Is Nigeria Safe For White Tourists?

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Nigeria is known as The Giant of Africa and is blessed with many natural resources, landmarks, and wildlife reserves. Moreover, Nigeria is the most populous black nation on earth. It is home to the world’s second-largest film industry while also being a fashion, musical and creative hub in Africa. Additionally, it is the largest oil producer in Africa, it shares borders with Cameroon to the southeast, Chad to the northeast, and Niger to the north, and boasts a southern coastline on the Gulf of Guinea.

However, due to crime, terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping, crashing economy, and maritime crime occurring in Nigeria, many tourists from other countries, especially white tourists, wonder if Nigeria is safe for tourism.

Nevertheless, there is no country without crime, so Yes, Nigeria is safe for white tourists, but one still has to be cautious and smart. This article will discuss whether Nigeria is safe for white tourists and give tips for being safe in Nigeria.

Why Should You Visit Nigeria

Below are some reasons why you need to visit Nigeria or what you might enjoy and experience as tourist in the country.

The Culture

This is one major reason people visit Nigeria. It has over 527 languages and more than 250 ethnic groups, and many international tourists try to learn some of these languages and the Nigerian way of life. Additionally, Nigeria is famous for its variety of music, such as Afro-music, pop, afro-pop and fuji.

Food

Nigeria is one of the best African countries to visit in terms of varieties of foods. Some popular local dishes include Banga soup and starch, ogbono soup and pounded yam, pepper soup, owo soup, ewedu, jollof rice, okro soup, etc.

People

Nigerians are famous for their vibrant and friendly expression through diverse creativity. It is very easy to make new friends no matter your culture and tribe. There is much energy and positivity in the way the people dance, sing, and celebrate because they have the spirit of hopefulness that tomorrow will be better and never truly give up.

Nature

Nigeria is blessed with good weather conditions, rich in natural resources, beautiful landmarks and wildlife reserves. There are so many attractions and cultural highlights which will leave you amazed. Some popular tourist centers and resorts include Yankari national park, kanji lake national park, Gashaka gumti national park, Zuma rock resort, oniru beach, virgin rose resorts, etc.

Tips For White Tourists In Nigeria

The following are some security tips for white tourists in Nigeria.

• Always carry proper identification, such U.S passport with a current Nigeria visa.
• It is essential to keep a low profile.
• Always be observant when walking and avoid night driving or movement.
• In a robbery attempt, don’t be physical.
• Review travel routes and time to vary your predictability.
• Always be extra vigilant when visiting an ATM, bank or POS center.
• Avoid large political gatherings or any unnecessary gatherings.
• Always stay dated with your local media and be aware of your surroundings.
• Have an evacuation plan for emergencies; don’t rely on the government or security forces to save you.
• Be very careful of scammers.
• Avoid traveling to states with a high-security alert.
• If possible, get a good local tour guide to be with you.
• Always be in contact with your loved ones as proof of life so that if you are taken hostage, your loved ones know specific questions or answers to reply to the security officers.

 

List of Nigerian States not to visit

Below are some of the Nigerian states you should not visit as a tourist because of the increased insecurity.

• Borno State
• Yobe State
• Kogi State
• Adamawa states
• Bauchi states
• Gombe states
• Kaduna states
• Katsina states
• Zamfara states

The above-listed states are categorized as level 4 because armed robbery, assault, carjacking, kidnapping, hostage-taking, banditry, and rape is common throughout these states. moreover, kidnappings for ransom occur frequently, often targeting white tourists visiting Nigeria for tourism, as well as U.S. citizens with perceived wealth.

Places to Visit as A Tourist In Nigeria

Below are some of the best places to visit in Nigeria as a white tourist.

Obudu Cattle Ranch

Obudu Cattle Ranch is an exclusive resort located in Calabar. It is a good place to visit for nature lovers, eco-tourist, bird watchers, and hikers. The resort is filled with mountains, forests, a water park, a golf course, animals, and nighttime bonfires. After a hard day hiking or exploring, tourists can retire to their comfortable modern accommodation.

Read my post on skills to learn in Nigeria before relocating to Canada

Yankari Games Reserve 

Yankari games reserve is located in Bauchi and is home to over 50 species of wild animals including elephants, baboons, hippos, and different species of birds. It is filled with natural creations like the Marshall cave system and the Wikki spring. Tourists have access to old species of animal bones, history dating back many centuries and Yankari provides different types of accommodation to meet the tourist needs.

Okomu National Park 

Okomu National Park is located in Edo State and it is the largest of the remaining undisturbed rain-forest in Nigeria. The park is filled with over 150 bird species and 30 species of mammals including elephants, and white-throated monkeys. Okomo National Park has comfortable air-conditioned accommodation for tourist and also have conference and entertainment facilities.

Lagos

Badagry Beach is located in Lagos commonly called the New York of Africa. It has many entertainment features and a lot of natural tourist attractions. Lagos state has so many tourists attraction place with amazing beaches, wildlife, cinemas, event, and food.

FAQs

Is it safe for foreigners in Nigeria?

Yes, it is safe for foreigners in Nigeria. Even some Nigerian states are not safe for foreigners, there are other states which are safe for foreigners.

List the most common ethnic group in Nigeria.

List of the most common ethnic group

• Hausa
• Yoruba
• Igbo
• Fulani
• Ijaw
• Benin
• Esan
• Urhobos and Isoko
• Calabar

Which part of Nigeria is safe?

List of safe states in Nigeria

• Abuja
• Lagos State
• Edo State
• Delta State
• Akwa Ibom State
• Bauchi State
• Osun State
• Ogun State
• Kwara State
• Ondo State

 

Conclusion: Is Nigeria Safe For White Tourists

Yes, it is safe for white tourists in Nigeria. Despite the increase in corruption, crime and kidnapping in Nigeria, it is still safe for white tourists, and there is no country in the world without crime. Nevertheless, Nigeria is truly a blessed country with many beautiful natural resources.

Thank you for reading this article, and we hope you got some useless information if you consider visiting Nigeria. Please share and drop your comment.