The Lagos Carnival

In April 2010, the government of Lagos state, Nigeria's former capital, instituted the Annual Lagos Carnival! It was an addition to the numerous festivals that abound in Lagos.

This carnival was bankrolled by the state government to boost the state's tourism drive! April is a wonderful time to visit Lagos, it is warm and sunny, and you will also enjoy the warm hospitality of the people!

Enjoy some of the photographs from the carnival!

The Argungu International Sports and Fishing Festival Nigeria.

The Argungu International Sports and Fishing Festival was first held in 1934 to celebrate, and commemorate, the end of strife between the Sokoto Caliphate, and the Kebbi Emirate council!


The strife had lasted for centuries, and the festival marked the beginning of peace! The festival usually runs for four days with a series of traditional water sports. These include catching a live fish bare hand, canoe races, catching a wild water fowl, balancing on a rolling log  in the water, archery, etc.


There are various prizes to be won. The grand prize is usually reserved for competition on the last day of the festival. On this day, thousands of fishermen, sometimes as many as thirty thousand, compete to catch the biggest Nile perch, and cat fish. 


A cash prize, among others, is on offer!


The festival is usually held in the first quarter of the year. The nature of the fishing is not the usual catch, and release method. Instead, the fish caught, are usually taken home by the fishermen, or sold at auction! The fishermen use calabash gourds as flotation devices, and hand held nets.


A new addition to the festival, is the Argungu Fishing Festival motor race. The race starts off in Abuja, the federal capital of Nigeria, and winds it's way through five states to Kebbi state. The race lasts for about nine hours, and runs through residential areas!


The people of the Argungu Emirate council are warm, and hospitable.   


Accommodation is available at the fishing village, and in Birnin Kebbi, the state capital.

Birds Of Nigeria

Nigeria has over nine hundred species of birds that have been catlogued  so far! It is a birdwatcher's paradise.


This is one aspect of Nigerian tourism that is hardly ever promoted! Yes infrastructure might not be up to scratch, but if you are adventurous, and do not mind roughing it, the biodiversity more than compensates for the little niggles!


People have talked about the security situation in Nigeria, it is no way near what is commonly reported in the media. No place in Nigeria, including the Niger Delta Region, is as dangerous as South Africa!


Tourism is still in it's infancy in the country, and birdwatching destinations do not have the type of heavy traffic one sees in more developed destinations. The people are friendly, and hospitable to guests, and you are bound to enjoy yourself immensely!


Our weather is clement all year long, but if you want to see migratory species that come from Europe, then the outset of winter in Europe, is your best time to come here!


Enjoy some birds you will find when you come birding in Nigeria!

The following are some of the birdwatching destinations in the country!


- Lekki Nature Reserve, Lagos
- Omo Forest ReserOgun State 
- IITA Forest Reserve, Ibadan, Oyo State 
- Old Oyo National Park, Oyo
- Okomu National Park, Edo State
- Sunvit Farm, Edo State
- Akassa Forest, Bayelsa State 
- Upper Orashi Forest Reserve, River State
- Biseni Forest, River State 
- Ebok-Kabaken, Cross River
- Obudu Plateau, Cross River (Becheve Nature Reserve)
- Cross River National Park, Cross River
- Afi River Forest Reserve, Cross River
- Gashaka-Gumti National Park, Adamawa/Taraba
- Dongo River Basin Forest, Taraba State
- Ngel-Nyaki Forest Reserve, Taraba State
- Rhoko Conservation, Education and Research Centre, Iko Esai village, Biase LGA, Cross River
- Amurum Woodland (Taborou) Plateau State
- Pandam Wildlife Park, Plateau State 
- Assop Falls and Hills, Plateau State 
- Falgore Game Reserve, Kano
- Lame Burra Game Reserve, Bauchi State 
- Buturiya Wetland Game Reserve, Kano
- Yankari National Park, Bauchi
- Maladumba Lake and Forest Reserve, Bauchi
- Sambisa Game Reserve, Borno
- Chad Basin National Park, Borno (Chingurmi Duguma Sector)
- Hadejia-Nguru Wetland, (Yobe, Jigawa)
- Dagona Sanctuary Lake, Yobe State
- Lake Chad Wetlands, Borno
- Kamuku National Park, Kaduna
- Kagoro Nindam Forest Reserve, Kaduna
- Trappco Ranch and Resort, Kaduna
- Kainji Lake National Park, Kwara/Niger
- Lower Kaduna-Middle Niger Flood plain, Niger State
- Olona Ranch and Holiday Resort, Onicha Olona, Delta State
- Foge Island, Kebbi/Niger State
- Nike Lake Resort/Nike, Enugu State
- Igbo Olodumare, Ondo State