Nigeria
- February 2008
Route
We intended to cross from Cameroon at the most northerly border at Banki
but, because of the ongoing conflict in Chad, it was very busy with refugees,
army and UN people. We therefore entered Nigeria at the more southerly
frontier at Boukoula, between Garoua in Cameroon and Mubi in Nigeria.
From there we drove west to Bauchi and Yankari National Park, then on
to Jos in Plateau before heading north to Zaria, briefly south to Kaduna,
and then finally back up to Kano. We exited the country at the quiet border
at Kongolam, 80kms east of Katsina. We were 14 days in the country.
Visas
Nigerian visas need to be bought in advance. We got our 30-day tourist
visas at the Nigerian embassy in Yaounde (Rue Joseph Mballa Elounden in
Bastos), which took our passports late Friday and handed them back Monday
morning. The application was straight-forward but they weren't cheap -
the cost for Brits is 62,000 CFA each (roughly £70). The visas cost
the same whether you state you want transit or tourist, the only difference
being the number of days you are given at the border itself.
Border
formalities and checkpoints
The border at Boukoula was very quiet and free of complications. Immigration
were helpful and friendly whilst customs just wanted our details and were
totally disinterested in our car. Be careful that they fill in your carnet
de passage correctly as they seemed unfamiliar with the document. Exiting
the country at Kongolam was similarly laid-back.
There
was a police-check immediately after the border but they just wanted to
copy our details down and were very friendly. We were waved through every
other checkpoint bar one, but he just wanted to talk to us about the football!
We didn't have third-party insurance for Nigeria but had no problems as
we were never asked to present documents.
General
driving conditions
The main highways have some potholes but are generally good tar roads.
Most of the lesser routes are poorly maintained and terribly potholed.
As well as the usual taxis and buses there are many giant coaches and
fast saloon cars on the road. Most drivers are aggressive and incompetent.
Specific driving conditions
- Boukoula
to Mubi - 1 hour on 4x4 dirt track.
-
Mubi to Hong - 1 hour on good tar.
- Hong
to Little Gombi - 1 hour on good tar.
- Little
Gombi to Biu - 1 hour on partially potholed tar.
- Biu
to Dindima (turning for Yankari) - 4 hours. Bad potholes to Wuyo but
better after.
- Dindima
to Yankari gate - 1.5 hours on new perfect tar.
- Dindima
to Jos - 4 hours. Good tar with some potholes.
- Jos
to Zaria - 4 hours. Good tar with some sneaky potholes. Armed police
block (easily distracted)
- Zaria
to Kaduna (Abudja to Kano Expressway) - 45 mins. Good tar, two lanes
and occasional pothole.
- Kaduna
to Kano (Abudja to Kano Expressway) - 4 hours. Good
tar, two lanes and occasional pothole.
-
Kano to Kongolam - 2.5 hours good tar. Some customs/immigration roadblocks
but we had no problems.
Accommodation
Camping is available in the interior of Nigeria (we stayed in the grounds
of guest houses and hotels) but we didn't bushcamp. In some towns we stayed
in cheap rooms.
- Biu
– Tourist Lodge (N10.37.107; E12.10.386). Tatty, but acceptable
late in the day, and a basic room was only 800N.
- Yankari
National Park - they say they offer camping but then make you camp in
the tarred car-park and use the toilets by reception (no shower). We
eventually complained so they opened the toilets and showers for the
(unused) squash courts which were brand new.
-
Jos - COCIN guest house (Noad Avenue). Friendly and very central. A
large room was only 1000N.
- Zaria
- New Zaria Motel. We convinced them to let us camp in the spacious
hotel grounds for 1000N. Ablution facilities not ideal: we used the
reception toilets and they opened a room every morning to let us shower.
- Kano
- Tourist Camp. Camping in the back car park of the tourist camp for
500N each. Good central location but ablution blocks are dirty and well-used.
Food,
water and beer
Nigerian food is very tasty with spicy meat, chicken and offal sauces
and several types of carbs laced with palm oil. You can eat in Chop Bars
for as little as 250N or upgrade to fast food outlets with aircon, including
the high street favourite Mr Biggs (500N). Foreign restaurants in Kano
are a more expensive but well worth it, especially the delicious and generous
Spice Inn on Magasin Rumfa Road (Indian buffet on a Sunday for 1200N).
The Oasis Bakeries (in all major cities) do good but expensive wheat bread
(400N a loaf). The Lebanese supermarkets opposite the Tourist Camp in
Kano have loads of imported goods but at ridiculous prices.
Fruit
and veg are not abundant although we found many good mangos, bananas and
enormous grapefruits, as well as tomatoes, peppers, carrots and peanuts
in a bottle.
Water
shortages are as commonplace as power-cuts in Nigeria. Many places supplied
us with plastic buckets of well water which made it difficult to take
water for drinking. Bagged 'pure water' is very cheap (70N for 24x50cl
bags). Nigerians think the harmattan makes it freezing cold so they will
all supply hot water in the morning if you ask!
We
mostly drank Star lager (170N in drinking spots, 300N in top hotels in
Sharia Law territory) but after a while we switched to Heineken and felt
better in the morning. Gulder also widely available.
Money
and fuel
The ATMs in Nigeria do not accept foreign cards but there are plenty of
foreign exchange bureaux, especially in expensive hotel complexes. We
changed US$ at the souvenir stalls outside the Zaria Hotel and at the
Hamdala Hotel in Kaduna. The Kano Tourist Camp has its own bureau which
has good rates for both Euros and US$.
New
Naira notes were issued in 2007 and, although they were still valid when
we were there, some places were funny about taking the old 50N note in
particular (check the posters when you change money).
Diesel
is more expensive in Nigeria than petrol and costs 110N (49p) per litre.
Fuel stations line the highways, most of them seem closed whilst others
are open but with no customers. Drive around until you find a busy one
(a sign of clean fuel) and confirm the price before they start as the
price displayed on the pump is often not what they charge.
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