The economic and cultural powerhouse of the country thanks to an influx of oil money, Lagos has an exploding arts and music scene that will keep your yansh engaged far past dawn. If you're headed to Nigeria, you'll have no choice but to jump right in.

Founded around 1400 years ago, Kano is the oldest city in West Africa and Nigeria's second largest. It was a major crossroads in the trans-Saharan trade routes and, from the Middle Ages, an important centre for Islamic scholarship.

The temperate climes of the Jos plateau are perhaps the oldest inhabited parts of Nigeria. The earliest known Nigerians, the Nok people, originated in the area, witnessed by the famed Nok terracottas. At 1200m above sea level, it's noticeably cooler than most other parts of the country – in colonial times it was a recommended holiday destination for British officers.

Abeokuta is a remarkable place, backed by the huge Olumo Rock. Grand but dishevelled Brazilian and Cuban mansions built by returned slaves sit alongside basic shacks with hand-painted signs, historic mosques and churches and the rounded mass of the rocks, creating an unforgettable streetscape.