Must-see attractions in Nigeria

  • Osun State, Nigeria - August 15th, 2015 - Osun shrine by the river.
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    Osun Sacred Grove

    Nigeria

    The Sacred Grove is a large area of rainforest on the outskirts of Oshogbo. Within the forest is the beautiful Shrine of Oshuno, the River Goddess. In…

  • This picture taken on on September 8, 2016 shows the Canopy Walkway bridge, the longest canopy walk in Africa, in the Lekki Conservation Centre in Lagos..Traffic jams may clog the city and the beaches look like garbage dumps, but for the Lagos state government developing tourism is now a do or die matter. / AFP / STEFAN HEUNIS        (Photo credit should read STEFAN HEUNIS/AFP/Getty Images)

    Lekki Conservation Centre

    Lagos

    Run by the Nigerian Conservation Foundation, this centre has a huge tract of wetlands set aside for wildlife viewing. Canopy walkways enable you to see…

  • Nike Art Gallery

    Lagos

    One of Nigeria's most important artists, Nike Okundaye, runs this enormous gallery full of contemporary and traditional Nigerian arts. Nike herself is…

  • Terra Kulture

    Lagos

    Close to Bar Beach, this welcoming arts centre with a high bamboo roof has a traditional restaurant which is one of the best and most attractive places to…

  • Kalakuta Republic Museum

    Lagos

    Legendary musician Fela Kuti's former house and revolutionary headquarters is now a fascinating museum with everything intact from Fela's bedroom to his …

  • Afi Mountain Drill Ranch

    Nigeria

    The excellent Afi Mountain Drill Ranch near Cross River National Park is one of Nigeria's highlights, with a rainforest canopy walk, close primate…

  • Lekki Market

    Lagos

    A rich variety of crafts from all around Nigeria and West Africa: this is a brilliant place to wander and look for affordable gifts. You can also buy…

  • Gashaka-Gumti National Park

    Nigeria

    Nigeria's largest national park, Gashaka-Gumti is also the remotest and least-explored part of the country. Its 6700-sq-km area contains rolling hills,…

  • Olumo Rock

    Nigeria

    The founding site of Abeokuta, famed Olumo Rock has a rich history and great spiritual significance. Hire a guide and climb the rock – at one point it is…

  • Oòni's Palace

    Nigeria

    le-Ife is considered the birthplace of Yoruba civilisation, where people still worship traditional deities at revered spiritual sites. At the 18th-century…

  • Yankari National Park

    Nigeria

    Yankari is Nigeria's best park for observing wildlife. With a bit of luck you may come across buffaloes, waterbucks, bushbucks, hyenas, leopards, plenty…

  • Drill Ranch

    Nigeria

    Home to a colony of rescued drill monkeys and chimpanzees, the Drill Ranch is home to Pandrillus, one of Africa's most progressive primate-conservation…

  • Slave History Museum

    Nigeria

    The museum sits on the site of a 15th-century slave-trading warehouse. Exhibits explore local slave markets, the grim paraphernalia of the trade including…

  • National Museum

    Lagos

    The museum has some amazing artefacts, though the presentation is a little dishevelled. The Cycle of Life exhibit explores traditional Nigerian life, from…

  • Suzanne Wenger's House

    Nigeria

    Susanne Wenger's remarkable house sits in the heart of Oshogbo: a tall Gothic place decorated outside with terracotta swirling sculptures, and inside with…

  • Brass Casters Street

    Nigeria

    On the Unesco-protected Brass Casters St, sculptors reviving the 'lost-wax' sculpture technique can show you their works in progress and sell you one to…

  • Tafawa Balewa Square

    Lagos

    Named for Nigeria's first prime minister, this is Lagos' commercial heart and has some remarkable monuments. They include statues of gargantuan horses,…

  • Eleko Beach

    Lagos

    The favourite with fashionable Lagosians is Eleko Beach, a big 60km trip east of the city. You can rent a beach hut for the day here, and get someone to…

  • Gidan Makama Museum

    Nigeria

    Stands on the site of the original emir's palace (the modern one sits opposite) and is a wonderful example of traditional Hausa architecture. The museum…

  • Kurmi Market

    Nigeria

    With thousands of stalls in a 16-hectare area, Kurmi Market is one of the largest markets in Africa and is the city's main attraction. It's a centre for…

  • Calabar Museum

    Nigeria

    Housed in the beautiful 1884 British governor's building overlooking the river, the museum has a fascinating collection covering Calabar's days as the…

  • National Museum

    Nigeria

    The National Museum has displays of beautiful brasses. There are photographs of pieces which were stolen by the British during the sacking and destruction…

  • Revelation Tourist Palazzo

    Nigeria

    The totally bizarre Revelation Tourist Palazzo has simulations of slave markets, rituals, ancestral shrines, and odd punitive practices. It's the creation…

  • Kofar Dye Pits

    Nigeria

    Away from the throng are the Kofar Dye Pits, where indigo cloth has been dyed for hundreds of years. Finished cloth is for sale, starting from around…

  • Nike Centre for Art & Culture

    Nigeria

    Get your shopping groove on at this fabulous gallery, where you can browse Nike's own paintings, and buy a terrific range of fabrics, batik garments and…

  • Jos National Museum

    Nigeria

    Has a superb collection of pottery, including several Nok terracotta sculptures – at over 2500 years old they're Africa's oldest figurative sculptures.

  • African Artists' Foundation

    Lagos

    An organisation supporting young African and international artists with a great gallery of contemporary Nigerian art.

  • Gidan Dan Hausa

    Nigeria

    A museum in a beautifully restored traditional house showcasing regional crafts and ceremonial costumes.

  • St John's Church

    Lagos

    More than 160 years old, this is one of the most venerable Anglican churches in Nigeria.

  • Central Mosque

    Lagos

    A purpose-built mosque, with four minarets shooting skywards.

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