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Information of Nigeria |
Capital: Abuja
Official Language: English
Currency: Naira
Nigeria is a beautiful West African country with rich natural treasures. Nigeria shares borders with Niger to the north, Gulf of Guinea to the south, Cameroon to the east and Benin to the west. Vast expanse of beaches and evergreen forests in the south, lagoons and mangrove swamps in the coastal areas and savannah grasslands and semi arid desert in the northern part mark the natural beauty of Nigeria. Moreover beautiful waterfalls, springs, hills, caves, tropical wild life and a sunny atmosphere enhance the aesthetic appeal of the country. There are eight National Parks in Nigeria that helps in the development of eco tourism in the country. Various indegneous festivals like Osun Oshogbo festival, Eyo festival, Kano and Mmanwu festival bring out the cultural heritage of the country. Nigeria is enriched with finest collections of Arts and Crafts as well as some fascinating archaeological relics. Moreover the Nigerians are renowned for their hospitality and civil attitude. Nigeria also known as GIANT OF AFRICA is undeniably a potential tourist destination of the world.
Major Cities of Nigeria
Abuja is the capital city of Nigeria. Other major cities are Ibadan, Kaduna, Kano, Lagos and Port Harcourt. Abuja city has a planned structure and divided into several districts namely Central District, Garki District, Wuse District and Maitama District. Abuja's alluring tourist destinations are Aso Rock Monolith, Presidential Complex, National Assembly, Supreme Court, Nigerian National Mosque and the National Ecumenical Cathedral Center. Abuja offers wonderful scenic vistas across the savannahs. Lagos is the former capital of Nigeria and also the largest city. Lagos consists of a large lagoon and several islands. The three major islands are Lagos Island, Ikoyi and Victoria. Lagos Island is Nigeria's commercial and administrative center. Some of the tourist attractions of Lagos are Oba's Palace, Falomo Shopping Center and The National Museum at Onikan. Lagos also draws attention with its popular Fuji music. Ibadan located in the southwestern Nigeria is a crowded city with a good number of museums, libraries and restaurants. Dugbe Market is the nerve center of Ibadan. The Bower Memorial Tower to the east on Oke Aàre Hill provides an excellent vista of the whole city from the top. Cocoa House situated on Ibadan's commercial center is the largest skyscraper of the city. Other attractions include Mapo Hall, Trans-Wonderland Amusement Park, Mokola Cultural Center and Liberty Stadium. The traditional town of Oyo contains some old Portuguese-styled houses and is the site of the capital of the old Yoruba Empire. Port Harcourt is an important port city and is the main center of Nigeria's oil industry. Kano is the third largest city of Nigeria and a major trade center. The city is famous for many colonial-style sporting clubs and vibrant nightlife.
Tourist Attractions of Nigeria
Benin City is an interesting tourist attraction of Nigeria. The National Museum of Benin displays interesting royal Benin artifacts. Oshogbo is the treasure trove of Oshogbo art and houses the shrine of Oshun, the Yoruba goddess of fertility. Oron museum exhibits wonderful Ibibio and Efik carvings. The walled old town of Kano houses the vast Kurmi Market, known for its crafts and colorful tourist souvenirs. The Emir's Palace displays remarkable Hausa architecture. Two beautiful mosques Kano Central Mosque and Gidan Makama Mosque are situated in Kano. Jos is a popular holiday center for its charming location and pleasant climate. The Jos Museum exhibits large collection of pottery from all over the country. The ancient walled city of Zaria in northern Nigeria retains antique flavor with some ancient mosques and palaces. Above all some exquisite Nigerian National Parks like Yankari National Park, Kainji Lake National Park, Old Oyo National Park and Okomu National Park allures with their wonderful natural beauty and diverse flora and fauna.
Getting Around Nigeria
Nigeria Airways and Virgin Nigeria are the national carriers traveling to the major cities of Nigeria. Domestic flights leave from Murtala Mohammed airport. It is advisable to book internal flights in advance due to considerable delay in internal air services. Ferry services generally operate along the south coast along the Niger and Benue rivers. There are passenger speedboats also but the services are not frequent. There are two major rail routes from Lagos to Kano (via Ibadan-Oyo-Ogbombosho-Kaduna-Zaria); and from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri (via Aba-Enugu-Makurdi-Jos). Generally the trains have three classes and are a bit slower than the buses. Buses are popular local transports. Traveling by bus is safe and comfortable. Bush taxis are the fastest transports but there is a possibility of accident for high speed limit. Share taxis are available in Benin, Cameroon, Chad and Niger.
Accommodation in Nigeria
Though most places of Nigeria are safe and secure for the tourists but the southeastern states of Bayelsa, Rivers, Delta and Anambra should be avoided due to ongoing threat of attacks and kidnapping of foreign oil workers. Incidents of carjackings, kidnapping, piracy, riots and ethnic clashes have been recorded in Lagos and the Niger River delta. Street crime, robberies and muggings occur throughout the country, so the tourists are requested to take proper precaution while traveling. There are instances of sporadic polio infections in the north of the country. So a polio vaccination is needed to those traveling northern Nigeria.
For further details and information on Nigeria and its tourist destinations flip through the pages of allwonderscountries
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