Travel to Nigeria with travel insurance from Essential Travel

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Information on Nigeria with single trip travel insurance from Essential Travel

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Nigeria is a nation of rich natural resources and fascinating cultural divisions, with over 250 distinct peoples, languages and religions making up a complex tapestry of ethnic threads. The nation’s tumultuous past has been characterised by oppressive dictatorship, violent clashes and abhorrent human rights abuses, and Nigeria is still a volatile destination with recurring intercultural conflicts. Yet these struggles are rooted in the same ethnic distinctions that make the country so historically rich and socially fascinating.

The former capital city of Lagos has the dubious distinction of being the second-largest city in Africa, ranking just below Cairo in its vastness. With its endless crowds, severe traffic congestion, shocking pollution and strong currents of danger, this chaotic urban jungle can be overwhelming to visitors, but those willing to give the city a chance will be rewarded with some unique and valuable experiences. The city has a thriving nightlife encompassing a colossal number nightclubs and live music venues that offer a jumble of musical influences blended harmoniously into the unique riffs and rhythms of West Africa.

The city also offers a number of interesting architectural sights, and the National Museum, on Lagos Island, is home to an impressive collection of bronze sculptures and ivory carvings from Benin, and masks and terracotta artefacts from Jos.

The country’s new capital, Abuja, was established by the Nigerian government without very much forethought. After evicting the local Gwari people from the city and beginning the massive construction efforts needed to transform it into the new capital, the government promptly ran out of finances, leaving Abuja an unfinished project. Although the city is slowly taking shape and filling up, there is not really much of interest to visitors here.

Much more compelling is the ancient Muslim settlement of Kano, the oldest city in West Africa, dating back 1,000 years. Located on the edge of the Sahel, the fringe region of the expansive Sahara desert, Kano is home to a fascinating Old City surrounded by nearly disintegrated mud walls. The gates, however, have remained intact, and the Kofar Mata Gate provides access to the Emir’s Palace and the Central Mosque.

Nigeria’s abundant physical attractions come in the shape of hills, caves, springs, lakes and mountains, which are distributed throughout the country. Although the country is not especially well known for its wildlife, there are a number of national parks that offer bird-watching and limited game-viewing. The best of these is Yankari National Park, located 225kms east of Jos, where the only sizeable population of wildlife in Nigeria remains.

The cultural centre of Oshogbo, populated by the Yoruba people, is Africa’s most prolific crafts centre, having produced more art in the last 300 years than anywhere else on the continent. The best time to visit the area is during the vibrant Oshun Festival in August, when visitors can bear witness to the spectacular dancing and sacrificial rituals that are specific to this ethnic group.

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