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S P O T L I G H T O N W E S T A F R I C A
W H A T T O E X P E C T W H E N R E L O C A T I N G T O N I G E R I A
The reality of living and working in Nigeria can actually be a welcome surprise ; the people are friendly , the weather is guaranteed and the food is delicious .
Although it is not without its struggles , if you take relevant precautions ; take advantage of cross cultural courses for pre-move preparation ; observe the ‘ do ’ s and don ’ ts ’ of the different areas and remember at all times that Nigeria is a developing country , then you will have a worthwhile and enriching experience ! As in all hardship assignments , realistic expectations are fundamental to long-term assignment success .
A DIVERSE NATION
Nigeria is one-third larger than the American State of Texas and is situated on the Gulf of Guinea in West Africa . Its neighbors are Benin , Niger , Cameroon , and Chad . The country is divided into 36 States and 1 Federal Capital Territory . With an official population of some177 , 155,754 , and an actually population of many thousands more , Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa , a melting pot of ethnic groups , tribes and languages . Whilst there are hundreds of languages spoken throughout the different regions , thankfully for most expatriates , English is the official language and the one used for business .
Economic divide and religious differences between ethnic groups and geographic regions frequently cause unrest , which is exacerbated by poor service delivery and inadequate infrastructure . The most popular expatriate destination is Lagos , the State Capital , with Abuja , the Administrative Capital ( where all immigration applications must be submitted and processed ) also ranking high . Other higher volume destinations include Warri ; River States , encompassing Port Harcourt and offshore Bonny Island ; and Ibadan and Jos to the north .