Nigeria is a fascinating destination,
blessed with amazing cities and
towns. Most of these cities and towns
are known across the country for their
fascinating attractions, beautiful
scenery, natural resources and
cultural heritage. Abuja, the capital
city is one of the most loved cities in
the country. There are other major
cities in Nigeria which are very much
loved and visited. Some are loved for
their homeliness and hospitable
demeanour, others are for their
economic and business advantages;
yet more are loved for their
availability of fun, tourism and
vacation spots.
We've scouted about, dug around and
browsed the Internet for
recommendations from Nigerians, and
tourists, and we still came up with a
definitive list of the most loved cities
in Nigeria. Therefore, in no particular
order, here are the most loved cities
in Nigeria to visit:
1. Ibadan
It's also called the 'ancient city' and
it's the state capital of Oyo. It's
described as the biggest city in the
whole of West Africa. Located in the
south-western part of Nigeria it is
densely populated with so many
industrial and commercial activities.
This city has the first advance
learning institution – the University of
Ibadan (formally the university college
Ibadan), also the first sky scrapper
(Cocoa house) and the first teaching
hospital in Africa. The city is made up
of interwoven streets with local and
international markets and malls. This
city is known for tourism too, with a
remarkable museum in the African
study institution, botanical and
Zoological garden in Agodi and in the
University of Ibadan respectively,
Mapo colonial city hall. Life in this
town is beautiful with diversity of
lifestyle and culture.
2. Abuja
Nigeria's Federal capital, Abuja is
currently one of the most developed
cities in the country. Little wonder it is
loved and experiencing alarming
levels of immigration. Abuja is
Nigeria's seat of power and it is
believed that in Abuja, life is good.
Whether rich, middle class or poor,
there somehow is a place for all. It is
also considered a highly business
destination. While in Abuja, experience
a different kind of sightseeing that will
make your visit memorable. Places
like Jabi Lake, Silverbird Cinema and
Millennium Park are really cool spots
to unwind and have fun. For folks who
love to shop, some of the big
shopping stores in Abuja will give you
value for your money.
3. Jos
'J town' as it is popularly called is
one of the "cool" and most
loved cities in the northern region of
Nigeria. Aside from its recent crisis,
the city is a lot of fun and people love
it particularly for the weather and
serene environment. The southern
part of Jos is said to be peaceful and
the people there are really
accommodating. What's more? The
standard of living in Jos is very
affordable. It also boasts a number of
attractions including two museums, a
wildlife park and game reserve,
breathtaking waterfalls and striking
hills and rocks. Jos is a beautiful
town and is a really nice place to
raise a family or live.
4. Calabar
Located in South-Southern Nigeria and
watered by the Great Kwa and Calabar
rivers, the city is home to a variety of
attractions such as Obudu Cattle
Ranch and Tinapa Resort. The city
attracts visitors with its array of tasty
delicacies, beautiful architecture and
festivals. Every year, Calabar hosts
Africa's biggest street party known as
the Calabar Carnival, where diverse
colourful cultural costumes are
displayed. There's never a dull
moment in this carnival. For
indigenous vacation in Nigeria,
Calabar is often the first location that
comes to people's mind. The city
boasts of several other attractions
including an integrated sports
complex, a free trade zone and Port
and an international air and sea port
among many others.
5. Minna
Located in the west central part of
Nigeria, Minna is a quiet and loveable
commercial city. This beautiful town
was a collection point for agricultural
produce way back then. According to
history, Minna was a labour camp for
railway construction and this led to
the gradual development of the town
to now a major commercial city. The
populace in this area are involved in
all sorts of farming. This town is not
densely populated and it has a blend
of several cultures and life styles.
Minna has some notable tourist sites
to her name amongst which are the
Gurara falls, Baro port (which was
used in the colonial days for
transport), The Wushishi Transway
engine (First railway Locomotive
engine and others like Kainji lake
national park that is not so far from
the city. Electricity is very constant
because of the proximity of the Kainji
Dam to the town. Food,
accommodation, transport and general
life style here is quite affordable.
6. Enugu
Popularly known as 'coal city', a
pseudonym that was given to Enugu
due to its mining activities.. Located
at the south-eastern part of Nigeria,
it's the state capital of Enugu. It's
described as one of the oldest urban
areas within the region. Her populace
are involved in agriculture, besides the
mining of coal and other solid
minerals. Enugu is loved by so many
not just for 'coal' but for its notable
tourist destinations like Nike Holiday
Resort, Iva Valley (coal mine) and the
famous Nmanwu Cultural Festival. The
road network here is well designed
with so many state of the art buildings
(complexes and malls). In general, it
is highly commercialised and life in
Enugu is like living on a fast lane.
7. Port Harcourt
Port Harcourt is a coastal city with
scenic shorelines. This city as
described by tourist is a "centre of
black jewel (oil)". It is known as the
Garden city because of its greenery
and aesthetic parks within the
metropolis. This city is the state
capital of Rivers located in the south-
south region of Nigeria. This town is
known for its level of commerce as far
back as 1912 due to the presence of
the sea port (used for exports). This
city is densely populated and full of
industrial activities. It is home to so
many multinational companies, most
of which are affiliated to oil and gas.
Port-Harcourt city is loved for
numerous reasons but most for its
wealth as a result of oil. She is home
to many tourist sites such as Sea
Ports, Isaac Boro Park, Monument of
Jaja, Bony Island, Ifoko Beach, the oil
refineries, the tourist beach etc. The
standard of living here is high and this
spans across food, shelter and
clothing. The city is well known for its
lively and dynamic nightlife.
8. Uyo
Once adjudged the neatest city in
Nigeria, Uyo is a cool, calm, classy
and serene destination. Also in South-
eastern Nigeria, it is the capital of
Akwa Ibom, a major oil producing
state in the country. The city is loved
for its peace and serenity among
other things. Although life in Uyo is
quite expensive, people don't mind
because of the low crime and crisis
rate. The inhabitants are
predominantly farmers and traders.
With the increased level of
infrastructural growth and human
development, Uyo is definitely a place
to look out for. The Ibom connection
and Le Meridien Ibom Hotel and Golf
Resort, Ibom Tropicana Resort and
other projects under construction are
some of the soon to be bubbling
spots in the area.
9. Kano
The city of Kano is the capital of Kano
state in Northern Nigeria. The second
largest city in Nigeria, Kano is the
second major seat of the Hausas/
Fulanis, the other being Sokoto. Kano
is an ancient city and is the pride of
most Northerners. The city boasts an
international airport and a number of
tourist attractions including Bagauda
Lake/Tiga Lake Resort Man-made,
Tourist Camp, Audu Bako Zoo, Gidan
Makama Museum Monument/Museum
and Kofar Mata Dyeing Pit among
others. The major festival is the
Durbar festival hosted by the Emir of
Kano to mark and celebrate the two
annual Muslim festivals Eid-ul-Fitr
and Eid al-Adha. The majority of the
populace are farmers which is no
surprise since Kano is considered the
most extensively irrigated with over 3
million hectares of land suitable for
cultivation.
10. Warri
It's one of the biggest cities In Delta
state. Located on the Lower Niger/
Delta coast line. Its not the state
capital but it's more popular and has
a lot of history compared to Asaba the
capital. Its an old town known for oil
production and the presence of the
traditional kingdom Warri, dated back
as far as the 15th and 16th century.
Its a port town that has a lot of
industrial activities (oil and steel).
People from this notable town are
called wafarians, known for business
and tourism. The presence of oil has
a ripple effect on its commerce.
Tourism here is huge as tourist are
exposed to attractions like the palace
of the Olu of Warri, Nama palace, Koko
Red Mangrove Swamp, Effurun Garden
Park, beaches and resorts.
11. Lagos
It's the most populous city in
according to population census. It is
also known as the economic capital of
Nigeria. This mega city is separated
by water bodies into two main parts
(Island and Mainland). It is located in
the south-western part of Nigeria.
Lagos is known for commerce, filled
with industries from all economic
sectors. The road network is next to
none and it boasts of a good number
of tall buildings and sky scrappers.
The nightlife in this city is as busy as
the day, painted with a lot malls,
clubs, restaurants and bars. Visitors
will always have a first class
experience in terms of buying and
selling. Lagos has local and
international markets of all kind. The
coastline makes Lagos a
ravishing beauty!
12. Ilorin
Ilorin is a very interesting city. It's a
city that has not really being in the
lime light but is surprisingly one of
the largest cities in Nigeria. The
capital of Kwara, Ilorin is located in
the North Central region of the
country. As quiet as Ilorin seems, it
has an international cargo airport, a
20,000 capacity stadium and the only
standard base ball Court in West
Africa. Ilorin is also home to several
prominent "learned" men and women
as the legal profession is really strong
there. Ilorin is blessed with several
natural resources and the standard of
living is affordable. Pottery and
traditional textile industry among
others are thriving businesses there
also. Tourist attractions in the area
include the Esie museum and the
stately Sobi Hill; and that is why it is
one of the most loved cities in
Nigeria.
source: Travelstart Blog
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