Home of the Super Eagles
AFRICA’S most populous nation (the world’s seventh largest), Nigeria is located in West Africa on the Gulf of Guinea with Benin, Niger, Chad and Cameroon as neighbours. It is culturally diverse with some 500 ethnic groups but mostly Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba people, with them equally divided between Christians and Muslims.
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Oil-rich Nigeria offers tourists national parks like Cross River and Yankori, and landscapes as diverse as beaches, rainforest, mangroves, river deltas, freshwater swamps, montane forests and savannah. Great rivers like the Niger and Benue are found throught Nigeria.
Its capital, Abuja (population 775,000), is located in the geographic centre of the nation with Lagos (the largest city with eight million) and Port Harcourt, the major coastal cities. Visitors to the planned and world-class capital can relax at Millennium Park or beside scenic Jabi Lake. Katampe Hill is the geographical centre of Nigeria while Zuma Rock is a massive monolith.
They like to party in the capital too in gardens, nightclubs, lounges and bush bars.
Visitors to the capital can shop at JL Mall, Wuse/Utako Market, farmer’s markets, and Abuja Arts and Craft Village in the city centre. Also visit the fascinating Nike Arts Centre in Lekki. Open daily, visitors can learn art, do courses in neighbouring states and stay in a guesthouse as well as buy batik, indigo, beadwork, and carvings.
Lagos is a megacity for commerce and industry but also with a lively nightlife. Meanwhile, Warri in the Delta State is a city built on oil.
National parks like Kainji that extends over parts of Kwara and Niger states, are for wildlife safaris. Other natural attractions include Oke-Idanre Hill in Ondo State with its spectacular valleys and high plain. This United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s (Unesco) World Heritage Site also includes Owa Palace. Another unique site, Ogbunike Caves in Anambra State has historical and religious significance but with some 300 steps to access the caves.
The ancient Kano City Walls, another potential Unesco site is a medieval city with ancient earthen walls that are 14km long. Located in Kano State, it is associated with the Emir’s Palace.
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Nigeria has an 853km-long coastline with resort areas such as Lagos Bar Beach near Victoria Island (learn to surf at nearby Tarkwa Bay) and those around Port Harcourt; arguably the most beautiful Nigerian city. Despite being an oil city and home to many multinational companies, it is also located along the coast with fine beaches.
Ibeno in the southeast has 250km of coastline comprising beaches and mangroves. Coconut Beach, Badagry in Lagos State close to neighbouring Benin is known for beaches and coconut groves.
Cool off and head for the hills like Obudu Mountain Resort in Sankwala Mountains to relax in the temperate climate and enjoy the montane views. Alternatively, head to Ngwo Pine Forest in Enugu state for its forests and streams. Awhum Waterfall in the same state is renowned for its lakes, waterfalls, and monastery which is a popular pilgrimage site.
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Nigerian food is quite regional with specialty dishes from different parts of the country but with ingredients like rice, yams, cassava, corn and millet central to many dishes. Gbegiri is a bean-based stew popular in the southwest, nkwobi or spicy meat from the southeast, jollof (spicy tomato-based rice), couscous (for special occasions), lkokore (stew of fish and yams), banga soup and balangu (meat grilled over charcoal).
Travellers to Nigeria should use the professional services of travel agents such as CGSK Tours (www.cgtravels.com) and Tourways International (www.tourwaysinternational.com).