Welcome to AbujaAbuja is the capital city of Nigeria, comprising five districts and several surrounding towns and villages, it is one of the six council development Areas in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the others being Bwari, Kwali, Kuje, Gwagwalada and Abaji. It is a place of remarkable beauty, well planned and peaceful. 
HistoryAbuja is the capital city of Nigeria, established by a military decree in 1976 to be a place centrally located and free of ethnic domination by any cultural or religious group. It is exactly situated in the central part of Nigeria.By 1991, it had become the official capital (seat of Government) having most of all federal agencies based in or completely relocated to it from the former capital Lagos. 
Geographical spreadAbuja is principally divided into five districts namely; Asokoro, Garki, Wuse, Central business district and Maitama. The city was designed such that the other four districts surround the central business district. Asokoro district is home to the three arms zone comprising the presidential villa, the Parliamentary building known as the national assembly complex and the Supreme Court building and several Government parastatals. Most embassies and international agencies are based in the Maitama district of the city. Garki, Wuse and Central business district are home to both government agencies and business organizations. Monuments in AbujaThe capital has several monuments some of which attract visitors from all over the world. Some of these monuments include the Aso rock and Aso presidential villa, the new national stadium, ECOWAS secretariat, the National Assembly complex, wonderland, the Ecumenical centre and the ship house among many others. 
Population and DemographicsThe population is estimated to be 780,000 with expatriates forming less than 2% of that amount. Most people (at least 65%) are government workers, politicians or top government appointees or heads of government agencies or parasatals as they are known in Nigeria.However there is also the strong presence of private sector based workers in the city including contractors, construction staff, business consultants and professionals in many fields. The two major religions are Christianity and Islam with Christians being slightly more in number than Muslims. 
Economic LifeThe FCT is mainly an administrative city with government institutions such as the Central Bank, NNPC and the National Communications Commission (NCC) and agencies including NAFDAC, EFCC and NTA among others forming the bulk of establishments in the city most of these government institutions and agencies are found in the Asokoro, Wuse, Garki and Maitama districts. Find out about internal flights to the capital city It also has some private sector based corporations many of which include construction companies, law firms, IT firms, banks, hotels and retail businesses which thrive in places like Wuse, Central Business District (CBD), Maitama and Garki Districts. Although some of these businesses also have their bases on the outskirts of the city. There are a number of modern markets such as the Wuse new market and many 5-star hotels such as the Transcorp Hilton, Sheraton Hotel, Protea Hotel and Agura Hotels among others. 
Social lifeSocial life is relatively expensive when compared with most ‘big’ cities of Nigeria. Night clubs, eateries, entertainment centers like cinemas and other relaxation spots are located in areas distant from residences plus the cost of services rendered means most fun seekers would need to own their own cars and have lots of money to spend on social outings. On a normal day social outings could cost a couple a minimum of $100.InfrastructureInfrastructure is the best in all of Nigeria. There are good road networks, electricity supply although still epileptic is far more reliable than most parts of Nigeria. Also security services are efficient. Accommodation is expensive as the city has not many residences since it has a master plan which makes it difficult for residential houses to be constructed without government approval and this is a tiresome process. ConclusionIf you are visiting either for business or pleasure you shouldn’t have problems commuting the city. Also opt for hotels or guest inns.Click here for my Abuja Hotels Directory |