Nigeria

NIGERIA

Information about travelling to Nigeria

Nigeria is located in Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Benin and Cameroon

Facts about Nigeria
Population146,255,312 note: e
CapitalAbuja
Time zoneUTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Location Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Benin and Cameroon

General info about Nigeria
British influence and control over what would become Nigeria and Africa's most populous country grew through the 19th century. A series of constitutions after World War II granted Nigeria greater autonomy; independence came in 1960. Following nearly 16 years of military rule, a new constitution was adopted in 1999, and a peaceful transition to civilian government was completed. The government continues to face the daunting task of reforming a petroleum-based economy, whose revenues have been squandered through corruption and mismanagement, and institutionalizing democracy. In addition, Nigeria continues to experience longstanding ethnic and religious tensions. Although both the 2003 and 2007 presidential elections were marred by significant irregularities and violence, Nigeria is currently experiencing its longest period of civilian rule since independence. The general elections of April 2007 marked the first civilian-to-civilian transfer of power in the country's history.
Disease threats
degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepat
Languages spoken
English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo), Fulani
What about drugs?
a transit point for heroin and cocaine intended for European, East Asian, and North American markets; consumer of amphetamines; safe haven for Nigerian narcotraffickers operating worldwide; major money-laundering center; massive corruption and criminal activity; Nigeria has improved some anti-money-laundering controls, resulting in its removal from the Financial Action Task Force's (FATF's) Noncooperative Countries and Territories List in June 2006; Nigeria's anti-money-laundering regime continues to be monitored by FATF
Ethnic division
Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, is composed of more than 250 ethnic groups; the following are the most populous and politically influential: Hausa and Fulani 29%, Yoruba 21%, Igbo (Ibo) 18%, Ijaw 10%, Kanuri 4%, Ibibio 3.5%, Tiv 2.5%
HIV/AIDS prevalence rate
5.4% (2003 est.)
Climate
varies; equatorial in south, tropical in center, arid in north
Resources
natural gas, petroleum, tin, iron ore, coal, limestone, niobium, lead, zinc, arable land
Economy
Oil-rich Nigeria, long hobbled by political instability, corruption, inadequate infrastructure, and poor macroeconomic management, has undertaken several reforms over the past decade. Nigeria's former military rulers failed to diversify the economy away from its overdependence on the capital-intensive oil sector, which provides 95% of foreign exchange earnings and about 80% of budgetary revenues. Following the signing of an IMF stand-by agreement in August 2000, Nigeria received a debt-restructuring deal from the Paris Club and a $1 billion credit from the IMF, both contingent on economic reforms. Nigeria pulled out of its IMF program in April 2002, after failing to meet spending and exchange rate targets, making it ineligible for additional debt forgiveness from the Paris Club. Since 2008 the government has begun showing the political will to implement the market-oriented reforms urged by the IMF, such as to modernize the banking system, to curb inflation by blocking excessive wage demands, and to resolve regional disputes over the distribution of earnings from the oil industry. In 2003, the government began deregulating fuel prices, announced the privatization of the country's four oil refineries, and instituted the National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy, a domestically designed and run program modeled on the IMF's Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility for fiscal and monetary management. In November 2005, Abuja won Paris Club approval for a debt-relief deal that eliminated $18 billion of debt in exchange for $12 billion in payments - a total package worth $30 billion of Nigeria's total $37 billion external debt. The deal requires Nigeria to be subject to stringent IMF reviews. Based largely on increased oil exports and high global crude prices, GDP rose strongly in 2007 and 2008. President YAR'ADUA has pledged to continue the economic reforms of his predecessor with emphasis on infrastructure improvements. Infrastructure is the main impediment to growth. The government is working toward developing stronger public-private partnerships for electricity and roads.
Environment
soil degradation; rapid deforestation; urban air and water pollution; desertification; oil pollution - water, air, and soil; has suffered serious damage from oil spills; loss of arable land; rapid urbanization

Cities in Nigeria

aba     abakaliki     abeokuta     abonnema     abuja     afikpo     agbor     agulu     aku     akure     amaigbo     ankpa     apomu     asaba     auchi     awka     azare     bama     bauchi     bende     benin     bida     biu     bugama     calabar     damaturu     daura     duku     dutse     ede     effium     eha amufu     ejigbo     ekpoma     emure     enugu     enugu ukwu     epe     eruwa     fiditi     funtua     gashua     gbongan     gombe     gusau     hadejia     ibadan     idah     idanre     ife     ifo     igbara odo     igbo ora     igbo ukwu     igboho     igede     ihiala     ijebu igbo     ijebu ode     ijero     ikere     ikire     ikirun     ikole     ikom     ikorodu     ikot ekpene     ila     ilesha     ilobu     ilorin     inisa     ipoti     ise     iseyin     iwo     jalingo     jega     jimeta     jos     kaduna     kafanchan     kagoro     kano     katsina     keffi     kishi     kontagora     kumo     lafia     lafiagi     lagos     lalupon     lere     lokoja     maiduguri     makurdi     malumfashi     minna     modakeke     mubi     nguru     nkpor     nkwerre     nnewi     nsukka     numan     obosi     ode     offa     ohafia     okene     okrika     olupona     ondo     onitsha     oron     oshogbo     otukpo     owerri     owo     oyan     oyo     ozubulu     pindiga     port harcourt     potiskum     sapele     shagamu     shaki     sokoto     suleja     uga     ugep     ughelli     umuahia     uromi     uyo     warri     wukari     yenagoa     yola     zaria    


Airports in Nigeria
Nnamdi Azikiwe International AirportABV
AkureAKR
BauchiBCU
CalabarCBQ
EnuguENU
IbadanIBA
IlorinILR
JosJOS
KadunaKAD
Aminu Kano International AptKAN
Murtala MuhammedLOS
MakurdiMDI
MaiduguriMIU
MinnaMXJ
Port HarcourtPHC
SokotoSKO
YolaYOL
ZariaZAR


Beer in Nigeria (0.33l)
Abuja~ 1.2 EUR
Bonny~ 0.7 EUR
Lagos~ 0.5 EUR
Onne~ 0.7 EUR

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