It is summer! While Nigerians do not necessarily experience the season (they only have wet and dry seasons), they tend to take time off and travel the world around that time; and in addition to London, Dubai and USA, one other country a lot of Nigerians line up to visit is South Africa.
In fact, whether they are going on holiday, travelling for work or relocating to pursue careers, South Africa is usually one of their first picks.
Surely, there is a lot to love about South Africa. Jumia Travel, Africa’s No.1 online hotel booking portal shares a list, in no particular order, of the reasons why Nigerians love the country:
The luxurious hotels
Nigerians generally love to enjoy the fine things of life which include luxury hotels. South Africa is home to some of the most beautiful and original hotels in the continent that offer unique and incredible variety of accommodation as well as experiences. Nigerians love to visit these hotels, especially the ones in Cape Town for profuse indulgence and exclusive treatment.
Open roads and free parking
The Nigerian roads are not nearly perfect and usually, you have to pay at almost every spot. In South Africa however, the roads are well maintained and it is easy to travel on major routes; also, you rarely pay for parking. This is a form of treat for Nigerians as they escape the hustle at home and the open roads encourage them to get out and explore.
The Wine
Although wine is not massively produced in Nigeria, Nigerians love wine and what better place to go enjoy a large variety than South Africa; one of the top ten wine producing countries in the new world. Aside from the Cape Winelands, particularly Franschhoek and Stellenbosch, which are at the heart of the South African wine country, there are over 17 ‘official’ wine routes countrywide. The lovely South African climate ensures perfect fertile soil ripe for growing the grape vineyards that South Africa has become world-renowned for.
Amazing Food
While South Africa is not the culinary centre of the world, its swanky restaurants, delicious street food and experimental dishes in quirky settings all serve to lure many Nigerians to the country. A majority of South Africa’s top restaurants, including The Test Kitchen, The Tasting Room, La Colombe and five hundred, offer incredible fresh local ingredients, innovative cooking and a touch of theatre, which Nigerians absolutely love!
The Wildlife and Safari
While there are quite a number of game reserves and wildlife conservation centres in Nigeria, including Yankari National Park, Lekki Wildlife Conservation centre etc, Nigerians love visiting other countries like South Africa to see their native wildlife. South Africa has some of the most affordable safaris in the world too. A favourite is the Kruger National Park, one of the oldest of South Africa’s parks, where you can see the Big Five on a self-drive safari.
The Laid-back Attitude of South Africans
The typical Nigerian is a hustler, so at points when they feel the need to chill, they head to South Africa as the place is probably the only place in Africa with a people worthy to be described as “chill.” Socializing and mixing up with the locals in the country is always a fun and a rewarding experience as they are uber-relaxed in almost everything they do.
Nkem Ndem is a PR Associate at Jumia Travel
