Flights and Travel Guide to Nigeria

Nigeria is named after Niger River and the turns and twists that make a trip to Nigeria adventurous, are just as curvy as the beds of the River Niger.

The country is among the most notable and popular destinations of the Western Africa. It is a developing nation that is known around the world for its unique cultural spectrum and of course, the Abuja carnival!

Geography

Nigeria has Benin bordering it at the West; the small country of Niger envelops its Northern border while Chad rests in the west and Cameroon rims along its Eastern borders. The country is blessed with a wide access to the Atlantic Ocean at its South on the Gulf of Guinea.

The country proves to be a great neighbor for the small landlocked bordering countries, most of which use Nigerian city Lagos as a gateway for taking International flights to and from Europe.

Climate:

Nigeria has a varying landscape and so does the temperatures vary greatly and unpredictably in different areas and cities across Nigeria. The coastal regions, however, remain tropical, a cool breeze blows in the night and humidity level is high during the day in areas near the Atlantic coastal line.

As one moves inland in Nigeria the weather changes towards a rather higher scale. The inland cities are hot and sunny. The hottest time period spans from November to March each year and the rainy/cold season runs from April to October. Most travelers prefer visiting Nigeria during the hot months to avoid rain.

Nigerian Capital City

Although many people still mistake Lagos to be the capital city of Nigeria but the actual official capital of Nigeria has long been shifted to Abuja (December 1991). The city of Abuja is bordered with Lagos, Nigeria’s most popular beach destination. The Abuja National airport caters to both International and domestic flights to and from the city connecting it the rest of the world. Like any modern day city, Abuja is a thriving capital with modern shopping malls, well developed infrastructure and accommodations.

Major Cities in Nigeria

Other than Abuja, the major cities of Nigeria are Lagos, Kano and Port Harcourt. Other less popular cities include Benin city, Kaduna, Maiduguri, Warn, Illorin, Zaria, Aba, Oyo, Enugu, Ogbomosho, Sokoto, Abekuta and more.

Getting in

There are four major airports in Nigeria that host the International air traffic:

• Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport - Abuja
• Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport - Kano
• Murtala Muhammed International Airport - Lagos
• Port Harcourt International Airport - Port Harcourt

Direct flights to Lagos are operated by the national carrier Arik Airways which is a private airline but the only Nigeria based carrier. Arik also operates direct flights to Abuja from London Heathrow and offers connecting flights to Port Harcourt. Moreover, as the holiday season near Christmas, Easter and Summer Vacation is extremely busy time, it is strongly recommended to make advance reservation to guarantee seat availability.

Travelers coming from the neighboring countries also utilize the road transportation to get in Nigeria however it is difficult to navigate and required a local driving experience of help of a guide.

Flights to/from Nigeria

As stated earlier that Nigeria owns a prominent and speedily growing private airline Arik Airways, so there is always a neck to neck competition between other International airlines to meet the cheap fares and short flying times offered by Arik Air. Another strong airline that offers cheap tickets to Nigeria is British Airways. British Airways, BA also operated non-stop direct flights to Lagos and departs from London Heathrow.

For travelers flying out from Manchester, Birmingham, Gatwick, New Castle, Southampton, Edinburg, Glasgow or other airports across UK flights offered by KLM airline, Lufthansa, Air France and other European carriers are more suitable.

Passport / Visa information

One must always contact the concerned Embassy/Consulate to get most up to date and accurate passport/visa requirements before going ahead with other travel arrangements. There should be at least three vacant pages in the Passport and passport must remain valid for the time of journey and return.

Getting Around

Nigerian cities have good and satisfactory infrastructure. Especially Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt. These three are the most travelled and most famous of all. The travelers in Nigeria often hire vehicle, use mini buses, taxi cabs and tourist coaches to move in and around. However the best way to move between cities is to catch the cheap domestic flights with the national airline Arik Air.

Arik connects not only Abuja, Port Harcourt and Lagos with its wide domestic network but also operates on regional and International routes.

Places to See

There are plenty of places to see in Nigeria. The top ones are stated below:

• The dense and deep forest lining the Nigerian coast is a must see.
• Consider visiting the Shebshi Mountains in the east of Nigeria.
• The north of Nigeria is significant for tourists seeking a varying landscape as this is the region that borders with the notorious but famous Desert Sahara.
• The famous costal line and beach of Lagos make the most popular Nigerian attraction.
• The Aso Rock, famous climbing site at the junction of Lagos and Abuja is specially crowded during the days of the rock climbing festival.
• River Niger, the most popular of all attractions of Nigeria can make a great beginning or a memorable end of a trip to Nigeria.
• The rocks, stone covered hills and nearby scenic areas at Jos are immensely popular tourist attraction because of the cool weather and high altitude (1200 M above sea levels) of this area.
• Millennium Park, Abuja Space centre, Stadium, Ship House Defense Headquarters are all architectural wonders in Nigeria.
• Tourists to Nigeria also visit the National Museum at Lagos and Jos.
• Yankari National park is a great site for game viewing.
• The Tin Minnin Museum, Rail Road Museum and Architecture Museum at Jos are very popular.
• Abuja National Mosque is the iconic landmark of Nigeria.
• Other attractions include parks, Jos Zoo, Botanical garden, Museums, Libraries and nature reserves of Nigeria.

Things to Do

The top things to do or must do’s in Nigeria include:

• The heart of Nigeria is river Niger, so among the top things to do in Nigeria the first and the far most is catfish angling at river Niger. Other fish species here include but are not limited to perch, carp etc.
• While in Nigeria, watch for the date of the Abuja carnival. It is not something to be missed. Actually half the world travel to Nigeria for the sake of this bright and entertaining event.
• Climbing at the Aso Rock.
• Horse Riding, trekking and swimming at the Lagos beach.
• Game Viewing in any of the national parks.

Shopping and Food in Nigeria

Nigeria is has very well established malls scattered throughout its major cosmopolitan cities. The some of the famous malls include Silver bird Galleria, Palms Shopping Mall, Lagoon City Mall, Ceddi Plaza, Lafayette Mall and Shashilga Seven. The country also has its traditional open flea market places where goods of daily use, grocery and other such items can be purchased at affordable prices. Bargaining is common trick of the trade in Nigeria.

Although main ingredients in Nigeria recopies are most commonly lentils and grains but the country also has a strong influence of colonization on its food. Quite like the weather of Nigeria, the flavors, local beers and food recipes greatly vary from one region to the other. There is a variety of fruit and vegetable that is available all around the year.

Nigerian are big fans of kebabs, roasted meat and coffee / green tea houses that are most common site in Muslim Majority areas.

Festivals in Nigeria

Nigeria is known worldwide for its various vibrant festivals and events that are celebrated throughout the year.

• Argungu Fishing Festival: A four day fishing challenge, great sport for angular.
• Abuja Carnival: A celebration full of music, dances, colors and African warmth. Anyone is welcomed to join the parade.
• Durbar festival: Parade of Emir, entourage of horses, foods, drinks, sweets altogether a combo celebration of two of Muslim calendar events Eid ul Fitr and Eid ul Adha.
• Eyo festival: A Lagos only, old version of Carnival. When the parades hit the streets no one can resist joining the merriment.
• Leboku Festival: A three week celebration to mark the beginning of Yam festival. The New Yam is also celebrated in Ghana and some other parts of Africa.
• Star Mega Jam: As the name sounds, this is the thing for music lovers.

Travel Advice

• Health authorities recommend vaccination against cholera and yellow fever and necessary precaution against Malaria.
• Export of antiquities or living things of any kind are prohibited. Proper advice and permission must be sought in such cases.
• Nigerian Government has strict penalties and a possible detention for attempting to import or export any drugs.
• One must make sure that her/his passport and visa documents are complete before making travel arrangements.
• Deserted and dark streets must be avoided after dark and late hours.
• Do not hire guides from the roads or street corners. It is recommended to only take travel guides assistance from registered firms, to avoid any mishap.
• Do not flash items of jewelery or large sums of money in open-flea markets and be aware of pick-pocketers.
• At the time of travel Passport must be six month valid.
• It is unsafe to travel around during election days and there is restriction on movement of vehicles in certain region. Also there is high possibility of violent mob reactions to the election results.
• There are certain specified areas of Nigeria that must be avoided by tourists. For a list, please visit fco website or call the British Embassy/Consulate.

Is Nigeria Safe to Visit?

According to the recent advice of fco, travelling to Nigeria during or near elections is not recommended. Nigeria is also facing a high risk of terrorism currently. It is therefore advised to recheck updated fco advice on their website before commencing travel to Nigeria.