Nigeria Travel Information

Nigeria, the 32nd largest country on earth is Africa’s most populous nation and leading oil producer. It is an attractive coastal destination with a coastline on the Gulf of Guinea with Niger, Benin, Chad and Cameroon as neighbors. Much as the country has been sunk in years of civil war, military dictatorships and sectarian conflicts among Nigeria’s 250 tribes as well as tensions between the Muslim population and the Christian population, who live in the oil-producing south, Nigeria still upholds its most appealing tourist destination status in Africa. The country is known as the “giant of Africa” certainly due to its size and petroleum wealth.

Nigeria is a diverse state with pronounced geographical scenery. The Obudu Hills, for instance in the southeast give way to great beaches. In the middle and southwest of Nigeria are rainforest, the Lagos estuary and savannah. The Sahel melts into the Sahara in the north. In addition, Nigeria takes pride in several National Parks including Old Oyo, Yankari, and Cross River National Parks.

History

The origin settlers of present Nigeria were thought to have been the Nok people in the early centuries. The Kanuri, Hausa, and Fulani settlers consequently migrated there. The Fulani Empire ruled the region from the beginning of the 19th century until the British annexed Lagos in 1851 and seized control of the rest of the region by 1886. It formally became the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria in 1914. During World War I, native troops of the West African frontier force joined with French forces to defeat the German garrison in Cameroon. Islam was introduced in the country in the 13th century.

Yankari National Park; this is found in the north east and believed to have Nigeria’s only remaining wildlife. On about 2,244sq km, it boasts of more than 50 species of creature including elephants, baboons, antelopes, lions and buffaloes and over 350 species of bird including stork, vulture and egret. It also poses with natural warm water springs.

The Cross River National Park is made up of two forest reserves (Bashi-Okwango and Oban Forest) and has the last remaining rain forest in Nigeria. At home in the park are forest elephants, the indigenous white-faced monkey, lowland gorillas, leopards and buffalo.

Climate

Nigeria experiences more than one climate: the north is dry, south is equatorial and the centre is tropical. With these 3 types, the weather always ranges between warm to hot, though with some rainy seasons. The coastal areas experience 2 rainy seasons between May to June, and later in October, while the north has a long dry spell running from October to April.

Nigeria generally climate is humid sub-tropical, but there are variations across the country. Along the coast temperatures top 32 degrees (C) and humidity is a factor. In inland areas, the wet season extends from April to October and the dry season runs from November to March. Temperatures during the dry season can reach 40 degrees; hot days and cold nights. June is a month of heavy rainfall in the south; and the dusty harmattan winds blow between December and January.

Nigeria is a year-round destination that with much ease you can book a cheap Nigeria flight. The country’s splendid hotel facilities and lodges are also inspirational.