Skip to main content

Traveling to Nigeria


If you have made it past all the negative press and terrifying stories you hear about Nigeria and still decide to come over then perhaps there are a few things I can share with you about traveling through Nigeria based on my own experience.
  • Nigeria is not one of the usual tourist destinations in Africa. There are obviously other countries in Africa with more developed tourist industries and longer service history in the sector
  • Safaris which most people associate with the whole of Africa are not available in Nigeria the closest you will come to that is a visit to one of our national parks and forest reserve like Yankari Game Reserve.
  • If you are looking for a place where everything is predefined, where you find all necessary and updated information online including packaged tours – then you are also shopping in a market where this is still under development
What then can you expect from a trip to Nigeria?
Ibadan,Benin,Enugu,Idanre,Kano,Akwa Ibom

The beauty of Nigeria lies in the diversity of its People, Landscape, Culture and Language. It’s not your picture-perfect holiday but it’s more about getting to see how millions of Nigerians across the country within a landmass of 923,768 km², divided into 36 States and FCT territory live their lives every day. How they celebrate milestones in life, how necessity brings about a lot of creativity in the face of societal challenges.
Osun Osogbo Scared Grove


Gurara Falls

Takwa Bay Beach

It’s about discovering some untouched natural sites. It’s about immersing yourself in the rich cultural diversity from music, to dance to arts to food that changes as often as there are different tribes across the country. It’s about experiencing the numerous festivals in the different towns.
Olumirin Waterfall 
Idanre Hill


view from Kajuru Castle
A visit to Nigeria is not without its challenges and risks. There is a need to be well informed about your travel itinerary before you set out.  Some issues to clarify before you leave
  • Safety: In certain areas in Nigeria its best not to travel to them because of tribal, religious and societal dangers. With this I mean areas with frequent kidnappings, cultural clashes or terrorism. There are certain things you can do to minimize the risks see my post on safety tips.
  • Use Vetted and trusted local guides: With the introduction of social media it’s much easier to find people who may have previously visited the country and can recommend trusted local guides or service providers
  • Travel Money: Since 2013 I have been able to use my foreign bank cards to withdraw money from the ATM but sometimes that can be also challenging – for more information about the using the ATM you can read - Much Ado about Money. Other options include bringing Foreign Currency to be exchanged in the country preferably USD, Euro or Pounds. In this case larger denominations are better. Another option would be money transfer services like World Remit or Western Union.
  • Transport: you have different options for Interstate, intercity and daily commute – in this video (Getting around in Nigeria) I have addressed the available options across the country. One major change occurred in Lagos this year the ban of commercial motorbikes (Okada) and tricycles (KEKE)
Regarding the entry requirements please visit the embassy’s website for the latest information. I usually travel to Nigeria using my Nigerian passport. Now that we are done with the basics let’s explore Nigeria together. Here is an overview of places I visited in the 49 days.

 For further details on each location follow and keep an eye on my blog - WO BIN ICH ZU HAUSE - MEINE HEIMAT FÜR FREMDE


Yours Truly
Liesel81







Comments

  1. Chioma10 April 2020 at 11:49

    Great article.
    It's also valuable to note that even if work brings you to Nigeria one can always find a way to enjoy the sites and sounds of Nigeria.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Liesel8110 April 2020 at 13:46

      Thanks for the feedback. Your are right about that, business travelers that have one or two extra days can add some places to their itinerary

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Museums in Nigeria

Let’s talk about Museums in Nigeria. Museums in Nigeria are managed by the National Commission of Museums and Monuments. Personally, I like visiting museum when I am in a new place because it gives me insight into the people, their history, their culture and to some degree insight into their current affairs. The NCMM (National Commission of Museums and Monuments) manages over 50 outlets across Nigeria according to their website ( http://ncmm.gov.ng/about-us/ ) . You can find all the museums listed on the website unfortunately not all of them can be found via google maps.  Alongside the national museums the NCMM also cares for 65 recognized monuments and two UNESCO world heritage sites – Osun Osogbo Grove and Sukur Landscape Adamawa On my trip through Nigeria I visited about 14 institutions, some of them are privately owned. M y review of each museum is linked to the listings.  Museums listed in order of personal preference   Olusegun Obasanjo Presid...
Post a Comment
Read more

Much Ado about Money

Ah money makes the world go round they say. So I decided against opening a Nigerian bank account cos I would lose money when I started exchanging for the other countries currencies that were on my travel list.  Withdrawing from the ATM gives me a much better rate and it would be a more authentic experience for someone with a foreign card . Over the years I have watched the Cash availability situation in Nigeria whilst using my regular master or visa card. I can’t tell if the withdrawal fee for each transaction has always been 1400 Naira but definitely over Easter and now that what it is. 3.5€ for every transaction?!? Here is even the crazier part of it the ATM limits you to a transaction of 20,000 Naira. So I would have to pay 3.5€ for roughly every time I withdraw 50€. I needed a way around this and I found one. The large sum ATM dispenser and a credit card that allows fee less transactions worldwide. 2016 I had a similar dilemma that the ATMs weren’t even accepting m...
Post a Comment
Read more

Welcome to a place of firsts – Oyo Nigeria

What can you expect of Oyo? Oyo is in the south west geopolitical region in Nigeria. It has a population of over 5 million people predominately of the Yoruba tribe. The landmass is over 28,000 square kilometers. The landscape is made up of lots of hard formed rocks and semi shaped dome hills. Taking a drive through the old parts of Ibadan allows you see firsthand how hilly the city is and how houses are built around rocks.  I think the first thing that comes to mind for me when I think of Oyo is the University of Ibadan. Maybe it’s because two of my siblings studied in UI as it is fondly called. Or perhaps because it is one of the oldest and most prestigious institution of education in Nigeria. University of Ibadan was founded in 1948 as a college of the university of London. It became an autonomous institution in 1962. When I learnt I would visit this institution during one of its convocation ceremonies, my excitement doubled because it meant I would also experien...
Post a Comment
Read more