Car Rental in Nigeria

One of the largest African countries, Nigeria attracts travelers with its wild savannahs, tropical forests, and rich animal world. Modern Nigeria has both vibrant and actively developing cities and remote areas inhabited by aboriginal tribes. The African country is one of the most multinational in the world – more than 200 different nationalities live in the territory of Nigeria, and all of them speak their different dialects. It is hard to imagine, how multidimensional and diverse the culture of this country is.

First signs of human activity in the territory of modern Nigeria date back to the 7th – 8th centuries BC. Scientists think that this is exactly where the ancient Nok civilization of an early Iron Age appeared 3,000 years ago. This marvelous civilization mysteriously disappeared, leaving only multiple terracotta statues. Later, the nomadic Yoruba people inhabited this region and formed several early states.

In the 11th century, the ancient Kanem–Bornu Empire emerged in the territory of modern Nigeria. Arabian merchants shaped this country in many ways. Their culture encouraged local tribes to become Muslims. The Kanem–Bornu Empire existed until the 14th century. In the 15th century, Portuguese explorers first reached the Gulf of Guinea’s coast. Later, they established trade with local tribal kingdoms. The appearance of Europeans didn’t bring colonization with all its harsh consequences like in many other countries. Nigeria became a colony of the United Kingdom much later, in 1885. This period marks the active development of the country. Oil pumping, building of railroads, and new towns appeared in Nigeria. The country became independent in 1960.

The capital of the country, Abuja, is one of the most modern cities in Nigeria. Abuja was founded in 1828. In modern days, this is the location of the country’s most important authorities and the residence of the president. It is very interesting to explore beautiful modern streets, to admire gorgeous buildings, and visit several interesting museums dedicated to the culture and traditions of the country.

The port city of Lagos is the former capital of the country. This is a wonderful place that attracts tourists with its vibrant atmosphere and numerous landmarks. The city’s period of prosperity fell on the colonial epoch. Nowadays, beautiful churches remind of that time. By the way, local churches serve beautiful masses every Sunday. In Lagos, it is also interesting to visit the National Museum, as well as markets and artisan workshops.

Kano is one of the oldest cities in the country. It has a well-preserved historic district with gorgeous palaces and ancient protective buildings. Old Kofar Mata Gate is a symbolic entrance to the Old Town. The Emir’s Palace is, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful architectural landmarks in Kano. Having explored the signature attractions of this city, don’t forget to visit Kurmi Market and shop for interesting handmade souvenirs.

Nigeria is rich in all kinds of natural attractions. The Yankari National Park is located in the north-east of the country. This is a wonderful place to watch wild animals in their natural habitat. Tourists can also visit local hot springs and explore endless savannahs in an all-terrain vehicle. There hasn’t been a settlement in the territory of the natural reserve for more than a thousand years, and this fact has helped to retain the unique nature of this area.

The Jos Plateau is another wonderful landmark that is very interesting to explore. The plateau became famous because of the unusual rocky formations. As impenetrable green jungles occupy almost a complete territory of the plateau, rocks surrounded by green flora look particularly spectacular. At a glance, it feels like the rocks are manmade because their flat tops look alike. However, the rocks got a similar shape because of the wind.

There is a large international airport in Lagos that welcomes flights from different European and African cities every day. British Airways has flights from London to Lagos, and aircraft by Lufthansa connect the city with Frankfurt. There are also regular flights to Lagos from Madrid, Amsterdam, Paris, Rome, and Istanbul. In recent years, the number of flights from Dubai and Doha has also risen significantly. Nigeria has railway connection with Chad and Cameroon, but these trains are not regular and can be delayed.

Read further: Cities and sights of Nigeria