Nigeria is sometimes known as the Giant of Africa. Reaching that status in the field of tourism will take some time, but the signs are promising.
Tourism is one of the world’s fastest-growing industries and although Nigeria is reaping some of the benefits of this trend, the sector remains a minor player in the national economy.
The tourism industry is contributing 0.8% to the country's gross domestic product, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council. Positive news is that growth rates of 6% are being reported. Nigeria's Bureau of Public Enterprises reports international arrivals up by 17.5% and receipts increasing by 5.3%. Nigeria is ranked eighth in Africa as a tourist destination.
The reasons for Nigeria's position in the international tourism market are easy to identify: a destructive civil war followed by years of military rule, widespread corruption and bad infrastructure. Although Nigerians argue that it is a localised phenomenon, hijackings and unrest in the Niger Delta continue to present an obstacle to overturning perceptions about the country as a whole.
Two actions have shown that the federal government is serious about creating a new image for the country and that it intends using tourism as an agent for generating economic growth and creating employment. A re-branding exercise for the national tourism initiative has been launched and tourism was declared a preferred sector with attractive incentives attached to any new investment.
The development of Nigeria is tied to its image. Negative perception has had a destructive effect on its people and stymied growth and national progress. A project launched in 2009, Rebranding Nigeria, is designed to correct misconceptions about the country.
As a Pioneer Industry, tourism qualifies for a wide range of incentives such as tax holidays, import duty exemption on equipment and the easing of land acquisition requirements. Some states have specific tourism zones where land is set aside for this purpose. The state has also invested in tourism training. The Nigerian Institute for Hospitality and Tourism is headquarted in Abuja and has six campuses around the country.
The Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation, a parastatal that falls under the Federal Ministry of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, is ultimately responsible for the marketing of the country while each state has its own tourism board. Steps are being taken to regulate taxis working with tourists and to standardise hotel grading. Major advances in the sophistication of the country's banking sector have had positive spin-offs for tourism. Where cash used to be required for almost all transactions, debit and credit cards are now widely accepted.
All of these initiatives are having positive results. Tourist arrivals continue to grow: 640 000 in 1998, 962 000 in 2004, well over a million in 2006. A flurry of investment has seen major international hotel chains either increasing their stake in Nigeria or investing for the first time. Hilton, Radisson and both brands of the Starwood Hotel group (Sheraton and Le Meridien), are all well represented in the top end of the market. Africa’s largest hotel group, Protea Hotels, developed its first hotel in Nigeria in 2001 and now has nine properties in five states.
The Bureau of Public Enterprises estimates that there are 650 commercial establishments offering accommodation in Nigeria: hotels, motels, guest houses and inns. Lagos has specialised in boutique hotels but growth in the sector has seen larger establishments being built. Until very recently, the overwhelming majority of occupants of hotel rooms could be placed in four categories: business travellers, air crew, expatriates working in Nigeria waiting for scarce rental accommodation or Nigerians living abroad returning home on holiday. The number of out-and-out tourists as traditionally defined has never been large and this is the group Nigerians are trying to attract to their vast and fascinating country.
Natural assets
Stretching as it does from the coastline of the Atlantic Ocean to the shores of the Sahara Desert, Nigeria has a dazzling variety of sights and scenes for visitors. The south-west coastline boasts beautiful beaches, estuaries and mangrove swamps while tropical rain forests and mountains are found in the southeast, home to the world’s biggest delta, the Niger Delta.
Two great rivers, the Niger and the Benue, form a giant Y-shape dividing the country into western, northern and eastern regions. The northern extremities of Nigeria lie within the Sahel region, an area of semi-arid grassland and shrubs on the edge of the Sahara Desert. Various types of savannah can be found in the middle regions of Nigeria, with the highest parts of the country to be found in the wooded eastern mountains.
Nigeria has a warm climate and receives a lot of sunshine. The south can be very humid and rainfall in June can be particularly heavy. Some of the rarest species of animals are still to be found in Nigeria, although many are severely threatened. Upgrading and improvements are taking place at national parks, and many state governments are looking for private investors to take this process forward.
Subsectors
There are four broad tourism subsectors: business and conferencing; sports' tourism; natural attractions; and heritage, arts and culture. The already well-established business travellers market is set to grow even stronger as foreign business concerns respond to Nigeria's economic progress and market potential. Abuja’s striking International Conference Centre is the country’s premier conference venue.
Nigeria's soccer stars have ensured that the country's name is closely associated with sporting success. Nigeria hosted two youth world cup tournaments on behalf of the international soccer body, Fifa, and Abuja was the main venue for the eighth All Africa Games in 2003. The Abuja National Stadium, an allseater 60 000-capacity structure built for the continental tournament, is the nation's main sporting venue and is the home ground of the national soccer team, the Super Eagles. Several regional and international athletics meetings are held in Nigeria. The Obudu Ranch International Mountain Race, run through spectacularly undulating terrain at an altitude of 1 600m, is increasingly attracting good fields. With first prizes of $50 000 and $20 000 on offer for the men’s and women’s winners, it is little wonder. Promising Ethiopian Habtamu Fikadu won the men’s race in 2007. That Nigeria is serious about enhancing its sports profile was apparent in the spirited bid to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Glasgow won but Nigeria laid down a marker and future bids for similar events will no doubt follow.
Nigeria has eight national parks. The Yankari National Park in Bauchi State is considered one of the best and contains the popular Wikki Warm Springs. The Owu Falls, the steepest natural waterfall in West Africa, is one of Kwara State’s prime attractions, together with the Kainji Lake National Park. It was downstream from Kainji on the Niger River that the explorer Mungo Park met his end: a part of his boat is on display at Jebba. In the same town, on the opposite river bank in Niger State, there is a cenotaph commemorating Park and John Lander.
The mountainous Gashaka Gumti National Park straddles the Nigerian states of Adamawa and Taraba and a part of the Republic of Cameroon. This is the largest park in Nigeria and contains many endangered species. The Mandaras Mountains are spectacularly scenic.
Other states which have national parks are Oyo, Edo, Kaduna, and Borno and Yobe, which jointly control the Chad Basin National Park. This is a favoured site for birds migrating from Europe and is home to rare gazelles. The Cross River National Park showcases tropical forest flora and fauna, including rare species of gorilla and elephant.
Various wildlife reserves, such as the Jos Wildlife Park in Plateau State, expand the outdoor options for tourists. Obudu Cattle Ranch Resort is a relatively new resort in the south-east which has proved very popular. A four-kilometre mountain cable-car ride is among the resort’s many features.
Other natural attractions include the Ikogosi Warm Springs (Ekiti State), the confluence of the Benue and Niger Rivers and the Bulatura Oases in Borno State. There are good beaches along the Atlantic coastline but very few are near tourist accommodation: this is something Nigerians are anxious to rectify and several hotels are under construction, particularly in Lagos State. An ambitious project in Cross River State includes a large tourism component: the Tinapa Business and Leisure Resort.
Heritage and culture
Nigeria is extraordinarily rich in heritage, archaeology, arts, crafts and culture. From the ancient cultures of the Yoruba and the Nok, represented in sculpture, door carvings and terracotta heads, to contemporary designs in textiles, ceramics, bronze, iron and leather work, there are artefacts and creations for every taste.
The great archaeological site of Sungbo's Eredo in Ogun State is a wonder. Built more than 1 000 years ago to protect the ancient kingdom of Ijebu, this defensive wall stretches more than 160km. Nearby Osun State contains the city regarded by the Yoruba as the cradle of civilisation, Ile-Ife, a major centre of the arts for 300 years. The Igbo-Ukwu bronzes of Anambra State are thought to date from 600AD.
The Sultan's palace in the northern state of Sokoto is a grand expression of the power of a political entity that held sway for centuries over most of what is today northern Nigeria. The modern National Mosque in the capital city of Abuja is highly regarded for its architectural design.
Among Nigeria's most prestigious museums is the Esie Museum in Kwara State which displays terracotta figurines made 700 years ago. The Nupe people, whose descendants still live in this area, produced superb soap-stone figures, showing artistic links with the better-known Nok, Benin and Ife artistic styles.
Archaeology and pottery are the specialities of the National Museum in Jos, Plateau State; the Lagos National Museum has priceless Benin bronzes; and the National War Museum in Umuahia (Abia) has three main exhibitions, one of which records the history of the Nigerian Civil War.
Every region has colourful and lively annual festivals, among which are the Osun Oshogobo (Osun), the Eyo (Lagos), the Kwa-Ghir (Benue) and the Argungu Fishing Festival (Kebbi), which coincides with a popular motor rally. Another exciting festival is the Durbar which is linked to Islamic traditions and is held in several states. The event climaxes in a high-speed horse race.
A growing number of tourists are visiting Nigeria for Slave Route and Heritage tours. Lagos has a Slave Museum and is hoping that the Point-of-No-Return will be granted World Heritage Site status. Two cultural sites already enjoy this status: the Sacred Groves of Oshogbo (Osun) and the ancient settlement of the Adamawa Sukur Kingdom.
