Nigeria, Republic of - Country Information

Film Commissions

Nigerian Film Corp
Tel: 73 463 519 Fax: 73 461 233
E-mail: info@nigfilmcorp.com
Website: www.nigfilmcorp.com
Managing Director: Afolabi Adesanya

Permits
Available from Nigerian Film Corporation.

Recent Productions
Power (1998), Baba Zak (1999), A Place Called Home (1999), Twins Of The Rain Forest (1999), Barber's Wisdom (2000).

General Information

Location: West Africa
Local Time: GMT +1
Capital City: Abuja
Population: 126 million
Area: 923,768 square km, 574,029 square miles.
Language(s): English, Yoruba, Igbo & Hausa & many other local languages
Dialling Code: 234
Emergency: Police: 199. Fire & Ambulance: 999
Directory Enquiries:
TV Standard:
Driving: Driving is on the right. International Driving Permit required
Electricity: 220/250V AC

Business & Currency

Currency: Naira (NGN 1 = 100 Kobo)
Notes: NGN: 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500
Coins: NGN: 1. Kobo: 1, 10, 25, 50

Credit Cards/Travellers Cheques: Acceptance of credit cards and travellers cheques

Opening Hours
Bank: 0800-1500 Tue-Fri (some banks open on Sat)
Office: 0800-1600 Mon-Fri
Shops: 0800-1700 Mon-Fri, 0800-1630 Sat

Public Holidays
2008
Jan 1 New Year's Day, Mar 21-24 Easter, Mar 20 Birth of the Prophet, May 1 Workers' Day, Oct 1 Independence Day, Oct 2 End of Ramadan, Dec 9 Feast of the Sacrifice, Dec 25-26 Christmas.
* Dates may vary according to the lunar calendar

Business/Social Hints: Women should dress conventionally. Business is mostly conducted in English. Confirm business organisations status before entering into firm contracts. On social occasions be punctual and dress as for business meetings unless otherwise indicated. The minimum drinking age is 18 years

Tipping: A service charge is usually added to restaurant & hotel bills. Otherwise tips are around 10%. No tips for taxis, fares should be agreed in advance. The custom of giving `dash' or tips for other commercial services, although officially discouraged, is widespread

Health

Compulsory vaccinations: Yellow fever certificate if arriving from infected areas. Exempt infants under 1 year.

Recommended immunisations: Cholera*, diphtheria, hepatitis A, hepatitis B*, malaria, meningitis*, polio, TB*, tetanus, typhoid, yellow fever, rabies
* recommended in some circumstances, travellers making 3 or more visits per year, stays of more than 3 months in a rural area, high-risk occupational groups & backpackers staying more than 1 month.

Risks: Malaria exists all year throughout the country. Rabies.

Airports

Passport & Visa

The following details relate to holders of adult normal passports (requirements for children may be different), if any other type of passport or travel document is held, entry requirements should be checked with the relevant embassy or consulate

Passports

Required by all

Passport Validity: Passports must be valid for 6 months after period of intended stay

Passport Notes:

Visas

The following DO NOT require a visa:
1) Nationals of Nigeria
2) For stays up to 90 days by nationals of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Cte dIvoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo
3) Holders of re-entry permits

Notes: All non UK, EU passport holders must now contact the Home Office prior to applying for a visa so that they can obtain proof of residency in the form of a work visa or residents visa/blue card.

Air Transit

Required by all except those as noted above and:
1) Persons continuing their journey to a third country by the same aircraft
2) Persons in transit within 48 hours provided holding confirmed onward tickets and documents valid for their next destination

Climate

Nigeria has a tropical climate characterised by two well marked seasons, the wet and dry seasons. The dry seasons usually last from Nov-Mar and the rainy season from Apr-Oct. The wettest areas are those on or near the coast while the driest regions are those farthest north and inland. The temperatures are generally high and seldom rise above 32C on the coast where humidity can be as high as 95%. In the drier north mean maximum temperature is about 34-44 and extremities of temperature are common sometimes ranging between 12-36C

Clothing

Tropical or washable cottons all year round with rainwear for the appropriate season

Charts for Lagos

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Max Temp (C) 31 32 32 32 31 29 28 28 28 29 31 31 Min Temp (C) 23 25 26 25 24 23 23 23 23 23 24 24 Humidity am (%) 84 83 82 81 83 87 87 85 86 86 85 86 Humidity pm (%) 65 69 72 72 76 80 80 76 77 76 72 68 Rainfall (mm) 28 46 102 150 269 460 279 64 140 206 69 25

Temperature (C) Rainfall (mm) Humidity (%)

Representative

Embassy
High Commission of Nigeria
Visa Section
Nigeria House, 9 Northumberland Avenue
London, WC2N 5BX
tel: +44 20 7839 1244
fax: +44 20 7839 8746
website: www.nigeriahc.org.uk
hours: 1000-1200 (Mon-Fri) lodging, 1500-1600 (Mon-Fri) collection