Nigeria

The Nok culture of northern Nigeria flourished between 1000 BC and 500 AD producing life-sized terracotta figures which are some of the earliest known sculptures in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Tiv culture in the north central region of Nigeria dates to 6 BC. Some of the famous bronze terracotta sculpture heads from this culture have been shown around the world.

In the northern part of the country, Kano and Katsina have recorded history which dates back to around 999.

The kingdoms of Ifẹ and Oyo in the western block of Nigeria became prominent about 700–900 and 1400 respectively. The Yoruba mythology believes that Ile-Ife is the source of the human race and that it predates any other civilization. Another prominent kingdom in south western Nigeria was the Kingdom of Benin whose power lasted between the 15th and 19th century. Their dominance reached as far as the well known city of Eko, later named Lagos by the Portuguese. Benin City, the capital of the Kingdom of Benin, grew into one of the most impressive cities in pre-colonial Africa, with its city walls said to be four times the length of the Great Wall of China. However, little of its former glory remains as it was razed to the ground during the British invasion in 1897, with only one building surviving the invasion. Its artworks were looted by the British and can now be seen in the British Museum and various museums in Europe and the United States.

In southeastern Nigeria the Kingdom of Nri of the Igbo people flourished from around the 10th century until 1911 and the city of Nri is considered to be the foundation of Igbo culture.

In northeastern Nigeria, the Kanem Empire ruled from the 8th century to 1376 and was succeeded by the Bornu Empire, which was a powerful Islamic monarchy until it was defeated by the Fulani in the early 19th century.

The first Hausa kingdom was ruled by a queen, Amina, in the 11th century. Hausa kingdoms, based in what's now northern Nigeria, flourished from the 15th to 18th centuries, before eventually being defeated by the Fulani, who proclaimed the Sokoto Caliphate in 1809. The Sokoto Caliphate ruled for less than 100 years before being abolished by the British.

Although the Bornu Empire, Sokoto Caliphate and Kingdom of Benin were eventually absorbed into British Nigeria, the descendants of the rulers retained their titles and influence through the colonial period and maintain them to this day.

Portuguese explorers were the first Europeans to begin trade in Nigeria, and called the main port Lagos after the Portuguese town of Lagos, in Algarve. This name stuck on with more European trade with the region. The Europeans traded with the ethnicities of the coast and also established a trade in slaves which affected many Nigerian ethnicities. Following the Napoleonic Wars, the British expanded trade with the Nigerian interior.

In 1885 British claims to a West African sphere of influence received international recognition and in the following year the Royal Niger Company was chartered. In 1900 the company's territory came under the control of the British government, which moved to consolidate its hold over the area of modern Nigeria. On January 1, 1901 Nigeria became a British protectorate (northern and southern protectorates) and part of the British Empire. In 1914 the northern protectorate and the southern protectorate under the colonial rule were merged forming one single entity named "Nigeria". meaning: Niger [river Niger] area. The name "Nigeria" was given by the wife of the British Governor-General in charge of the country - Sir Lord Lugard.

Following World War II, in response to the growth of Nigerian nationalism and demands for independence, successive constitutions legislated by the British Government moved Nigeria toward self-government on a representative and increasingly federal basis. By the middle of the 20th century, the great wave for independence was sweeping across Africa.

On October 1, 1960, Nigeria gained its independence from the United Kingdom. In 1961, the neighbouring British Cameroons was split into two, with Northern Cameroons becoming part of Nigeria, and Southern Cameroons becoming part of Cameroon. As was the habit of colonialists during that era, no attention was paid to the fact that the "protectorates" suddenly and quite chaotically merged hundreds of distinct and autonomous ethnicities, or to the fact that some communities were ripped apart by the sudden construction of boundaries that never existed before. There was never a truly developed sense of singular Nigerian identity. In part, it was this disequilibrium which set the stage in 1966 for several successive military coups.

The Northern coup, which was mostly motivated by ethnic and religious reasons, was a bloodbath of both military officers and civilians, especially those of Igbo extraction. The violence against the Igbo increased their desire for autonomy and protection from the military's wrath. By May 1967, the Eastern Region had declared itself an independent state called the Republic of Biafra and the 30-month Nigerian Civil War began. More than one million people died, many of them starving to death before Biafra was defeated.

During the oil boom of the 1970s, Nigeria joined OPEC and billions of dollars generated by production in the oil-rich Niger Delta flowed into the coffers of the Nigerian state. However, increasing corruption and graft at all levels of government squandered most of these earnings. Nigeria re-achieved democracy in 1999 and although the elections which brought Obasanjo to power in 1999 and again in 2003 were condemned as unfree and unfair, Nigeria has shown marked improvements in attempts to tackle government corruption and to hasten development. Ethnic violence over the lack of profit-sharing with residents of the oil-producing Niger Delta region and inadequate infrastructures are some of the current issues in the country, which is the top oil-producing country in Africa.

Varies; equatorial in the south, tropical in the centre, arid in the north. Natural hazards include periodic droughts and flooding. Tornadoes and hurricanes are rare because they typically are weak at this stage and travel west of the Atlantic.

Southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus; mountains in the southeast, plains in the north. The Niger River enters the country in the northwest and flows southward through tropical rain forests and swamps to its delta in the Gulf of Guinea. The highest point is Chappal Waddi at 2,419 m.

Nigeria is the continent's most populous nation and the world's 7th most populous. The people of Nigeria are generally nice, with some even engaging you with conversations. As the Giant of Africa, Nigeria has more than 500 ethnic groups with different languages and customs. The largest ethnic groups — Yoruba, Igbo, Fulani/Hausa and Tiv — comprise more than 75% of the population. They have strong religious beliefs and respect for the elders is a must-do.

• New Year's Day (January 1)
• Easter (Good Friday and Easter Monday, according to the Western Christian tradition)
• Workers day (May 1)
• Children's Day (May 27)
• Democracy Day (May 29)
• Eid al-Adha
• Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of Ramadan
• Eid al-Maulid, Prophet Muhammad's birthday
• Independence Day (October 1)
• Christmas (December 25)
• Boxing Day (December 26)

• Nigeria Tourism website

Nigeria isn't a country you can just waltz into. There are few visa-free arrangements in place, and almost everyone requires a visa in advance to enter the country, unless they're citizens of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Nationals of Kenya are allowed to get a visa on arrival in Nigeria, though.

If you’re coming for less than 30 days, getting a “Visa on Arrival” is almost always the way to go. However, “Visa on arrival” is kind of a misnomer because you must apply for it beforehand, no sooner than two weeks before your trip. Once you land, you’ll go to the airport’s visa on arrival office so they can take your biometrics and put the visa in your passport. At the Lagos airport, this can take a few hours depending on how backed up they are. While annoying, this route is almost always far easier than dealing with your local embassy.

To get the Visa on Arrival pre-approval letter, you’ll just need a passport scan, passport photo, flight booking, and invitation letter from a local company. Since 7 May 2023, the Nigerian Immigration Service has moved to a new website. You can apply for a visa through their new visa application page. Whether the new website's payment portal is working has yet to be tested.

Alternatively, you can try to apply for a tourist or business visa through your local consulate or embassy. However, many Nigerian consulates and embassies don't process visa applications directly and will require you to use a 3rd party processing service like OIS. You'll often need to travel to one of their centers in-person and present a valid passport, a completed visa application form, two passport-sized photographs, a letter of invitation (a hotel reservation may suffice), proof you have funds to cover your travels in Nigeria, and proof you have paid for the visa application. This is almost certainly more hassle than the Visa on Arrival process so it is not recommended.

If you’re coming here longer-term for work, you’ll need to enter the country on an STR (subject to regularization) visa. These can only be applied for at a local consulate or embassy. After entering the country on this visa, you’ll be able to apply for a CERPAC (Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card) which allows you to stay and work.

If you’re coming here to work for a local company, they’ve likely already received an expat quota for you (approval to hire a foreigner) and getting an STR visa should be fairly straightforward (although it can take a month to process).

Nigerian visas are notorious for being very expensive for nationals of certain countries, as different nationalities are charged wildly different fees. If you're a citizen of the United States, you will be charged US$160 to apply for a Nigerian visa. Citizens of India and Bangladesh have the highest visa fee requirements (they are charged US$253 to apply for any type of visa), whereas citizens of mostly African and Asian nations are charged much less. Due to a bilateral agreement, citizens of Singapore may obtain Nigerian visas free of charge.

A handful of Nigerian embassies also charge a US$170 biometric fee in addition to the visa fee for your nationality - countries whose Nigerian embassies charge this fee include Egypt, Japan, Malaysia, South Africa and the United Kingdom. Citizens of Singapore are exempt from paying this biometric fee.

Lagos is the main international airport for the country, but others include Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt and Uyo.

• Several European airlines fly to Nigeria: British Airways (London Heathrow - Abuja, Lagos), Virgin Atlantic (London Heathrow - Lagos), KLM (Amsterdam - Lagos), Air France (Paris-Charles de Gaulle - Lagos), Turkish Airlines (Istanbul - Lagos), Lufthansa (Frankfurt - Abuja, Lagos),
• Delta Air Lines operates daily non-stop flights a week from Atlanta
• United Airlines operates non-stop service from Washington DC to Lagos.
• Other inter-continental airlines fly to Lagos. They include: Middle East Airlines (Beirut), Qatar Airways (Doha).
• African airlines that fly to Lagos include: South African Airlines from Johannesburg, Egypt Air from Cairo, Ethiopian Airlines from Addis Ababa, Africa World Airlines from Accra, Kenya Airways from Nairobi, Royal Air Maroc from Casablanca, among others.
• Ibom Air operates daily local flights to numerous cities within Nigeria and is expanding their routes to other African countries.
• Air Peace has local and international flights (from other African countries, Dubai and London), Aero from other African countries.
• Besides these, there are other airlines that operate domestic and regional flights to places like Abidjan, Accra, Banjul, Conakry, Dakar, Douala, Freetown, Johannesburg, Libreville, Monrovia.
• There are also airports in most states of the federation and local air travel is widespread.

There are no international passenger services to Nigeria.

Transport by boat isn't widespread unless you venture into the riverine areas of Nigeria.

Driving in Nigeria (especially Lagos) is somewhat unique, vaguely resembling driving in Cairo. If mastered, you should however be able to cope in most other countries. While driving in Abuja is relatively decent due to regularly maintained roads, it still doesn't compare with roads in more developed countries.

Many roads are bad, but there are rarely any major accidents, you just have to strap your seatbelts in and enjoy the ride. Expect potholes of every size, and that, except on the highway, people will drive on the wrong side to avoid potholes or other bad patches of road. Sometimes entire roads are non-existent, so be prepared for anything. It is advisable to keep your distance from lorries or large vehicles, as many are driven without side-view mirrors, fully functional brakes, and most dangerous of all, securely strapped/attached cargo.

Grass or branches on the road means there is a broken down vehicle ahead of you, be careful.

If you are white, get used to Nigerians shouting at you as you pass by. It will be something like "Oyibo", "Oniocha", "MBakara", "Bature" or "white man". It all means the same, they are just telling you to smile as you pass.

Self-driving for short-term visitors unfamiliar with the roads, especially in Lagos, is by no means advisable and could actually be quite foolish, perhaps even dangerous. You could easily wander into an area or a road block set by local gangs. If you choose to rent a car, it will come with a driver familiar with the area and style of driving, which is the easier and safer option.

Police may try to take fiscal advantage of you as a foreigner. If you wish to drive yourself it is advisable to stick to the rules, as you will be an easy target for police officers to "fine". These are not real fines, they are payable directly to the officer in cash - without a ticket or a receipt. Even if you obey the traffic rules, police will find some petty reason - like not indicating your intention to drive straight. Should you be pulled over, do not give your license, as you will then lose all bargaining power when negotiating the "fine", which could easily be a maximum of all the visible cash you have on you at the time. Rather, carry a copy of the license and hand that over, or show your license through your window. Also, do not let the police get into your car. They are not really dangerous, but it could get expensive and certainly annoying. However, if you just don't pay and remain calm, it only costs time. They have no real power over you.

Especially over weekends and festive times, it is common practice for police, especially in the richer areas of Lagos, to flag you down and wish you happy weekend/holiday/Christmas/Easter/sunny weather/trip to work. In this case, you did nothing wrong and they do not intend to "fine" you, but are rather asking for a tip. If you insistently yet politely refuse to give something, they will eventually let you go. Just wish them a nice weekend/holiday/etc. too.

If you work for a big company in Nigeria, you will usually have a company driver to drive you around, thereby avoiding the above mentioned problems to a large extent. He can arrange a local driver's license for you should the need arise without a driving test or proof of foreign license.

Nigeria is not part of the most standard international Road Traffic Convention and as such will require a special International Driving Permit (valid only for driving in Nigeria, Somalia and Iraq) (if you do not want to get the Nigerian license), not the normal one applicable to almost all other countries in the world.

The last Saturday of the month is Sanitation Day in Lagos and Kano, when the locals clean their premises. While it is not illegal to be out on the street between 7–10M, due to the higher than usual presence of police officers and road check points, most Nigerians choose to restrict their movements until after 10AM. Should you be caught at this time, you may be taken away by the police to perform some "public sanitation" duty, like mowing lawns, etc.

After having been abandoned for a long time, rehabilitation of rail services in Nigeria are finally in full swing. Helped by Chinese investment several new lines are expected to open in the next few years while older lines are renovated. While still much slower than flying, it is now possible to travel across some parts of the country by train. Nigeria Railway Corporation is the sole operator; this might however change as the government mulls liberalization of the railway sector.

Abuja now has almost daily connections with cities in the interior of Nigeria such as Ilorin, Minna and Kaduna. The Lagos-Ibadan Railway provides high-speed service from Lagos via Abeokuta to Ibadan.

Ibom Air, Arik and Aero Contractors have scheduled domestic connections with modern aircraft and reasonable prices. Their websites are user-friendly and well updated. In Lagos, the two domestic terminals, while next to each other, are about 4-5 km (of road which would not be wise to walk if you don't know the place) from the international terminal, and you would therefore need a taxi to get from the one to the other, should you wish to transfer from an international flight to a domestic one.

Getting around is relatively easy, except that there could be delays due to traffic jams within most major cities. There are multitudes of coaches and buses that will take you to any part of Nigeria you wish (ABC Transport Services is well known for its services among others). Lagos state government also operates a transit system (BRT buses) which serves the Lagos metropolis.

Ride-hailing is available in Nigeria and the following are the most anticipated providers:

• Bolt. Includes many towns. (updated Jul 2020)
• Uber. Works in Abuja and Lagos. (updated Jul 2020)

Nigeria's currency is naira (symbol: ₦, ISO 4217 code: NGN). Banknotes circulate in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1,000. In 2023, high inflation caused the naira to lose half its value against other currencies.

Cash all your naira back into another currency at the airport before you leave Nigeria. The rate is irrelevant, as the naira is not worth that much outside Nigeria. Naira bills/coins may be of interest to currency collectors, but other than that, they will be nothing more than colourful souvenirs of your trip. Banks will change foreign currency to naira, but usually not the other way around, even though you are a foreigner. You would therefore need to use the Bureaux de Change at the International terminal or the new Domestic terminal or street vendors to get foreign currency should you end up with unused naira at the end of your trip. A safe place to change in Victoria Island is in the tourist market of Eko Hotel in Victoria Island.

If the Bureaux de Change at the airport are closed, the car park outside the International terminal is full of street vendors only willing to change money from any major currency. When dealing with these street vendors, keep the money you are buying fully visible until the deal is finished (i.e. don't put into handbag and later discover it is wrong and then try and bargain) and count carefully with them, as they tend to try and short-change you with a note or two, especially when you change foreign currency into naira (which is a thick bundle of small notes), but with necessary vigilance are generally fine. Street vendors are also plentiful at the main land borders to change naira into CFA francs (XOF (Benin and Niger side) or XAF (Cameroon side)) if need be. XOF and XAF are freely and easily convertible to and from euros at a rate of 655.957 (sometimes with a small commission) when you are in the French countries.

Changing large bills of US dollars or euros will give a better rate with professional money changers, such as on the currency exchange market near Lagos Domestic Airport. This is a walled enclosure with a large number of money changers, which is primarily used by local nationals.

If you have a Visa card, you can withdraw money from Standard Chartered Bank ATMs in Lagos on Aromire St, off Adeniyi Jones, Ikeja & Ajose Adeogun St in Victoria Island Branch, Abuja and Port Harcourt (in Naira) and ATMs of some other banks with "Visa" stickers on them, like GT Bank, UBA, and Zenith. This will save you a lot of stress carrying large sums of money and it is secured.

On Abuja and Lagos International Airport money can be withdrawn from ATMs. On Lagos International there are several ATMs, several may not function at all times. On Lagos Domestic Terminal there is also a functioning ATM in the domestic terminal on the 1st floor. Usually this a quiet ATM which also is very private and secure.

MasterCard/Maestro users can also withdraw money from ATMs at several branches of Zenith Bank and GT Bank. Some ATMs of Ecobank, First Bank and Intercontinental Bank also allow for MasterCard/Maestro cards. Look for the red ATM sign outside, or ask the on-site security officer at any branch. Also look for Ecobank, they have a branch within the premises of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport. Visa is however a safer option if you are visiting the French countries around Nigeria as well, as MasterCard/Maestro is close to useless in these countries.

If you do use an ATM, be aware of the risks of card cloning. This a problem with the airport ATMs which do not have a security guard watching over them. Check your statements regularly after using your card and alert your bank to any suspicious activity.

Nigeria is on an active drive to become a cashless society, and as such, more and more hotels, restaurant and shops (all the bigger ones at least) accept major credit cards (Visa being the preferred one, but ask first, there is both "local Visa" and "international Visa", and MasterCard). Diners Club and Amex are almost universally useless in Nigeria. When paying by card, take the usual precautions (watch how they swipe, don't let the card out of your sight, etc.)

At markets, you are supposed to haggle for your goods (a notable exception is bread: its price is fixed). As a general rule, the real price is about half the price that was first asked. The seller may exaggerate the price when he or she thinks that you are a rich tourist ignorant of the real price. After agreeing on a price, don't walk away without buying; this is considered very rude.

Shops like supermarkets and restaurants will typically charge fixed prices. Fresh products and Western-style sit-in restaurants are quite expensive, with it not being uncommon to pay US$75 for a dinner per person.

Corruption in general is systemic and endemic in Nigeria. Transparency International ranks Nigeria as one of the most corrupt nations on the planet. In 2012, it was believed that Nigeria has lost a total of $400 billion to corruption since independence. The police are notorious for being highly corrupt and woefully ineffective, and the locals do not trust them at all. Nigerians have to pay the police to get reliable assistance for anything. Cronyism and nepotism are common in the police force, and police officers routinely target, harass, extort, and intimidate people, including locals, for bribes. As a foreigner, you may be seen as a "walking wallet" to corrupt officials.

The Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), which was tasked to combat violent property crimes and was notorious for its gross abuse of power, has since been disbanded.

Do not be tempted to argue or fight back with a corrupt police officer, even if you haven't done anything wrong.

Nigeria is not a safe destination for gay and lesbian travellers.

Same-sex sexual activity is punishable by death (stoning) in the following states: Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Niger, Sokoto, Yobe, and Zamfara.

Elsewhere, Same-sex sexual activity is punishable by up to 14 years of imprisonment.

It is also illegal not to report LGBT individuals and activities to the authorities, which is punishable by up to 10 years of imprisonment.