nigeria

area
population
capital
head of state
official language
currency
exchange rate

(source: lonely planet)

924,000 sq km
125 million
abuja
olusegun obasanjo
english
naira
check out oanda.com
for current exchange rates

this information comes from a visit to the country in july 2002. things might have changed since then. these are my personal impressions and it's well possible that other travellers will not share my views.

accra, ghana: the embassy is located on tito avenue. (turn north from ring road between sankara intersection and danquah circle).

the 30 day tourist visa was issued the same day. they will want to see an invitation letter, but a recommendation from your embassy will do.

they don’t insist on contact addresses inside nigeria if you tell the that, as a tourist, you don’t know anybody there.

for a swiss citizen, the visa cost usd 56.—(but prices vary greatly for different nationalities).

getting in and out

idiroko (benin) -nigeria take this border when coming through southern benin, it’s much less frequented than the lagos border. the officials might try to intimidate you at first, but if you stay calm and friendly they become actually very friendly. there seem to be checkpoints behind every tree all the way to the first town in nigeria. after that there are less controls and they most probably won’t stop tourist. at checkpoints they might try to intimidate you. ask them for some advice (like safety) and they will be very happy to give you information and become friendly. they might ask for a bribe but won’t insist. (try to make a joke. make them laugh).

birni-konni (niger) - nigeria: the nigerian officials are very friendly. didn't even ask for money. they check for your yellow fever certificate.

there is a police and a military checkpoint right after the border. they might ask for money but don't insit.

ikom (nigeria) - mamfe (cameroon) :this is the souther border into cameroon. the nigerian officers were not only correct but also very helpful. also on the cameroonian side there are no problems. there you can change your left over nairas into central african cfa right in the immigration office !
after the border there is a rather narrow dirt track leading into cameroon. it might be impassable during the rainy season if a truck gets stuck. (there is no space to pass it on either side of the track). expect some sections with deep sticky mud. the road gets slightly better after the fist village in cameroon, about 15 kilometers after the border.

places to stay and visit

oshgobo (secret forrest and oshun river oshogbo is about 150 km east of ibadan. here on the oshun river you'll find the shrine to oshun, the river godess, inside the secret forrest. the place is not only interesting to those intrerested in yorouba culture, but it's also a very beautiful and peaceful place. austrian artist susanne wenger, who has become an importan yorouba priest, has created many fantastic statues that make the place even more special.

‘wikki warm springs / yankari game reserveanother magical place in nigeria are the cristal clear 'wikki warm springs' in yankari game reserve. it's hard to explain the beauty of it but it's really worth the visit.
however, you'll be probably dissappointed by the yankari game reserve, where the springs are located and where you'll have to pay entry fees when visitin the springs. the management is outright arrogant and gives you the feeling your not at all welcome. still the springs make up for it... ! (don't declare your digital camera as what it is ! you'll be charged five time the price than of a normal one !

other

fake police checkpoints on the road: checkpoints are usually clearly marked and it’s possible that officers don’t wear a uniform. if some armed people try to stop you out in nowhere, don’t stop! these are most likely robbers, pretending to be police.

"operations" on express roads. beware of armed robbers on express roads, especially on the lagos-ibadan road. they hold up traffic and rob what they can. if you are on one of these roads and see traffic rushing back, this means that there is an operation going on ahead. turn back as everybody else and wait for it to be over.

there are constant fuel shortages allover nigeria (get fuel whenever it's avaliable). although as a tourist you might be lucky and served before everybody else. fuel is very cheap in nigeria