Nigeria
Nigeria occupies the hinge of West Africa where the savanna fades south into rainforest and the Niger River splits into a sprawling delta before meeting the Atlantic — a country of 220 million people, over 500 languages, and a cultural energy that shapes music, film, and literature across the continent.
Overview
Located in West Africa and bordered by Benin, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon, Nigeria covers approximately 923,768 km² with a southern coastline along the Gulf of Guinea. Abuja is the federal capital, though Lagos remains the commercial and cultural centre. English is the official language alongside widely spoken Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo. The currency is the naira (NGN). Nigeria is Africa's most populous nation and its largest economy by GDP, with a cultural output — Afrobeats, Nollywood, literature — that reaches far beyond its borders.
Visa Requirements
Most nationalities require a visa to enter Nigeria. The country operates an e-Visa system allowing eligible travellers to apply online before departure. ECOWAS member-state citizens generally enter visa-free. Travellers are advised to check current requirements through Nigeria's official immigration authority, as conditions and eligible nationalities are subject to change.
Airports in Nigeria
27 airportsAirlines based in Nigeria
8 airlines
Famous Attractions in Nigeria
Zuma Rock, a 725-metre monolithic formation north of Abuja, dominates the landscape with quiet authority. Yankari National Park in Bauchi State shelters one of West Africa's largest remaining elephant populations alongside natural warm-water springs. The ancient walled city of Kano, continuously inhabited for over a millennium, contains one of Africa's oldest urban centres. Lagos's Lekki Conservation Centre offers a canopy walkway above lagoon-side forest. The Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove is a dense riverside forest and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Sukur Cultural Landscape in Adamawa State preserves a terraced hillside kingdom predating colonial contact.
Weather & Climate
Nigeria has a tropical climate with significant north-south variation. The south experiences a humid equatorial pattern with temperatures typically between 23°C and 33°C year-round and two wet seasons. The north is semi-arid, with a sharper dry season, harmattan dust winds from December to February, and temperatures that can reach 40°C in the hottest months. The dry season, roughly November to March, is generally the most comfortable period for travel; pack light layers for harmattan evenings and a rain layer if visiting the south.
Interesting Facts About Nigeria
- Nollywood is the world's second-largest film industry by volume.
- Nigeria has over 500 distinct indigenous languages spoken today.
- The Niger Delta is among Africa's most biodiverse wetland systems.
- Afrobeats genre originated and globalised from Nigerian cities.
- Kano's central market has traded continuously for over 1,000 years.
Official Resources
- immigration.gov.ng — Nigeria Immigration Service, visa and entry requirements
- tourism.gov.ng — Federal Ministry of Tourism, national tourism information
- nimet.gov.ng — Nigerian Meteorological Agency, weather forecasts and climate data
- cbn.gov.ng — Central Bank of Nigeria, official currency and financial information