Major Tourist Attractions In Nigeria

Lagos, the largest city in central or West Africa, is an overpopulated, polluted and an utterly chaotic place, which nevertheless has its advantages—the area around the ocean front is a good place to soak up some local atmosphere and there are many restaurants serving cuisine of your choice. There is also a bewildering variety of merchandise on offer in pavement markets like the one on Broad Street on Lagos Island. The National Museum located on Awolowo road near Tawalfa Balewa Square is worth a visit.

Around the country, one of the main highlights is the town of Kano—the largest city in northern Nigeria and the site of a major trading center dating back over 1000 years. The history of this town as an important stop on the trans-Saharan trade route makes it a fascinating place to visit. The old city is full of typical old-world charm, criss-crossed with winding alleys and narrow lanes.  

There also exist the remnants of the old city wall, scattered around the edges of the old city. The Emir’s Palace is an excellent example of Hausa architecture, but it is sadly in a state of decay.

If festivals are what you are after, then make sure you visit the old and usually quiet Muslim town of Katsina in the north, which is host to a number of festivals through the year, especially Eid which is celebrated with the traditional slaughtering of a goat. Modesty in dress is advised here.

The Sacred Groves, a sprawling area of mostly pristine rainforest located in the town of Oshogbo, is a definite must-visit on a trip to Nigeria. Apart from the stunning natural beauty in this area, there are also several awe-inspiring manmade monuments here, like the Shrine of Oshun and the gates, walls and sculptures installed by Austrian artist Suzanne Wenger.

For wildlife enthusiasts, the Yankari National Park is the only area worth visiting in Nigeria—you can hope to spot elephant, lion, waterbuck and bushbuck here if you are very lucky and if you are not, at least some varieties of monkey. The Park also contains the Wikki Warm Spring, ideal for a hot bath in the winter.

It is likely that you will pass through Kaduna, since it is a major transport center. This is a large, well laid-out administrative town and has no dearth of accommodation.

The town of Calabar is not only prettily located atop a hill, but is also of historical interest—this is the place where the Portuguese mariners stopped and traded as early as the 15th century.

 The town of Jos will give you temporary amnesia regarding the fact that you are in Nigeria—it is lush, with extremely agreeable climate throughout the year, being located in a plateau in the center of the country.