Nigeria: Overview

An oil-rich Cinderella state that still hasn't quite made it to the ball.

The very thing that makes Nigeria so ornery and difficult to unite into a single peaceful republic is also its attraction. There are over 250 different peoples, languages, histories, and religions all rubbing shoulder to shoulder in this hectic, colourful and often volatile republic.

Travel Warning: Foreigners Targeted

The Niger Delta region, comprising the southeastern states of Bayelsa, Rivers, Delta and Anambra are considered very dangerous with an ongoing threat of attacks on and kidnapping of foreign oil workers. Travellers should avoid this region.

Lagos has a poor reputation for street crime and carjackings.

Religious tensions bubble under the surface, and mass unrest isn't uncommon - keep your ear to local news sources.

See what travellers are saying about Africa at Lonely Planet's Thorn Tree forum .

severity: High-level alert

Fast Facts

Country Full Name

Federal Republic of Nigeria

Population

130,000,000

Currency

Name: Naira
Code: NGN
Symbol: ₦

Electrical Plugs

British-style plug with two flat blades and one flat grounding blade South African/Indian-style plug with two circular metal pins above a large circular grounding pin
240V 50Hz

Languages Spoken

Official: English

Time Zones

GMT/UTC + 1 

Country Dialing Code

+234

Weights & Measures

Metric

West Africa - Pick & Mix Chapters

West Africa - Pick & Mix Chapters

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Related Travel Stories

  1. Destination Nigeria

    Destination Nigeria

    podcast by Paul Clammer, October 2005

    Paul Clammer reckons there's nothing scary about Nigeria, except maybe the goat's head soup... Join him on his pot-holed journey. Read the full article ›

    Tags: Nigeria

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