Regional Info

Our Regional Overview of Nigeria


Video YouTube Credit: Vacation Africa TV

Nigeria is not normally the first destination in West Africa that one thinks of when it comes to tourism or travel, and having a reputation of being one of the world’s most chaotic places hasn't helped either. Yet for the adventurous traveller, Nigeria promises to be a challenging, exciting, memorable and educational experience, offering the opportunity to experience West Africa and to see this raw and vibrant country with all its hidden wonders. 

Welcome to the MyDestination Nigeria travel guide, the official online guide covering where to go and what to do when in the Republic of Nigeria, commonly referred to as Nigeria. The name Nigeria is formed from the words 'Niger' and 'area', and was first proposed by Lady Flora Shaw, who later married Lord Lugard the 1st Governor-General of the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria. At the time she was based at Lokoja the then capital of the government of Nigeria by the River Niger in the 19th century.

Nigeria is West Africa's most visited country and Africa’s ninth most visited as a whole. It is also Africa's most populous, with more than 140 million people and more than 370 diverse ethnic groups. It is home to Lagos, a city with an estimated population that exceeds 10 million, and therefore is on the United Nations’ list of mega-cities.

Nigeria is located in south-western coastal Africa, and shares its borders with Niger, Benin, Chad, and Cameroon in Central Africa to the south-east. Nigeria’s total land mass covers 923,768km and is five times larger than Ghana, 13 times as large as Sierra Leone and occupies a seventh of West Africa.

Nigeria boasts great stretches of unbroken sandy beaches bordering the Atlantic to its south, mangrove swamps in its Niger Delta, mahogany forests to the west, savanna grasslands in the middle belt, and arid bush lands to its north. The main rivers are West Africa's greatest river - the Niger - and the Benue River, which converge and flow into the Niger Delta. This is one of the world's largest river deltas and home to the Central African mangroves.

Nigeria is both blessed and diverse, offering a variety of things to see and explore, from its rich cultural heritage to its various festivals. Come and mingle with its warm friendly people and visit its cities, towns and villages. Relax on its beaches, or come and explore the forests and mountains; there's something in Nigeria for everyone.

The country is home to about 200 different and distinct tribes, the largest of which are the Hausa and Fulani (in the north), the Yoruba (in the south-west), and the Igbo (in the east).

Nigeria is divided into 36 colourful states and each state enjoy a high degree of autonomy. They can set industrial policies and independently seek to attract investment. This is usually done within the broader national policy and must comply with federal rules (with regard to import duties, for example).

Religion: 50% - Islam, 40% - Christianity, 10% - Traditional African beliefs.