Short guide to Nigeria
Nigeria is a nation at a crossroads.
This west African country is rich in fossil fuel resources and natural beauty, but following decades of ethnic tensions between Muslims, Christians, and over 250 different tribes, as well as almost a century of hunger, military rule, corruption and civil war, Nigeria teeters between stability and chaos.
Although the government has pledged resources to develop Nigeria's tourism infrastructure to encourage sustainable industry, this is mitigated by the immediate pressures of poverty, crime, illiteracy and disease. This means that Nigeria's tourism potential goes largely untapped as much-needed funds are diverted to programs designed to keep the local population going.
Tourists who are undeterred by the lack of facilities delight in the bustling metropolis of Lagos (the country's largest city) and the capital of Abuja which houses remnants of the nation's turbulent history. Pristine beaches dotted along Nigeria's eight hundred kilometres of coastline provide isolated splendour for those visitors who make the long journey in an off-road vehicle.
Tourists are encouraged to visit Nigeria while they can: Nigeria is oil-rich and mining and other environmental exploitation are leading to the increased environmental destruction of some areas of the country's oceanic and hinterland areas. While this is not necessarily desirable in terms of sustainable industry, it may be a necessary evil to provide much-needed income for this, one of the world's poorest nations.
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