Abuja

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Nigerian National Mosque, Abuja, FCT, Nigeria

About Abuja

Rising from the savanna in the middle of Nigeria, Abuja was built from scratch as a neutral capital for the whole country, and in 1991 it officially took over that role from Lagos. Wide avenues, green belts and government buildings fan out beneath the huge granite dome of Aso Rock, giving the city a calmer, more ordered feel than any other Nigerian metropolis.

The master plan grouped the presidency, the National Assembly and the Supreme Court in the Three Arms Zone at the foot of the rock, with the gold-domed National Mosque and the National Christian Centre facing each other across the central district, a deliberate statement of a shared nation. Planned parks, lakes and stadiums followed as the city grew quickly.

Visitors come mostly for business or government, but there is plenty to enjoy: evening walks in Millennium Park, boat rides on Jabi Lake, suya grilled at roadside stands and day trips to the landmark Zuma Rock and the Gurara Falls. Keep a copy of your ID with you, as checkpoints are common.

Best seasonNovember-February, the dry harmattan season

Ideal stay2 days

ArrivingNnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, west of the city

What to See in Abuja: 10 Favorites

Landmarks 3

Aso Rock

This enormous granite outcrop rises about 400 metres above the eastern edge of Abuja and is the city's defining landmark, visible...

Abuja City Gate

Standing on the airport road as visitors approach the city, this monumental gate marks the official entrance to the Federal Capita...

Unity Fountain Abuja

Near the Transcorp Hilton in Maitama, this circular fountain is surrounded by pillars representing Nigeria's states and the capita...

Temples and Shrines 2

Nigerian National Mosque

Completed in the 1980s on Independence Avenue, the national mosque is crowned by a large golden dome and framed by four tall minar...

National Christian Centre Abuja

Facing the National Mosque across the central district, this large interdenominational church was built as a shared place of worsh...

Parks 1

Millennium Park Abuja

Designed by the Italian architect Manfredi Nicoletti and opened in the early 2000s, Abuja's largest public park stretches across t...

Nature 3

Jabi Lake

West of the centre, this reservoir has become one of Abuja's favourite places to relax, with grassy shores, walking areas and boat...

Zuma Rock

Rising beside the Abuja-Kaduna highway near Madalla, just over the border in Niger State, this colossal granite monolith is so ico...

Gurara Falls

On the Gurara River in neighbouring Niger State, this broad waterfall pours over a rocky ledge into a pool surrounded by boulders...

Entertainment 1

Moshood Abiola National Stadium

Built for the 2003 All-Africa Games and later renamed after the politician and businessman Moshood Abiola, this large stadium west...

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Photo: Jeff Attaway, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

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