The Earth is beautiful and filled with lovely places. But now, we will be talking about the continent of Africa, the western part of the continent, a country called Nigeria.
Nigeria is about 910,770 square meters, with its capital in Abuja. It shares a border in the north with the Republic of Niger; likewise, on the western border is the republic of Benin. By the east are Cameroon and Chad. And the southern border is the gulf of guinea.
Nigeria has three main tribal groups. Hausa, Ibo, and the Yoruba tribe. However, there are about 370 tribes in Nigeria with over 774 languages.
These make the country unique in a different aspect—for example, music, festivals, dressing, food, and style of living. Also, the country is rich in natural and mineral resources.
Nigeria has some tourist attractions you can visit if you plan to explore the country. Lots of beautiful and relaxing places spread all over the country with so many beaches, resorts, and historical sites in Nigeria.
Below are some of the top-rated tourist attractions to visit in Nigeria.
I’m going to take you through some of the lovely places in the country. Let’s journey through the states. Our first stop will be:
1. Lagos
This is one of the most important cities in Nigeria. With its capital in Ikeja. This city has many resorts, beaches, tourist centers, and festivals. It has a good lifestyle of entertainment and music, for instance, rhythm and souls, afrobeat, traditional jazz, afro-pop, and many more.
There is also an island in Lagos called the Lekki Conservation Center (LCC), a 78 hectare of Natural Resource conservation in Lekki.
Lagos island also has beautiful beaches such as Elegushi beach, Alpha beach, and Eko Tourist Beach Resort.
Plenty of other beaches you will love are La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort, Inagbe Grand Resort, Atican Beach Resort, Kamp Ikare Beach Resort, Tarkwa bay beach, Badagry beach, sultan beach, and whispering palms resort. Plenty of options await you, with incredible sights sprinkled across the state.
2. First Storey Building In Nigeria
It is located in Badagry. The missionaries built it in 1845. Importantly, this is where Ajayi Crowther translated the bible. Besides, for the first time, from English to Yoruba.
3. Badagry Heritage Museum
It was the office of district officers during the colonial era. The structure was built in 1863 and later converted into a museum. The museum has some slave trade artifacts, relics, and pieces of other information.
4. Agia Tree Monument
This tourist attraction is the location where Christianity was first preached in Nigeria by Thomas Birch Freeman and Henry Townsend in 1842.
5. Velekete Slave Market
This is another historical landmark in Badagry. Built in 1502 by the Portuguese. There are lots of festivals in Lagos at different times of the year. For instance, The Eyo festival with origins in 1750. Masquerades on performers dressed in a white robe with staff on their hands and dancers.
There are also other festivals and carnivals like the Boat Regattas which include Festival of India-Lagos, Black Heritage Festival, Crossover Festival, Food Festival, Festival of Lights, Photo Festival, International Film Festival, International Jazz Festival, Seafood Festival, and Yoruba Arts Festival.
6. Ibadan
The city became British Protectorate in 1893. It was developed to facilitate commercial activities in the area. As a result, the city grew to be a major trading center.
Ibadan also houses the first university in Nigeria. It was established in 1948 as the College of the University of London. The university became a full-fledged independent university in 1962.
The city still has lots of old buildings. The structures will tell you her story back in time, so you get to feel how it was in the 18th century.
A museum in the University’s Institute of African Studies also exhibits several remarkable prehistoric bronze and statues.
7. Ife
Ile-Ife(Ife) is an ancient city located in Osun State and referred to as the home of all Yoruba races. This place is where all Yorubas, regardless of their dialects, have their roots.
Ife is also known for its ancient and natural bronze, stone, and terracotta sculptures. Ife is also known for its glass beads, and they have been found in places as far as Mali, Mauritania, and Ghana.
The city has some beautiful, lovely, and historic places. Such as the Oranmiyan staff. Also called Opa Oranmiyan, a 10 feet high structure built around the sword where he was buried. Oranmiyan is the last born of Oduduwa, who later became king.
The city is also known for its art scene and ancient landmarks like the National Museum, Erin Ijesha waterfall, Ooni’s palace, Osun Oshogbo sacred grove, Zenababs Half Moon Resort, Obatala Center for Creative Arts, and many others.
When you visit Ile-Ife, you will see and experience the rich culture and history of the ancient Ife kingdom.
8. Benin City
Benin City is the capital of Edo state. The people living in Benin are called the Binis. This is one of the oldest ancient monarchies in the world. The Bini people are rich in culture and bronze sculpture.
Moreover, the Binis are good custodians’ of custom and tradition. However, there are some historical claims that Benin has a connection to the Ile-Ife in Yorubaland.
There are lots of festivals in Benin City. The most popular one is called the Igue Festival. The festival marks the harvest of the first new yams of the season. The King of the Benin Kingdom is called Oba.
9. Cross River
Cross River is a state rich in culture and tourism. Its capital is Calabar. Calabar is one of the oldest cities in Nigeria, and this beautiful city has been in existence since the 16th century.
It has served as a major seaport in Nigeria for hundreds of years. Tinapa resort in Calabar is one of Nigeria’s most top-rated tourist attractions.
Tinapa is in a serene environment besides the Calabar Free Trade Zone. This is the combination of both leisure and business in place.
Another of the top-rated tourist attractions in Cross River State is the Obudu Mountain Resort (formerly known as Obudu Cattle ranch). It is a ranch and a resort on the Obudu Plateau.
Calabar’s city has long been recognized as an international seaport, famously used for the shipping of palm oil.
It was also a major port in the transportation of African slaves by the Spanish during the Atlantic slave trade era. Calabar has the first social club in the country and the first secondary school in eastern Nigeria.
10. Enugu
Enugu is one of the oldest cities in Nigeria. Its capital is Enugu. Created from two words Enu Ugwu which means “Hill Top.” Enugu is also called the coal city because it’s rich in coal.
This city has been in existence since the pre-colonial era. It is home to many historical places and events. The city houses the first indigenous university in Nigeria. The University of Nigeria, Nsukka, was established in 1955 by Nnamdi Azikiwe in 1955 and officially opened in 1960.
Enugu has some resorts and natural environments. For instance, The National Museum of Unity was established shortly after the civil war to promote unity. You can find artifacts from the post-colonial era, such as military artifacts and other relics.
Furthermore, Enugu has excellent resorts like the Milken Hills, Awhum Cave and Waterfall, Ngwo Caves and Waterfall, Iheneke Lake, Polo Amusement Park, Nike Lake Resort, Ezeagu Tourist Complex, and many others.
There are lots of festivals in Enugu, like the New Yam Festival, which is the celebration to mark the harvesting and feasting of new yam. Secondly, the Mmanwu festival which celebrates the dancing of various masquerades.
Some Nigerian Foods You Can Try
Besides the top-rated tourist attractions in Nigeria, Nigerian food is another thing you should try. Nigerian cuisine is another unique thing about the country.
They consist of the cooking traditions and practices from Nigeria. Apart from preparing homemade meals, Nigerians also like eating out. Every food has its unique taste and feels to it.
Moreover, Each tribe has a different variety of food. When you visit, you can try different kinds of foods as you see them.
Most importantly, Nigerians have various ways of cooking rice, for example, Jollof rice, fried rice, Banga rice(Palm Fruit), Coconut rice, Ofada rice, and white rice.
Nigeria also has other lovely delicacies like beans, yam, beans and plantain, yam pepper soup, and many more.
There are also a variety of soups, for example, Egusi, Ogbolor, Okro, Black soup, Ewedu, Banga, Vegetable soup, Efo Riro, Afang, Oha, Ofe Nsala, pepper soup, Obe Ata Iru, Otong, bitter leaf, beans soup, and the list goes on.
There are other foods used to eat the soups, called a swallow. For instance, fufu, Eba, pounded yam, Tuwo Shinkafa, amala, starch, wheat, corn flour, Lafu, and many more.
