Nigeria is the most populated African country and has a vibrant and dynamic culture. The country boasts of unique and inspiring tourist destinations that would wow you.
Before travelling to Nigeria, ensure that you have sorted out your visa, accommodation and other logistic issues to avoid having setbacks when in the country.
Are you visiting Nigeria on a solo trip or in a group?
When you arrive in Nigeria you would notice that Nigerians are generally friendly and hospitable to foreigners and would even go out of their way to help.
If you are travelling solo, the first thing you need to do is to have a trusted Nigerian contact who will guide you throughout your stay in the country. His/her help would be invaluable as you navigate through the nooks and crannies of your places of interest. Some locals would try to take advantage of foreigners by hiking the prices of their goods and services. Your Nigerian contact will be the one to help you with all the hustling and price bargains for payment for goods and services if you are shopping in the streets and markets.
Note that it is considered a good idea to drop tips to sellers and other service vendors. They are always appreciative of such gestures. While in Nigeria, you must have cash at hand to make basic payments because most businesses and vendors prefer payment in cash rather than online transfers.
Nigeria as a country has over 120 languages but English is the official language. A variant of English known as “Pidgin” is spoken all over the country so your tour guide should be able to communicate fluently in pidgin.
Nigerians love it when you make an effort to learn and assimilate their culture. When visiting Nigeria, ask the locals to teach you some words and phrases in their language, go a step further by trying on their traditional attires, eat the indigenous foods and be honest with your compliments. The people will be delighted to help you and correct your mistakes.
Security is a big issue in Nigeria right now so staying safe should be top on your priority list. Avoid the parts of the country embroiled in security challenges. Such places should be no-go areas for you. Follow all the instructions in the tour guide book and adhere to travel advice from your embassy.
It is important to note that Nigerians are peaceful people so the pockets of insurgency and security challenges experienced in some areas should not be taken as a representation of the generality of the whole country.
Nigeria is a tropical country with hot and humid weather, get prepared and be ready to adapt if you are coming in from and are used to a temperate climate.
You will need a reliable means of transportation to tour the country. One of the best ways to move around in Nigeria is to hire a private cab that would take you anywhere you want to go. However, you can use public transport in some areas. This gives you the additional benefit of interacting closely with the locals. If your itinerary while visiting Nigeria includes touring riverine communities, you can hire a motorized boat or local canoe.
As you move around, ensure you are with your ID cards and international passport all the time. This is to clearly identify you if questioned by the police and other law enforcement agencies.
Enjoy your stay in Nigeria.
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