Abuja
| Abuja | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
|||
| Coordinates | 9 ° 3 ' N , 7 ° 30' E | ||
| Basic data | |||
| Country | Nigeria | ||
| Federal Capital Territory | |||
| ISO 3166-2 | NG-FC | ||
| height | 490 m | ||
| surface | 250 km² | ||
| Residents | 2,750,000 (2017) | ||
| density | 11,000 inhabitants / km² | ||
| Post Code | 900211 - 900288 | ||
| politics | |||
| governor | Aliyu Modibbo Umar | ||
Abuja [ aˈbuːdʒa ] has been the capital of Nigeria in West Africa since December 12, 1991 . It currently has (as of 2017) around 2.7 million inhabitants. Abuja is also the capital of the Federal Capital Territory . The territory (special form of a federal state) is administered directly by the federal government through a federal minister (Ministry of FCT) and sends its own senator to the Nigerian national assembly. The headquarters of the West African Economic Community (ECOWAS) secretariat is located in Abuja .
geography
location
Abuja is located in central Nigeria between the Muslim-dominated north and the Christian-dominated south. The location was deliberately chosen when the capital of Lagos moved to symbolize equal access to political power for both parts of the country.
City structure
Phase 1 of the city includes the five districts of Asokoro, Central, Garki, Maitama and Wuse. These five districts are enclosed by a motorway ring, only the Asokoro district protrudes a little further. The Central District is planned and partially implemented as a business and administrative center. This area includes courts, ministries and the seat of the president. Many embassies are located in the Asokoro and Maitama districts.
In phase 2, the districts Dakibiyu, Durumi, Dutse, Gudu, Jabi, Jahi, Katampe, Kaura, Kukwaba, Mabushi, Utako, Wuye and Yado follow, of which only a few have been realized so far. They are surrounded by a second motorway ring, which has already been completed and connects the motorways to Kubwe and the airport.
climate
Abuja has a warm and humid rainy season , which lasts from around April to October and at the height of which in July and August there is daily heavy rainfall. The maximum daytime temperatures are then just below 30 degrees, the temperatures at night do not fall below 20 degrees. Outside of the rainy season, in the dry season there is almost no precipitation and the temperatures rise daily over 35 degrees, rarely over 40 degrees. The temperatures in the nights are not below 20 degrees. At the end of the dry season, around January to March, the harmattan , a land wind from the northeast, can transport large amounts of dust out of the Sahara. This haze of dust impairs vision, pollutes the respiratory tract and often leads to poor cell phone and satellite connections. The length of the days hardly differs over the course of the year, the sun rises between 6 and 7 a.m. and sets between 6 and 7 p.m.
| Abuja | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Climate diagram | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Average monthly temperatures and rainfall for Abuja
Source: wetterkontor.de
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Flora and fauna
Abuja lies in the savannah . Trees dominate that have no problems with a month-long dry season, such as the umbrella acacia , wild orange and banana trees (which, however, mostly grow on the watercourses of small rivers or streams), the kapok tree and mango trees . Due to the dense population, the wildlife in the region has been severely decimated. Occasionally snakes, crocodiles and monkeys can be seen. Then there are the Fulani with their herds of cattle, who also drive their cattle through Abuja in the evening hours.
history
As early as 1976, the Nigerian government took the decision to relocate the capital from Lagos on the coast to the center of the country and began to create the planned city on the drawing board . The Japanese city planner Kenzō Tange designed the planned capital . The city was built by construction companies from France, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and other countries. Financial problems and the slow progress of construction delayed the government's rapid move. The costs were largely covered by the proceeds from the oil export. Only about a fifth of the master plan once designed for the design of the city has so far been implemented. The planned business center of the city, for example with the main train station and pedestrian zones, is largely wasteland to this day. But politicians repeatedly emphasize that the master plan from the 1970s can still be implemented and so the construction work is actually going on. Not far from the Sheraton Hotel on Sani Abacha Way, a shopping center with cinemas was built in early 2009. Numerous roads are being expanded or rebuilt.
Within the motorway ring (so-called phase 1 of the city), moderate work is being done on expanding the city. Emerging slums are quickly eliminated here. Most of the villas as well as new commercial and administrative buildings are being built today. In the parts of the city to the west (phase 2) there are cheaper residential areas. Outside, however, suburbs are emerging at great speed, to which the definition of slums applies. These poor areas are growing so rapidly that the population of Abuja could increase to 15 to 20 million people in just ten years. Some suburbs show growth of 20 to 30% per year.
A real inner city with a concentration on many shops and administrative facilities is still missing today. Such a city is planned in the Central District. Over a length of 6.5 km and a width of about 700 meters, a central boulevard with urban development is to form an inner city. This area is bounded to the east by Eagle Square and to the west by the National Hospital. Constitution Avenue (Road B6) forms the northern edge of the future city, Independence Avenue (Road B12) the southern edge. Business life is currently concentrated in some parts of the Wuse district.
On June 16, 2011, a suicide attack took place in the parking lot of police headquarters. At least 30 people were killed. On August 26 of the same year, 25 people died in a car bomb explosion that destroyed the lower floors of the United Nations House Abuja , the United Nations headquarters in Nigeria.
Population development of the agglomeration according to the UN
| year | population |
|---|---|
| 1950 | 19,000 |
| 1960 | 23,000 |
| 1970 | 48,000 |
| 1980 | 125,000 |
| 1990 | 330,000 |
| 2000 | 833,000 |
| 2010 | 1,814,000 |
| 2017 | 2,750,000 |
City life
As an artificially created city, Abuja corresponds to western urban planning standards. Moving into the city is made more difficult by expensive housing, the former capital Lagos is still the main destination for immigrants from rural areas. Abuja does not correspond to the other conditions in Nigeria or Africa. The city is clean and safe compared to other cities in the country. Many companies, including foreign ones, have now settled in the Central District . Due to Abuja's role as the capital of Nigeria, the headquarters of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) or the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) are located there. Several parks and green spaces were also created in the city. The wealthy Asokoro District is home to many wealthy Nigerians, including the Presidential Palace.
The recreational opportunities in Abuja are only developing slowly. But almost everything can be bought at inflated prices: The few supermarkets based on the Western model sell most goods at higher prices than in Europe. Cheese, sausage, meat, sweets, potato chips and coffee in particular are very expensive. It is cheaper to buy at the large weekly markets. Products from the region are predominantly sold there, although the prices are often five times as high as in the surrounding area, but are still affordable.
Smoking is illegal on the streets of Abuja. Even smokers who had smoked in their own car were asked to pay. Photographing strategically important places is also prohibited, although the definition of a strategically important place is unclear; a photo can even be punished at weekly markets.
Culture
The cultural life in Abuja is rather provincial compared to western cities, as it is almost limited to two cinemas; there is neither a theater nor an opera in Abuja. Below the Aso Rock (a 400 meter high monolith ) is a small zoo ( National children's park and zoo ) with several playgrounds for children and kiosks. Predators are not to be admired, the financial means are insufficient to buy meat. Instead, you can see ostriches, wildebeests, zebras, monkeys, donkeys, giraffes, birds, turtles and goats.
Security and Supply
The capital Abuja has long been considered relatively safe. Armed attacks with fatalities are occasionally reported from the capital as well. Compared to the security situation in southern Nigeria, however, you can move around freely in Abuja. There are street checks by the police, especially at night. Road accidents are common, and Nigeria's drivers are notorious for their risky driving habits. A further complicating factor is the often inadequate technical condition of cars and trucks, which promotes traffic accidents.
Since October 2010, however, two bomb attacks with serious consequences have also occurred in Abuja. To mark the 50th anniversary of Nigeria's independence on October 1, two bombs detonated not far from the official celebrations in the heart of the city, killing at least twelve people. On December 31 of the same year , another explosive device exploded at the Mammy Market, a kind of open-air restaurant on the premises of the Nigerian army , popular with Nigerians and foreigners . The number of victims varies between 4 and 30 dead, depending on the source. Even after that there were repeated fatal attacks, for example on August 26, 2011 with 24 or on April 14, 2014 with 71 people killed.
One problem in Abuja, as in the rest of the country, is the insufficient supply of electrical energy. Even in the most prestigious parts of the city there are daily power outages, in almost every garden there are diesel generators to bridge the power outages. Despite special funding from the capital, it is not possible to operate traffic lights or street lighting continuously. On the eastern ring road between the Presidential Palace and Aso Rock, numerous solar street lamps were erected in a large-scale experiment. Despite elaborate signs that the theft or damage of these lanterns will be punished with drastic penalties, many lamps are now missing.
German life in Abuja
Because the construction company Julius Berger Nigeria PLC (JBN) has its headquarters in Abuja as a former minority shareholding of the German group Bilfinger Berger , there are also Germans in the city. The number of the minority is estimated at 1,000. The JBN Life Camp includes a German school, a clinic, a supermarket, a bakery, a butcher shop and, in addition to the clubhouse, numerous other buildings. Offices are represented by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation , Friedrich Ebert Foundation and Heinrich Böll Foundation . The German embassy resides in the Maitama district; a new embassy building in the Central District has been unused for years due to construction defects. There is also an advisory group for the Bundeswehr and the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) on site.
Attractions
Interesting buildings
Since Abuja was re-established less than 50 years ago, the cityscape has no historical buildings. All buildings have been built in the last 30 years. Therefore, the architectural style of the 1980s and 90s dominates the skyline. In the last few years, more and more tall buildings are to be added to this. The completion of the 170 meter high Millennium Tower was planned for the city's 20th birthday in 2011. The financing of the project, however, is running so slowly that the commissioning of this huge leisure complex will be a long time coming. The city's sights include the Nigerian National Mosque, which shapes the cityscape of Abuja with its golden dome and four minarets . The Christian Nigerian National Church, completed in 2005, is also located in Abuja .
Due to its size, the Nigerian Presidential Complex, which is the seat and residence of the President and was completed in 1991 for the relocation of the capital, can be seen from afar. The Abuja Stadium serves, among other things, as a venue for the Nigerian national soccer team , the Super Eagles, and is a design by the German architecture firm Schlaich Bergermann und Partner . It was opened in 2003 with its 60,000 seats and is also used for cultural or religious events. It was supposed to host the Commonwealth Games in 2014 , but Glasgow was awarded the contract to host the sporting event . The neighboring Velodrome is also worth seeing, in autumn 2008 the first MTV African Music Awards were presented there.
Green areas and amusement parks
The city has a number of parks, including the Millennium Park designed by Manfredi Nicoletti in the heart of the city. The Maitama Amusement Park with carousels and other attractions is located on Ibrahim Babangida Boulevard. Another amusement park is the Abuja Wonderland Park near the stadium in the southwest. The IBB golf course can be reached via Maitama Avenue. This was created between 1987 and 1991 by the Julius Berger company. The area around Jabi Lake is also a recreational area, and in October 2019 it was announced that it would be expanded with an investment of 15 million dollars.
Surrounding area
Due to the security situation in Nigeria, trips to the surrounding area are to be planned well and only recommended with several vehicles. Tours to the surrounding area are still popular with expats living in Abuja, for example to the Gurara Falls in the neighboring Nigerian state of Niger (not to be confused with the neighboring state of the same name) or to the Usuma Dam .
The Zuma Rock , a monolith towering around 725 meters above its surroundings, about 50 kilometers northwest of Abuja, is worth seeing . When the air is clear, it can even be seen from the capital. A development as a tourist destination stands in the way of the widespread superstition among the locals that Zuma Rock is an enchanted mountain that you shouldn't approach and, if possible, not even look at it. An unfinished hotel shell stands right in front of the mountain, and after a series of accidents, no workers could be found on the construction site to continue building it. In the towns of Bwari and Ushafa there are potteries where the work is explained, you can do some pottery yourself and their goods are also offered for sale. Because of the pleasant climate in the Jos highlands , excursions to the town of Jos used to be popular. Religious and political unrest there repeatedly claim hundreds of deaths, so that private excursions to this region have become rarer.
Transport and infrastructure
air traffic
The Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport is the second largest in the country. British Airways flies to London Heathrow every day, the Dutch KLM flies three times a week with the Airbus A330 to Amsterdam-Schiphol , Ethiopian Airlines to Addis Ababa and Lufthansa with the Airbus A330 to Frankfurt every day . Some Lufthansa flights per week will be extended beyond Abuja to Port Harcourt, and Airbus A330s will then also be used. There are also domestic flights to Lagos in particular , but also to Kano , Port Harcourt , Maiduguri , Sokoto and other Nigerian airports . A special feature of the KLM flight to Amsterdam is the stopover in Kano. Domestic flights between Abuja and Kano are not possible. Further international flights go to Accra / Ghana. Delta Air Lines has been flying to New York several times a week since June 2009 , sometimes with a stopover in Dakar (Senegal) with Boeing 757s .
Public transport
A light rail system for Abuja has been planned for a long time and 2001 was the first-mentioned date of completion. Nothing has been built so far. According to reports, the preparatory work has been completed and construction is due to start in 2009 and completion is announced for 2013. A light rail system with a gauge of 1,435 mm and a network of 280 km is planned, which will connect the districts of Abuja and the suburbs of Karu, Nyanya, Kubwa and Gwagwalada. The airport is also to be connected. Houses that stand in the way of the planned routes from the master plan are to be demolished from 2009.
The Abuja Urban Mass Transport Company (AUMTCO) already operates a bus network between downtown Abuja and the satellite cities. The operating times are between around 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. These buses are not used for inner-city traffic. They are popular as the cheapest means of transport and are often overcrowded. The numerous stops built in the city with a waiting hall, waste paper basket and stop sign are not served by these buses, but are unused. The main departure point for AUMTCO's red buses is Eagle Square in the city center. The buses used are from Brazilian production and reveal Mercedes-Benz as the manufacturer on their target film.
There are numerous taxis throughout the city during the day. They can be recognized by their green color with white stripes. Prices are negotiated at the start of the journey. Cars can still be rented, which Europeans can only recommend to a limited extent in view of the harsh customs on the streets. Taxi rides after dark are not recommended because the passengers have been robbed again and again.
Since the end of July 2016, Abuja has been connected to Kaduna on the Lagos - Kano railway line by a 186.5-kilometer standard-gauge line. The trains start in Idu, 20 kilometers west of the city center, with the express trains taking around two hours to complete.
Road traffic
There are traffic lights at major intersections in road traffic in the capital, many of which are never or only rarely in use. Traffic cops very often regulate traffic. Nevertheless, the law of the brave often applies: if you are least concerned about the integrity of your car, you drive first. There are only a few petrol stations in the city, but one petrol station is often lined up on the arterial roads. Petrol is state-subsidized and very cheap (at the beginning of 2009 around 35 euro cents per liter, in 2014 currently at around 45 cents). The diesel prices, however, are always negotiated. Occasionally there is a shortage of petrol, so it is always advisable to refuel in good time.
Many roads are imposing. Main roads in the city center usually have 6 to 8 lanes, sometimes even more. New roads are still being built or existing ones massively expanded. Constitution Avenue, one of the largest downtown highways, is currently in its second direction. Many streets were initially built with only one-way lanes and designated as one-way streets. Bridges and peripheral buildings have already been designed so that the opposite direction can be built later. Similarly, the motorway ring around the city center was initially only implemented on a small scale and is currently being gradually expanded. To the west of the city center (Nnamdi Azikiwe Express Way), the expansion is largely complete and there are up to 12 lanes, 2 × 4 main lanes and 2 × 2 side lanes to connect the individual junctions with each other. Signposts are almost completely absent on the autobahn, and without a city map or local knowledge you can hardly find your way around. In spring 2009, the expansion work on the motorway ring will concentrate on the north-western part of the Maitama district. The public repeatedly complains about the inadequate maintenance of existing roads. In fact, the potholes are getting bigger and bigger, and through holes in the roadways, bridges can sometimes be used to see the terrain below. Missing manhole covers often cause accidents.
sons and daughters of the town
- Ndidi Kanu (* 1986), soccer player
- Macauley Chrisantus (* 1990), football player
- Kehinde Fatai (* 1990), football player
- Nosa Igiebor (* 1990), football player
- Helen Ukaonu (* 1991), soccer player
- Aminu Umar (* 1995), football player
- Seth Sincere (* 1998), football player
Web links
Wikinews: Abuja - on the news
Individual evidence
- ^ A b World Urbanization Prospects - Population Division - United Nations. Retrieved July 23, 2018 .
- ^ John N. Paden: Muslim Civic Cultures and Conflict Resolution. The Challenge of Democratic Federalism in Nigeria , Washington 2005, p. 50.
- ^ Abuja, Nigeria - Sunrise, sunset, dawn and dusk times for the whole year
- ↑ Page no longer available , search in web archives: Daily Trust, Railway for FCT , January 20, 2009
- ^ African Regional Roundtable on Upgrading Low-Income Settlements. (PDF) In: World Bank Conference, October 3-5 2000, Johannesburg, South Africa. World Bank, Oct. 5, 2000, p. 16 , archived from the original on March 27, 2009 ; Retrieved August 10, 2007 .
- ↑ Dominic Johnson : Attack on Police Headquarters. In: the daily newspaper . June 16, 2011, accessed June 16, 2011 .
- ↑ Attack on UN building: number of dead rises to 25 Hamburger Abendblatt, August 27, 2011
- ↑ Abuja attack: Car bomb hits Nigeria UN building. In: BBC online. August 26, 2011, accessed August 26, 2011 .
- ^ Nzz.ch: New attacks in Nigeria , accessed April 8, 2011
- ↑ GTD Search Results. Global Terrorism Database, accessed December 11, 2017 .
- ↑ IBB International Golf Course, Abuja abuja-ng.com
- ^ Franklin Uzor: Firm Set to Invest $ 15m on Jabi Lake. In: Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission. October 23, 2019. Retrieved October 25, 2019 (American English).
- ↑ railwaysafrica.com, Abuja LRT By 2013 ( memento of June 7, 2011 in the Internet Archive ), February 27, 2009
- ↑ Keith Barrow: Nigeria inaugurates Abuja - Kaduna railway. In: Railjournal. July 26, 2016, accessed August 22, 2016 .