +9 (followed by the) International Code (followed by the) phone digit digits.

Callers dial +234 (followed by the) phone digit digits when dialing into Nigeria. In Nigeria, there is also a business named Elixir Communication Worldwide that sells mobile phones to the blind and visually impaired. All mobile carriers have roaming agreements with other mobile providers worldwide.

To enter Nigeria, foreign people who are not citizens of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) must apply for a visa. This may be acquired online and then finalized in Nigerian embassies, high commissioners, and consulates throughout the globe. In certain countries, such as the United Kingdom, a service provider is also utilized for visa applications.

Nigerian visas are costly, requiring numerous payments to be paid to various agencies. An applicant in the United Kingdom will pay a USD164 cost online, followed by GBP20 for the High Commission and GBP75 for OIS Services , which will handle the visa. The cost of mailing, delivering, or retrieving the passport is additional.

If you need a visa to enter Nigeria, you may be able to apply for one at a British embassy, high commission, or consulate in the nation where you lawfully live if no Nigerian diplomatic station exists. The British embassies in Pristina and Sofia, for example, accept Nigerian visa applications (this list is not exhaustive). British diplomatic missions charge GBP50 to handle a Nigerian visa application, plus an additional GBP70 if the Nigerian authorities need the visa application to be forwarded to them. If the authorities in Nigeria communicate with you directly, they may opt to impose an extra cost.

Arik and Bellview Airlines fly domestically and internationally (to other African nations and London), whereas Aero flies to other African countries. Air Nigeria (formerly known as Virgin Nigeria) has stopped operations. Arik Air currently successfully operates these routes.

Delta began direct service from New York to Abuja three times a week (Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday) on September 6, 2009, utilizing its narrow, single-aisle Boeing 757-200. This aircraft came to a halt at Dakar. However, Delta replaced this service on 2 June 2010 with NON-STOP service from New York to Abuja three times a week on a wide-body Boeing 767-300.

• The majority of trains in Nigeria carry freight.
• Former President Yar’adua, on the other hand, said that he intended to invest in and actively pursue a national railway network that would be completed by 2011.
• Traveling by rail is not recommended at the time, particularly if you are a foreign national.

Getting around is generally simple, but there may be delays due to traffic congestion in most large cities. There are many coaches and buses that will transport you to any area of Nigeria that you want (ABC Transport Services is well known for its services among others). The Lagos state government also runs a public transportation system (BRT buses) that serves the Lagos metropolitan.

Unless you travel into Nigeria’s riverine regions, boat transportation is uncommon.

It is preferable to go in your own vehicle or a rented automobile (with a driver), although there are other means of transportation available. Nigeria’s road networks are rather inadequate in comparison to those of North America and Europe, although they are often passable. The “okada” (motorcycle) is not for the faint of heart (there used to be no helmets, but the rider is now obliged by law to wear two helmets for himself and a passenger) and should only be used for short distance trips. “Okadas” will get you to your destination fast and may even get you there in one piece. There are many buses and taxis in Lagos. The molue (an old 911 Mercedes Benz truck converted into a school-like bus) and the danfo are the two major kinds of buses (a Volkswagen Kombi bus turned into an eight-seater minibus). Most smaller cities have more cabs than buses, and they are quite inexpensive.

To go from one city to another, go to the “motor park,” select the taxi that will take you to your destination, and wait until it “fills up.” There is no need to haggle about the price. Some drivers may have a dangerous driving style, which implies that the only guideline that is constantly followed (by vehicles, not necessarily motorbikes) is staying to the right.

Driving in Nigeria (particularly Lagos) is rather unusual, mirroring driving in Cairo in certain ways. However, if you master it, you should be able to function in the majority of the world’s nations. Or any other world.

The roads are in poor condition. Potholes of varying sizes are to be expected. Expect individuals to drive on the wrong side of the road in order to dodge potholes or just poor sections of road. Even when driving on the highway. The road will most likely be removed. Expect the unexpected.

Be cautious if you see grass or branches on the road; this indicates that there is a broken down vehicle ahead of you.

Get accustomed to Nigerians screaming at you as you pass by if you are white. If you’re white, it’ll be anything like “Oyibo,” “Oniocha,” “MBakara,” “Bature,” or “white guy.” They’re simply telling you what it all means.

Self-driving for short-term tourists unfamiliar with the roads, particularly in Lagos, is not recommended and may be very stupid, if not hazardous. With violence on the increase, you might easily end yourself in a neighborhood or a roadblock put up by local gangs. If you hire a vehicle, it will come with a driver who is acquainted with the region and driving style, which is a lot simpler and safer choice.

If you want to drive yourself as a foreigner, it is best to follow the rules, as you will be an easy target for poorly paid police officers looking for someone to “fine” (payable directly to the officer in cash without a ticket or receipt) for the most trivial reasons, such as not indicating your intention to drive straight. If you are pulled over, do not provide your license since you will lose all bargaining leverage when negotiating the fine, which may easily equal the sum of all visible cash on you at the moment. Carry a copy of your license and give it over, or display it through your window. Also, do not allow the cops to enter your vehicle. They are not very hazardous, but they may be costly and inconvenient. However, if you just do not pay and do not get upset, it only costs you time. They have no actual authority over you.

It is normal practice for cops, particularly in the wealthier parts of Lagos, to flag you down and wish you a good weekend/holiday/Christmas/Easter/sunny weather/trip to work, especially during weekends and festive seasons. In this instance, you did nothing wrong, and they do not plan to “fine” you; rather, they are pleading for a modest sum of money. They will ultimately let you go if you persistently but politely refuse to provide anything. Just wish them a happy weekend/holiday/whatever.

If you work for a major business in Nigeria, you will typically have a corporate driver who will drive you about, avoiding the aforementioned issues to a great degree. He can get you a local driver’s license if you don’t have a driving test or evidence of a foreign license.

Nigeria is not a member of the most common international road traffic conventions, so you will need a special International Driving Permit (valid only for driving in Nigeria, Somalia, and Iraq) (if you do not want to get a Nigerian license), rather than the standard one that is valid in almost every other country in the world.

When you arrive at a crossroads in a congested location, a swarm of street vendors surrounds your vehicle. However, if you keep the windows and doors closed, you should be OK.

Sanitation Day is observed on the last Saturday of each month in Lagos and Kano, when residents clean their surroundings. While it is not unlawful to be out on the street between 7:00AM and 10:00AM, most Nigerians prefer to limit their activities until after 10:00AM owing to the increased presence of police officers and road checkpoints. If you are found during this time, the police may send you away to do some “public cleanliness” task, such as mowing lawns, etc.

Rail services in Nigeria are finally being rehabilitated after being abandoned for 30 years. Several new lines are scheduled to launch in the next years, aided by Chinese funding, while existing lines are being refurbished. While trains are still considerably slower than planes, they may now be used to travel across the nation. The Nigeria Railway Corporation is the only operator; however, this may change as the government considers liberalizing the railway industry.

Lagos currently has nearly daily links with cities in Nigeria’s interior, including Ilorin, Minna, and Kaduna, as well as a once-weekly sleeper service all the way north to Kano.

Arik, Virgin Nigeria and Aero Contractors have good scheduled domestic connections with modern aircraft to most significant destinations at reasonable prices. There websites are very user friendly and well updated.

Note that in Lagos, the two domestic terminals, while next to each other, are about 4-5 km (of road which would not be wise to walk if you don’t know the place) from the international terminal, and you would therefore need a taxi to get from the one to the other, should you wish to transfer from an international flight to a domestic one.

• Nigeria’s southwest – The Yoruba and Edo peoples, as well as others, call Lagos home.
• Nigeria’s Southeast – Land of the Igbo, Ibibio, and Ijaw peoples, as well as minorities, and hub of the massive oil industry.
• Central Nigeria – Transition zone between the southern woodlands and the northern savanna in central Nigeria.
• Nigeria’s eastern region – A rural area with numerous natural reserves and hills near the Cameroonian border.
• Northern Nigeria, home to the Hausa and Fulani, is nearly entirely Islamic, with Sharia law in place.
• Northeastern Nigeria is ruled by the Kanuri tribe.

• Abuja — Abuja is Nigeria’s capital, and it has lovely undulating landscape as well as contemporary Nigerian architecture.
• Benin City is the Edo people’s capital.
• Calabar — oil region, with the greatest number of butterflies in the world in the surrounding areas.
• Enugu — the coal city
• Ibadan is Africa’s biggest city in terms of land area.
• Kano is an important Hausa metropolis and the northern commercial center.
• Lagos is Africa’s second most populated metropolis, a former colonial capital, and a massive commercial center.
• Osogbo is the location of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Sacred Grove of Osun.
• Port Harcourt is an oil-region port city.

Almost all hotels in Nigeria demand payment before issuing a key. This is true even at the Sheraton and Hilton. Typically, you will be asked to pay 125 percent of the hotel cost, which will be returned when you settle the bill at the end of your stay. If you remain for more than one night, you must maintain your credit. However, paying this deposit with a credit card exposes you to future fraudulent use of your information.

• Lagos: Bar Beach, Badagary Beach, Tarkwa bay Beach
• Lekki Forest Reserve – a nice little fenced-off and interesting patch of tropical rainforest with wooden walkways located on the outskirts of the city (ask a taxi to take you to “across from Chevron Oil Company (who financed much of the refurbishment of the forest to look greener) on the Lekki Express Way, just before the second toll gate,” as locals tend not to know about it).
• Hiking and tourism on the Plateau
• Hiking and traditional activities, such as New yam and atiliogwu dancers, are held in Enugu.
• 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 week-end home there). They have some forest walks, hiking, one of the longest cable cars in the world (Austrian built) and very nice pristine swimming pools with fountains available.
• Imo: Igbo Ukwu Shrine, if you are interested in Nigerian art.

Traditional food comes in a variety of flavors. For instance, in the Niger Delta, afang soup, okra soup, owo soup, and starch, 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 Not to mention 404 pepper soup, which will make you behave like “Oliver Twist.” You should know that 404 stands for “dog meat,” and indeed, it is only available in some areas of the nation since it is considered barbarous in the west.

There are several “international” eateries in Lagos for the less adventurous visitor, such as 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, 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 ( In VI, Chocolate Royal is a lovely family restaurant with a great variety of ice cream (including ice cream cakes) and pastries. Métisse, an Oriental restaurant, is located inside Chocolate Royal. Bottles is a barbecue and Mexican restaurant located in VI. There are also a variety of flavors from across the globe. Simply Google the location and get a cab to drive you there. Outside of Lagos and, to a lesser degree, Abuja, Western cuisine tends to fade away, with “Jollof Rice and Friend Chicken” serving as a “safe” choice for the uninitiated.

Foreign restaurants are costly, and you can expect to pay at least $50 to $75, if not more, per person for a main meal, ice cream, and one drink. If this is too much for you, try the Syrian Club in Ikoyi (turn north – away from the water) at the Mobil filling station in Awolowo Road (the night club street) in Ikoyi, continue a few blocks and on your left you will see the Syrian mosque, turn in the gate just after the mosque and the Syrian Club will be on your right on the inside of the premises with nice Lebanese/Syrian flair at very affordable (fo).

If you’re a new expat in Lagos, do yourself a favor and get to know the following more expensive, foreign-owned, but well-worth-it smaller specialty shops in VI that sell all the delicacies and nice imported red meats that foreigners crave but that Shoprite, Park and Shop, and Goodie’s (the main supermarkets) may not stock: 1. 2. Akin Adesola Deli (the major road going to Bar Beach), 3. L’Epicérie is located across the street from Mega Plaza. La Pointe is located on Kofo Abayomi Street (near the Brazilian Embassy/Consulate) and is difficult to find. Knowing where these locations are can help you cope considerably in the first few months.

Other beverages to consider include palm wine, wine, zobo (red soft drink made from dried roselle flowers), kunun, and kai kai (also called ogogoro).

The northern states have adopted Sharia (Islamic) legislation, which prohibits the use of alcoholic beverages. Ironically, the only locations where you may consume a beer in these states are police staff bars and army barracks, since they are federally protected institutions. Beer is accessible in Kano in restaurants run by foreigners or Christians, Chinese eateries, and/or French cafés.

Go to the Sabongari district of the old town for a genuine night out. There are many pubs around that remain open till quite late. Many of them also provide good cuisine. Sabongari is also a good location to purchase alcoholic beverages, and there are lots of shops open late at night. Some Kano hotels are “dry,” but the employees at Tahir Guest Palace would gladly purchase you a couple bottles of beer to keep in your room (all rooms have large fridges).

The naira (symbol:, ISO 4217 code: NGN) is Nigeria’s currency. In August 2012, the exchange rate was €1=NGN214. Banknotes are issued in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, and 1,000, and inflation is usually in the double digits.

It is recommended that you exchange all of your naira at the airport before leaving Nigeria. The rate is meaningless since the naira isn’t worth anything outside of Nigeria. Currency collectors may be interested in Naira bills/coins, but they will be little more than colorful mementos of your vacation. Even if you are a foreigner, banks will typically exchange foreign money for naira but not the other way around. If you have unused naira at the conclusion of your journey, you will need to utilize the Bureaux de Change in the International terminal, the new Domestic terminal, or street sellers to get foreign money. The tourist market of Eco Hotel on Victoria Island is a secure spot to change in Victoria Island (not the hotel reception which will give you rip-off rates).

If the airport’s Bureaux de Change are unable to assist or are closed, the car park outside the International terminal is teeming with street sellers ready to exchange money in any major currencies. When dealing with these street vendors, keep the money you are buying fully visible until the deal is completed (i.e. don’t put it in your handbag and later discover it is incorrect and then try to bargain) and count carefully with them, as they tend to try and short-change you with a note or two, especially when you change foreign currency into naira (which is a thick bundle of small notes), but with necessitated. There are also street sellers at the major land crossings who may exchange naira for CFAs (XOF (Benin and Niger side) or XAF (Cameroon side) if necessary. When you are in the French nations, you may freely and simply change XOF and XAF to and from euros at a rate of 655.957 (occasionally with a little fee).

Changing big bills of US dollars or euros at professional money changers, such as the currency exchange market at Lagos Domestic Airport, will result in a higher rate. This is a fortified enclosure containing a significant number of money changers, mainly utilized by local nationalities.

If you have a VISA card, you can withdraw money from Standard Chartered Bank ATM Machines in Lagos (Aromire St, off Adeniyi Jones, Ikeja & Ajose Adeogun St in Victoria Island Branch, Abuja and Port Harcourt (in Naira) and ATM Machines of other banks with “Visa” stickers on them, such as GT Bank, UBA, Zenith, and others. This will relieve you of a lot of worry when transporting big amounts of money, and it is secure.

Money may be withdrawn from ATM machines at Abuja and Lagos International Airports. There are many ATMs on Lagos International, some of which may not be operational at all times. On the 1st level of the Lagos Domestic Terminal, there is an ATM that is operational. Typically, this is a silent ATM that is also extremely private and safe.

MasterCard and Maestro cardholders may now withdraw money from ATMs at various Zenith Bank and GT Bank locations. Some ATMs of Ecobank, First Bank, and Intercontinental Bank accept MasterCard/Maestro cards. Look for the red ATM sign outside, or ask any branch’s on-site security officer. Look for Ecobank, which has a branch inside the Murtala Muhammed International Airport’s grounds. Visa, on the other hand, is a safer choice if you are visiting the French nations around Nigeria, since MasterCard/Maestro is almost worthless in these countries.

If you must use an ATM, be mindful of the dangers associated with card cloning. This is an issue with airport ATMs, which do not have a security officer on duty. Check your statements after using your card on a frequent basis and notify your bank of any unusual behavior.

Also, since Nigeria is actively pursuing a cash-free society, an increasing number of hotels, restaurants, and stores (at least the larger ones) accept major credit cards (VISA being the preferred one – but ask first, there is both “local VISA” and “international VISA” – and MasterCard). Diners Club and American Express are nearly completely ineffective in Nigeria. Take the normal precautions when paying with a credit card (watch how they swipe, don’t allow the card out of your sight, etc.).

It is recommended that you plan ahead of time where you will purchase your supplies. This may prevent you from being targeted by touts.

You’re expected to haggle for your products in marketplaces (a notable exception is bread: its price is fixed). In typically, the actual price is approximately half of the amount that was first requested. When the vendor believes you are a wealthy visitor who is unaware of the true cost, he or she may inflate the price. After settling on a price, do not walk away without purchasing; this is regarded very impolite.

Fixed pricing are usually charged by stores such as supermarkets and restaurants. Fresh produce and Western-style sit-down restaurants are extremely pricey, with dinners costing upwards of $75 per person.

Some languages offer various methods for someone to address someone older than themselves if you are speaking the language. You never give anything to someone, particularly an adult or someone older than you, with your left hand. It is seen as an insult.

If someone is seated with their legs stretched out, you do not cross or leap over them. It is considered unlucky.

In non-Igbo communities, avoid shaking hands with elders and elderly people. It’s impolite to act in this manner. Kneeling or genuflecting for ladies and prostrating for males (particularly among the Yoruba) is the norm. You may not need to do it as well, but just show some respect while meeting elderly folks. In large cities or metropolitan regions, you may get away with not doing that since they are less conventional.

When entering a home in the mainly Muslim North, you must notify the ladies ahead of time that you will be coming so that they can prepare (cover themselves up). Some Islamic traditions compel women to cover their hair and body in front of other males, which is common in the North. Before entering, knock on the door and wait for a response. They will ask you to wait while they tell the ladies. Don’t get upset if you have to wait.

Many important works of post-colonial literature in English have been written by Nigerians. Wole Soyinka, the first African Nobel Laureate in Literature, and Chinua Achebe, well known for the book Things Fall Apart and his contentious criticism of Joseph Conrad, are two of Nigeria’s most well-known authors.

Other globally renowned Nigerian authors and poets include John Pepper Clark, Ben Okri, Cyprian Ekwensi, Buchi Emecheta, Helon Habila, T. M. Aluko, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Daniel O. Fagunwa, Femi Osofisan, and Ken Saro Wiwa, who was killed by the military government in 1995. Nigeria is Africa’s second biggest newspaper market (behind Egypt), with an estimated daily readership of several million copies in 2003.

Younger generation authors with critical recognition include Chris Abani, Sefi Atta, Helon Habila, Helen Oyeyemi, Nnedi Okorafor, Kachi A. Ozumba, Sarah Ladipo Manyika, and Chika Unigwe.

Nigeria has had a significant influence in the creation of many styles of African music, including West African highlife, Afrobeat, and palm-wine music, which blends indigenous rhythms with methods from the Congo, Brazil, Cuba, Jamaica, and elsewhere.

Many late-twentieth-century artists, like Fela Kuti, notably combined cultural aspects of different indigenous music with American jazz and soul to create Afrobeat, which inspired hip hop music. JuJu music, which combines percussion with traditional Yoruba music and was popularized by King Sunny Adé, is also from Nigeria. Mr. Fuji, Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, also developed and popularized Fuji music, a Yoruba drumming style.

Umuobuarie Igberaese, an Ewu-born poet and musician, created and popularized Afan Music. In Nigeria, there is a burgeoning hip hop trend. Kennis Music, Africa’s self-proclaimed number-one record company and one of Nigeria’s largest record companies, with a roster nearly exclusively comprised of hip hop artists.

Sade Adu, King Sunny Adé, Onyeka Onwenu, Dele Sosimi, Adewale Ayuba, Ezebuiro Obinna, Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, Bennie King, Ebenezer Obey, Umobuarie Igberaese, Femi Kuti, Lagbaja, Dr. Alban, Wasiu Alabi, Bola Abimbola, Zaki Ad

MTV presented the continent’s inaugural African music awards ceremony in Abuja in November 2008, bringing worldwide attention to Nigeria’s (and Africa’s) music industry. Tuface Idibia’s pan-African smash “African Queen” was also the first music video aired on MTV Base Africa (the 100th station in the MTV network).

The Nigerian film business, known as Nollywood (a combination of Nigeria and Hollywood), is currently the world’s second-largest producer of films. Nigerian film studios are located in Lagos, Kano, and Enugu, and contribute significantly to the local economies of these cities. In terms of both revenue and quantity of films produced each year, Nigerian cinema is Africa’s biggest film industry. Although Nigerian films have been made since the 1960s, the advent of cheap digital shooting and editing technology has helped the country’s film industry.

T.B. Joshua’s Emmanuel TV, which is based in Nigeria, is one of the most watched television channels in Africa.

Nigerian food, like West African cuisine in general, is renowned for its diversity and richness. Many various spices, herbs, and flavorings are used with palm oil or groundnut oil to produce profoundly flavorful sauces and soups, which are often made extremely spicy using chili peppers. Nigerian feasts are colorful and extravagant, and fragrant market and roadside foods grilled on grills or fried in oil are abundant and diverse.

Football is widely regarded as Nigeria’s national sport, and the country has its own Premier League. Nigeria’s national football team, dubbed the “Super Eagles,” has qualified for the World Cup five times: in 1994, 1998, 2002, 2010, and most recently in 2014. The Super Eagles were rated fifth in the FIFA World Rankings in April 1994, the best position ever attained by an African football team. They have won the African Cup of Nations three times: in 1980, 1994, and 2013. They have also hosted the U-17 and U-20 World Cups. They won the gold medal for football at the 1996 Summer Olympics (beating Argentina), becoming the first African football team to do so.

Nwankwo Kanu, a two-time African Footballer of the Year who won the European Champions League with Ajax Amsterdam and subsequently played for Inter Milan, Arsenal, West Bromwich Albion, and Portsmouth, was a member of the nation’s cadet squad from Japan ’93. Nduka Ugbade, Jonathan Akpoborie, Victor Ikpeba, Celestine Babayaro, Wilson Oruma, and Taye Taiwo are among the other players who have progressed from the youth teams. John Obi Mikel, Obafemi Martins, Vincent Enyeama, Yakubu Aiyegbeni, Rashidi Yekini, Peter Odemwingie, and Jay-Jay Okocha are some more well-known Nigerian players.

According to the official May 2010 FIFA Globe Rankings, Nigeria was placed second in Africa and 21st in the world. Other sports in which Nigeria participates include basketball, cricket, and track & field. Boxing is also a popular sport in Nigeria, including past World Champions Dick Tiger and Samuel Peter.

Nigeria’s national basketball team garnered worldwide news after qualifying for the 2012 Summer Olympics by defeating highly favored global top teams such as Greece and Lithuania. Nigeria has produced a number of globally recognized basketball players who have gone on to play in the world’s top leagues in America, Europe, and Asia. Basketball Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon is among these players, as are later NBA draft choices Solomon Alabi, Yinka Dare, Obinna Ekezie, Festus Ezeli, and Olumide Oyedeji.

Foreign oil workers have been kidnapped on numerous occasions. Due to ethnic tensions, anarchy, and the present operations of Islamist organizations such as Boko Haram, many foreign governments warn against traveling to parts of Northern and Central Nigeria. Boko Haram is a terrorist organization that may impose severe versions of Sharia law, such as amputation for stealing. For fear of suicide bombers, churchgoers should avoid gathering in large numbers, and alcohol should not be drunk in public. Terrorists often travel on motorcycles and pick-up vehicles. Ansar Muslimeen fi Biladi Sudan, which translates as “Protection of Muslims in Black Lands,” is another branch that carries out assaults and severe penalties. Boko Haram may be encountered in Borno, Kaduna, Bauchi, Yobe, and Kano. Nonetheless, the south and towns like as Lagos have remained largely untouched by the country’s upheaval and are still quite safe to visit, with the odds of getting caught up in such conflict being low.

Nigeria is a hazardous place to visit. Crime rates are high, especially in Lagos. The northern areas of Nigeria are plagued by the Boko Haram terrorist organization, which is renowned for its assaults on non-Muslims and for seizing control of the law. This Islamist organization is also renowned for its strict interpretation of Sharia law, which includes whipping. Because Boko Haram targets Christians and proselytizers, big gatherings should be avoided due to church bombings.

Tourists are not safe in the Niger delta region. There is ongoing low-level fighting between the government and insurgent groups, and many foreign oil employees have been kidnapped. Ansar Muslimeen fi Biladi Sudan, which translates as “Protection of Muslims in Black Lands,” is another extreme Islamist organization. Boko Haram militants often go by motorcycle.

The seas off the coast of Nigeria are among the most probable targets for modern-day pirates.

LGBT travellers

Homosexual sex activities are prohibited. When visiting Nigeria, LGBT tourists should exercise additional care, particularly in the north, where sharia law enforcement may be severe. Gay and lesbian people may both be executed, although they are more likely to be imprisoned. In fact, a newly passed legislation that has sparked outrage among both Muslim and Christian Nigerians has made it a felony to be aware of someone’s homosexuality and fail to disclose it to the authorities.

Do not risk unprotected intercourse with strangers or even someone you believe you know, as is anticipated all around the globe. Travelers visiting Nigeria must also be immunized against yellow fever, ideally 10 days before their arrival. Malaria medications and mosquito netting are also advised due to the prevalence of the disease. Polio vaccination in Nigeria is patchy, and there is presently a high incidence of infection in the country’s north.

Swan water is a safe drinking water that costs about NGN80 for a large bottle. Cheap “pure water” offered in plastic bags is less expensive, but it is not as “pure” as SWAN. EVA water, a Coca-Cola Company brand, is likewise safe.

It’s worth noting that Swan water is nearly out of circulation. It was popular in the 1990s, but it no longer has a monopoly on the market. It is preferable to use Eva water by Coca-Cola or Nestle water by Nestle Nigeria. It is also critical not to purchase water outside of aesthetically pleasing establishments.

It is preferable to buy bottled water at a convenience shop rather than on the side of the road. These upmarket convenience shops often buy their goods directly from vendors, including soft drinks such as Coca-Cola and other bottled beverage items.

Visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Nigeria destination page for the most up-to-date traveler health information, including warnings and recommendations.