Nigeria Travel Overview

by ebizdir · Published July 1, 2021 · Updated July 31, 2021

GENERAL

Official name of the state

Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Capital

Abuja.

Geography

According to topschoolsintheusa, Nigeria in West Africa borders Niger to the north, Chad to the northeast, Cameroon to the east and Benin to the west. To the south lies the Gulf of Guinea, including the Bay of Benin and the Gulf of Biafra. The landscape and vegetation are very different; the coastal region is flat with lagoons, sandy beaches and mangrove swamps as well as rainforests with palm trees up to 30 m high. From here the landscape turns into savannah and open forest areas that rise to the central plateau of Jos (2000 m). The north, the southern foothills of the Sahara, consists of desert and semi-desert.

Government

Presidential Federal Republic since 1999 (in the Commonwealth) (suspended from membership from 1995 to 1999). New constitution from 1999. Bicameral parliament: House of Representatives with 360, Senate with 109 members. Independent since 1960 (former British colony).

Head of state

Muhammadu Buhari, since May 2015.

Head of government

Muhammadu Buhari, since May 2015.

Electricity

220 V, 50 Hz; Adapter recommended.

Time zone

West Africa Time: CET +2

COMMUNICATION

Phone

The country code is 00234. Telephone communication takes place almost exclusively via cell phones and computers.

Cellphone

GSM 900 and 1800. Network operators include Glo Mobile (Internet: www.gloworld.com/ng/) and MTN Nigeria (Internet: www.mtnonline.com). International roaming contracts exist. SIM cards are available almost everywhere, they only have to be activated in the mobile phone. The credit is loaded with a scratch card. The network coverage is almost comprehensive.

Internet

Main provider: Ua Microcom Systems Ltd. Most cities have internet cafes. High-speed connections are still rare.

Post Office

Airmail to Europe does not always reach its destination and takes up to three weeks on the way. International courier delivery is more reliable.

Radio

Since the use of shortwave frequencies changes several times over the course of a year, it is advisable to contact Deutsche Welle customer service directly (Tel: (+49) (0228) 429 32 08. Internet: www.dw-world.de) to request.

NIGHTLIFE

Introduction

As in most countries in the world, the big cities in Nigeria in particular have a varied nightlife with bars, pubs and discos. Many of the larger hotels have nightclubs that often have live music. Details can be found in the regional newspapers.

Lagos has the liveliest and most diverse nightlife to offer. There is a lot going on in the Surulere district in particular: around the Hotel Venice there are a number of cafes and bars where the stars of the local film scene frequent. There are plenty of good restaurants in the Lagos Island and Victoria Island districts. Lagos also has a lot to offer culturally: Here is the National Arts Theater (Internet: nationaltheatre.gnbo.com.ng), in which predominantly Nigerian plays are performed and which is the pride of the whole nation.

To the north of Oyo, in Ogbomosho, you can visit markets in the evening. At local festivals, which mainly take place in the summer months, you can see dance and music performances in traditional clothing.

Outside the big cities, the nightlife is rather tranquil. Many Nigerians go to bed around 8:00 p.m., so the streets are often empty. A breathtaking starry sky compensates for this, in which many more stars and planets can be seen than from densely populated Europe.

CULINARY

Regional specialities

Suya(grilled liver and beef on skewers)

Kilishi(dried and seasoned meat)

Pepper soup

Egussi Soup(meat stew with dried fish and melon seeds)

Ikokore(fish and sweet potato soup)

Boli(baked plantains)

Tip

If service is not already included in the bill, 10% is expected.

Regional drinks

The local beers are good, the traditional beer is made from sorghum. Palm wine can be enjoyed in some regions. The larger hotels have clubs, bars and cocktail bars; Spirits are expensive. Zobo is a non-alcoholic juice that is made from the dried leaves of roselle (African mallow), among other things.

Minimum age for consuming alcoholic beverages

In Nigeria you can drink alcohol from the age of 18.

ACCOMMODATION

Hotels

There are top hotels in Lagos and in the other larger cities, but they are often fully booked. Advance booking is recommended. Most of the good hotels are on the island of the same name. Hotels are expensive. Information from the Federal Ministry of Culture and Tourism (see addresses).

CULTURE

Religion

50% Muslim (in the north); 40% Christians (in the south) and 10% followers of natural religions.

Social rules of conduct

Manners: Shake hands to greet you. It is considered disrespectful to look someone in the eye for too long. Elderly people in particular are treated with great respect in Nigeria. In Yorubaland it is a sign of respect to curtsey at the introduction and to ask about relatives at the first meeting. Invitations to private houses are rather rare, especially in Lagos you are mostly served in restaurants and clubs. The social customs are similar to British customs. Small gifts are welcome and business gifts with a company logo are appropriate.

Clothing: Casual clothing is accepted; business people are only expected to wear light suits and ties at formal meetings. In some nightclubs and discos, shorts are undesirable. Women, especially in the Islamic north, should dress cautiously (avoid trousers) and observe local customs.

Photography: Military installations and police facilities may not be photographed. The same applies to security-relevant facilities (e.g. airports, bridges or government buildings), even if they are not marked as such. People should be asked before they are photographed. Some indigenous peoples cannot be photographed for religious reasons. For your own safety, you should be careful not to continuously present an expensive camera to everyone.

Tip: Service providers such as taxi drivers expect a tip. Porters are paid for by baggage and also expect a tip. The service fee is usually already included in hotel and restaurant bills, but an additional tip of 10% is expected.

Smoking: Smoking is prohibited in public in Abuja.

CLIMATE

Best travel time

Regionally different. It’s hot and humid on the south coast; the rainy season is between March and November. In the dry season, the Sahara wind, Harmattan, blows. The rainy season in the north lasts from April to September. From December to January the nights can be quite cold. The best travel time is from November to February.

COUNTRY DATA

Area code +234 Area (sqkm) 923768 Population 181562056 Population density (per sqkm) 197 Population in 2015 Member of the EU No main emergency number 112