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Are you planning a trip to Nigeria? We've sourced some feedback from somebody who lives in Nigeria:



Nigeria is a country in Western African and the country is increasing in popularity with tourists. The country is known as a relatively economically stable country that is friendly to visitors, and offers much to see and do. Many people visit Nigeria to see its historic sites and enjoy its natural resources. Nigeria has nice beaches (these are mostly situated in Lagos, the former capital city), world-famous national parks, and of course gorgeous women – the “finest” on the entire continent. The capital of Nigeria is Abuja which is situated in at the geographical centre of the country. it is a beautiful city which offers excellent architecture in most parts. Lagos is also a beautiful city known for its aquatic splendour. Anyone traveling to Lagos would enjoy a nightlife that is second to none. The people popularly known as Lagosians are fun loving, warm and highly intelligent individuals. Just like any other country in the world Nigeria has its share of bad eggs - we believe that the overall citizens should not be judged based on these individuals. Nigeria has a large foreign community comprised of individuals from all over the world who have been living in Nigeria for years - South Africans included



The country also has a number of interesting museums, a national theatre, and of course, many interesting markets for shopping. All in all, you’re sure to enjoy your trip to Nigeria. Some of the cities have a history of violent crimes like robbery, kidnapping etc. Some of these targeted attacks are against foreign nationals especially those working for oil companies and big conglomerates. These assaults are witnessed in areas frequented by foreigners. During daytime hours, travellers are advised to remain alert and extremely vigilant. After dark, all unnecessary road travel should be avoided



Like many other countries in the world, Nigeria has also got its own societal problems that need to be sorted out. It is no news that Foreign Affairs ministries and International Trade ministry of various countries always advise against non-essential travel to Nigeria. It is expected that all those who want to travel to Nigeria; should maintain an extremely high level of security awareness and enquire about local conditions before travelling in the country.



As much as I would love you to visit Nigeria, I am a Nigerian by the way, I would not want you to endanger your life in anyway. The Northern part of Nigeria is mostly dangerous as at the time of writing this article. The Boko Haram Sect (a notorious religious sect) is predominantly situated in this area. Aside from a few northern states, Nigeria is of course a wonderful place to visit either for work or business purposes. So as you’re planning your trip, here are some important things you should know:



At the airport: Nigeria does not have a national carrier at the moment. Relatively cheap flight tickets can be booked to either of Abuja or Lagos, the “centre of excellence”. Without paying any duties you can bring two hundred cigarettes and four litres of drinks with alcohol in them into Nigeria with you. Ensure that you have taken your vaccine for Yellow fever as international regulations make it mandatory before entering some countries including Nigeria. You are expected to hold an International Certificate of Vaccination (yellow card) that has been validated by the approved vaccination centre. Visitors need to be a bit careful with their luggage as there have been quite a few stories of pilfering of luggage mostly at Lagos airport.



Transportation – Though there are a few taxis with installed meters in the major cities, they are never used to calculate your fare. If you arrive in Lagos for instance, you shouldn’t pay more than N1,000 (R62) to travel to hotels or guest houses. There are a few car rental companies around too if you want to rent a car during your short stay in Nigeria, but using a taxi is relatively cheap as you can “customise” a cab man (as it is fondly called) to drive you around town throughout your stay in the country. Some of the hotels also provide such services so you might want to find out from them. The use of public transport is generally not advisable as most of the minibuses (popularly referred to as “danfo”) in Lagos are rickety and not in good conditions. The fastest means of transportation are the motorcycles (Okada) - this is due to the high vehicular traffic in most part of the cities.







Cultural Characteristics: Nigerians are very nice people who tend to be exceptionally warm to foreigners. They are willing to go the extra mile to meet the demands of any tourist, most especially “whites”. Nigerians take greetings seriously, so you might want to cultivate the habit of saying “good morning” before your trip. English is the official language of Nigeria and it’s used at all levels of administration such as law, commerce and education. It is spoken with varying degrees of fluency by majority of the population, making Nigeria the largest English Speaking country in Africa.



Mode of dressing: Don't wear anything skimpy clothing out in in public particularly if you are visiting the northern part of the country. Infact, DO NOT TRY IT. You can wear a bikini whilst soaking up the sun on a beach, but not whilst strolling around the town. The country is a bit humid even during the rainy season, be advised to shop for clothes that allow for air before you head to Nigeria.



Cost of living: Living in Nigeria is a bit expensive. Well, expensive here could be very relative though. A pack of sandwiches goes for about N700 (R42) in a regular restaurant. Set prices only exist when they’re written (!) – usually in certain stores, restaurants, or shopping malls. For taxis and most items in the market, bartering is to be expected. If the shopkeeper starts off by saying an item costs N100 or less, start by offering roughly 1/2 of the price. Bartering just means the difference between him making wide margins versus moderate ones. The Nigerian unit of currency is the Naira, with notes issued in 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1, 000 Naira denominations. Visitors may bring unlimited amounts of foreign currency, provided a declaration of such currency is made to customs at the airports



Electronic gadgets: We would advise you get your cameras before coming over; it might be a bit pricey in Nigeria. Generally, never patronise street hawkers for anything important you might want to buy. Never use cell phones in the main street of Lagos or any other city. Nigerians are fun people and they would be willing to have you take their pictures. Another thing Nigerians strongly disapprove of is taking photos of anything that could be perceived as negative to their country. If you take photos of such things, always ensure that you’re in a private place with nobody looking at you. We guess that’s the norm everywhere else in the world



On a lighter note, Nigeria is actually a beautiful place to have fun. The clubs are usually packed every Friday in most cities especially Lagos. The biggest musical artists you can find in this part of the world are from Nigeria. We know quite well that a lot of DJs and night clubs in Capetown and J’bourg dish out Nigerians songs some of which you are already familiar with



Views expressed here aren't necessarily those of SouthAfrica.TO's.