Overview
Nigeria is a country in Africa according to politicsezine. Despite Nigeria’s hundreds of miles of coastline, national parks and fascinating historical sites, it hardly attracts any tourists other than visitors interested in petroleum. Nigeria’s greatest asset – its indigenous and religious wealth – has also proved to be its greatest problem in numerous bloody conflicts. Portugal had been using Nigeria for trade since the 15th century until Great Britain took power at the end of the 19th century. Since gaining independence in 1960, the country has faced numerous changes of government, and the Nigerian army has intervened in several internal conflicts. Despite everything, Nigeria remains one of the most powerful countries in the region, which also had a military presence in various trouble spots in West Africa in the 1990s. The stability of the entire region has become of major international concern since the discovery of new sources of oil and gas in West African waters.
Getting there
Arriving by plane
Lufthansa (LH) offers from Frankfurt/M. daily direct flights to the capital Abuja as well as to Lagos and Port Harcourt; Feeder flights from Vienna by Austrian Airlines (OS) and from Zurich with Swiss (LX). Lufthansa (LH) flies from Zurich via Frankfurt/M. to Lagos; Tickets for these flights are also offered by Swiss (LX). Eurowings Discover (4Y) connects Frankfurt/M. with Windhoek.
Flight times
Frankfurt/M. – Abuja: 6 hrs 5 mins; Frankfurt/M. – Lagos: 6 hrs 30 mins (non-stop flights). Vienna – Abuja: 9 hours 10 minutes; Zurich – Abuja: 9 hours 5 minutes; Zurich – Lagos: 9 hours 30 minutes (with stopover).
Departure fee
None.
Arrival by car
Nigeria is accessible by land from Benin, Niger, Chad and Cameroon. Coming from Niger, the major Trans-Saharan Roads lead through Nigeria. The main line from Benin crosses the border at Idiroko and the coastal road leads to Lagos. Tolls: There are no toll roads in Nigeria. Documents: In addition to the national driver’s license, the international driver’s license must be carried.
Arrival by train
There is no cross-border rail service to Nigeria.
Arrival by ship
Nigeria’s main ports are Lagos, Port Harcourt and Calabar. Other important ports are Warri and Sapele.
Transportation
Traveling by plane
Nigeria has numerous airlines serving national air traffic. Airlines such as Arik Air (W3), Max Air (VM), Dana Air (9J) and the private airline Air Peace connect different cities in the country several times a day; Hub is Abuja.
Traveling by car/bus
The road network in Nigeria has a length of about 195,000 km and connects all major cities. Toll: There are no toll roads. Filling stations: The supply situation is often insufficient. Therefore, opportunities to fill up should always be used.
Right-hand traffic/left-hand traffic
Right
Condition of the roads
The road network is generally in poor condition; also the paved roads, which cover about 60,000 km of the entire road network. Unpaved roads are often either not passable at all during the rainy season or only passable with four-wheel drive vehicles.
Car rental
Rental cars can only be rented with a driver at airports and sometimes also in the cities. The minimum age to book a rental car is 18 years, even if you do not drive yourself.
Taxi
Relatively cheap taxis are available in all Nigerian cities.
Coach
Buses and taxis (Ford Transits) operate between the larger cities.
Regulations
Traffic regulations: – Alcohol limit: 0.0 ‰. Speed limits: – in urban areas: 40-60 km/h; – extra-urban: 100 km/h.
Roadside Assistance
In the event of breakdowns and accidents, the car rental company must be contacted.
Documentation
In addition to the national driver’s license, the international driver’s license must be carried.
Note on travel by road
Overland journeys in particular should only be carried out with reliable local people who know the area, if possible in a convoy. Driving at night should be avoided at all costs due to the increased risk of being mugged and the poor road conditions. In many regions, raids can also be expected during the day.
Traveling in the city
In Lagos, red buses from LagBus and blue ones from NURTW serve the urban area on their own lanes; Traffic jams are thus avoided. Taxis are mostly metered and readily available. A ferry commutes to the island of Lagos.
Locally on the way by train
Express trains run by the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Nigeria’s national railway company, run every Friday on the Port Harcourt – Kano and Lagos – Kano routes (journey time: 30 hours). The route Kano – Lagos is served on Mondays (journey time also: 30 hours). Express trains with 1st class carriages operate on the Lagos – Jos and Maiduguri and Port Harcourt – Jos and Maiduguri routes. Other trains cross the savannah on their way into Nigeria’s interior. Also on offer are luxury trains (house on wheels) with a veranda for outside observation, bedroom, bathroom and kitchen.
Traveling by ship
Metro Ferry connects Ebute-Ero, Cms, Falomo and Addax on Nigeria’s South Coast daily with speedboats; Charter services are also offered. Ferries also operate on the Niger.
