Abuja, Nigeria Report of what it's like to live there - 09/12/08
Personal Experiences from Abuja, Nigeria
Background:
1. Was this post your first expatriate experience? If not, what other cities have you lived in as an expat?
Yes
2. How long have you lived here?
1 year.
3. What brought you to this city (e.g. diplomatic mission, business, NGO, military, teaching, retirement, etc.)?
I work for the U.S. Government.
4. Travel time and best routes to this city from Europe or the US:
Go through Amsterdam, because KLM and the Embassy have an agreement that gives Embassy employees upgrades to Business Class if it's not already full at the time you reserve your ticket through the travel department at the Embassy.
Housing, Groceries & Food:
1. What is your housing like? What are typical housing sizes, locations, and commute times for expatriates?
Traffic is not a problem in Abuja compared to other capital cities, so the commute time will be less than 15 minutes regardless of where you live. The housing compounds are varied and spread througout the city, and most are apartments and townhomes. I’ve heard complaints about a few compounds. Apparently, Seattle has very little space for parking and no pool. The other complaint is with Katsina Ala (spelling?) and Ancestor’s Court.
2. How would you describe the availability and cost of groceries and household supplies relative to your home country?
Groceries stores here are not supermarkets. They’re about the size of a Walgreen’s, and the items inside are mostly imported from the Middle East and Europe. There are a few ShopRite items from the U.S. inside a few of the stores. Chicken is not as tender as in the states, and the beef is not dry aged so it’s very tough and chewy unless you marinate it for a very long time. Pork is hard to find, because this country has a lot of Muslims. I would recommend you bring a cooler of meat on the plane to help supplement what you think you’ll miss or for special occasions.
A commissary is supposed to open up soon with meat and liquids, but at the time of this post, it’s not open yet. I don’t think the produce is nearly up to the quality as in the states, and there’s definitely not as much variety. Many vegetables are picked before they’re fully ripe, and they have lots of bruises and/or other blemishes on them. Unless you’re willing to spend US$15 for a small portion of grapes or plums or US$2.50 for one pear, your fruits will consist mostly of pineapple, bananas, passion fruit, and mangos. The prices of goods are absolutely outrageous. People are in absolute shock when they first get here, yet the State Department decided to lower our COLA. I can assure you that prices have NOT gone done over the year I’ve been here – they have only gone up. For what you pay for almost anything here, you could get the absolute best quality of that same product in the United States, yet the quality of what you get here is average at best. Also, don’t be surprised if you buy something that is already expired or will be expired soon. If you find something you need or want, make sure and buy it because when they run out, they may never have it again. Also make sure you bring plenty of baking supplies, because those are hard to find here. The basic white flour Nigerian’s use has some type of starchy additive to it, and most people have a hard time baking with it. Be sure to bring flour with you, order it through the pouch, or buy some in your consumables.
3. What household or grocery items do you wish you had shipped to post?
I would pack exercise machines, because a gym membership at the Hilton for a couple with the Embassy discount is US$1,250.00 per year. I would have brought a cooler with pork products and steak on the plane instead of having to wait for my first R&R to enjoy good meat.
4. What typical restaurants, food delivery services, and/or takeout options are popular among expatriates?
The two most frequented restaurants in town are Wakki's (Indian) and the German Life Camp. The Germans have a fairly large presence here because they’re doing a lot of construction for Abuja. The Germans all live inside a life camp, and they allow other expats to come and eat at their restaurant. The restaurant itself is beautiful…outdoors with a huge wooden shelter covering it. Pork is very hard to find here, and the quality of what you find is not up to American standards, but the restaurant at the German Life Camp has pork brought in from Germany along with sausage, good steak, etc. The portions are huge at an affordable price, and it’s arguably the best food in the city. It’s a redeeming place for a lot of people here and a nice “getaway” after a rough day. They even have one German beer on tap. Wakki's is an authentic Indian restaurant owned by Indian ex-pat’s. The food is good, and the scenery is fantastic. The restaurant building actually looks like it was built to be a restaurant, unlike most restaurants here that are inside houses that were turned into restaurants later. There are a few other restaurants, but as a whole, the food is just so-so for what you pay, and you will pay dearly. It’s unbelievable how expensive restaurants are here – especially when you take into consideration the quality of the food for the price.
Daily Life:
1. How do you send and receive your letters and package mail? Are local postal facilities adequate?
2. What is the availability and cost of household help, and what types of help are typically employed by expatriates?
It's cheap, but I don't trust the domestic help here from all the stories I've heard. As one example, one domestic kept breaking kitchenware by stacking fine china and crystal glasses on top of each other in the sink - even after being told not to.
3. Are credit cards widely accepted and safe to use locally? Are ATMs common and do you recommend using them? Are they safe to use?
DON'T!
4. What English-language religious services are available locally?
All services are in English, to the best of my knowledge. I know there's a Nigerian Baptist, Methodist, and Catholic church. There's also an expat church that meets at one of the American compounds on Sunday mornings.
5. English-language newspapers and TV available? Cost?
Everyone has AFN, and I would recommend watching AFN News or going on-line to keep up-to-date. Some people buy DSTV, which has BBC and CNN World News. Reading Nigerian newspapers will be more for a good laugh.
6. How much of the local language do you need for daily living? Are local language classes/tutors available and affordable?
Their official language is English, so you'll be fine, although it can still be very difficult to understand them, as some of their phrases make no sense, and their accents can be very thick at times.
7. Would someone with physical disabilities have difficulties living in this city?
I think America is one of the only countries where someone with physical disabilities can live somewhere comfortably. Nigeria, like most other countries, don't go out of their way to accomodate those with disabilities.
Transportation:
1. Do you drive on the right hand side of the road or the left?
Yes. Nigerians are known to drive on whichever road is most convenient for them - including sidewalks, but the legal side is the right side.
2. Are local buses, trams, trains or taxis safe and affordable?
They may be affordable, but they are absolutely not allowed by RSO and are considered a dangerous mode of transport. A few expats from other Embassies have been robbed after taking a taxi.
3. What kind of car do you recommend bringing to post, given the terrain, availability of parts, burglary/carjacking risks, etc.? What kind of car do you advise not to bring?
The roads inside Abuja are paved and wide, so any type of car will work. To have an edge over the crazy driver's who do whatever they want, an SUV would be helpful. It will also help to have an SUV if you want to travel outside of Abuja without using motor pool, as not all roads are paved once you leave the city.
Phone & Internet:
1. Is high-speed home Internet access available? How long does it typically take to install it after arrival?
Internet is available and very expensive, and it's not fast. It will run you close to US$100 a month, depending on who you use. It's also not reliable and will be out for short or long periods of time without notice.
2. Do you have any recommendations regarding mobile phones? Did you keep your home-country plan or use a local provider?
The reception quality is not very good, and the service is occassionally down no matter which provider you use. There's also no voicemail on cell phones here.
3. What is the best way to make phone calls back home?
Vonage or skype.
Pets:
1. Quality pet care available (vets & kennels)?
The kennels here are not a happy place for your beloved pet. Think twice about bringing a pet here, or plan to take them home with you at R&R if you can't find someone who is willing to dog/catsit.
Employment & Volunteer Opportunities:
1. What types of jobs do most expatriate spouses/partners have? Locally based or telecommuting? Full-time or part-time? Can you comment on local salary scales?
Not on the local economy, but some work at NGO's around town.
2. What is the typical dress code at work and in public places? Is formal dress ever required?
From my impression, it's semi-casual. A lot of people wear jeans on Friday.
Health & Safety:
1. Pollution index (Good, Moderate, Unhealthy, or Very Unhealthy)?
Good.
2. Are there personal security concerns to be aware of at this post? Please describe.
Abuja is much safer than cities like Lagos and Port Harcourt. I still wouldn't recommend walking around at night, but I've never felt unsafe.
3. Are there any particular health concerns? What is the quality of available medical care? What medical conditions typically require medical evacuation?
Local medical care is not good, but our nurse practitioner is fantastic and has gone out of her way to help my family during a visit.
4. What is the overall climate: is it extremely hot or cold, wet or dry, at any time of year, for example?
1/2 the year = rainy and slightly humid - 1/2 the year = dry with low humidity and no rain.
Schools & Children:
1. What is the availability of international schools? What has been your general experience with them, if any?
2. What accommodations do schools make for special-needs kids?
3. Are preschools available? Day care? Are these expensive? What has been your experience with them, if any? Do the schools provide before- and/or after-school care?
Expat Life:
1. What is the relative size of the expatriate community? How would you describe overall morale among expatriates?
2. Morale among expats:
Overall, I think it's really low. I really dislike it here, and the only saving grace about Nigeria are the other Americans I met and developed friendships with. My morale was high when hanging out with friends.
3. What are some typical ways to socialize, either with local people or with other expatriates? Are there groups or clubs that you can recommend?
Parties at the Marine House, CLO sponsored activities, but most have people over for dinner or go out to eat for entertainment. There is a movie theater that shows fairly current movies, but there's a rumor that it closed down. There's also a bowling alley that's supposed to be decent.
4. Is this a good city for single people? For couples? For families? Why or why not?
I don't think this is a good city for almost anyone. You have to be a really, really easy-going person to put up with this place. Even people that were in the peace corps have been absolutely miserable here.
5. Is this a good city for LGBT expatriates? Why or why not?
As far as I know, but I'm not a lesbian.
6. Are there problems with ethnic, race/racial minorities or religious prejudices? Gender equality?
I notice a lot of racial tension from Nigerians to Nigerians. I get a lot of attention for being white, and I strongly believe it’s racisim even if it's not in a violent form. I'm constantly called
7. What are some interesting/fun things to do in the area? Can you recommend any “hidden gems"?
In my opinion, there aren't many Nigerian interesting or fun things to do...certainly not enough to keep you occupied during the length of your tour. I would say go to Wuse Market - it's probably not considered fun by most, but I think everyone would agree that it's definitely interesting. I would also recommend traveling to Yankari National Park for a safari. Don't expect to see the number of animals you would in South Africa, but it's still worth the trip to see wild elephants in their natural habitat. I did it during my year here along with a few other outside-of-Abuja trips, and it's the only trip I found worthwhile and would do again. The 6 - 8 hour drive with no nice bathrooms and crazy drivers was quite painful, but once you're there, it's pretty fun as long as you can put up with a horrible, incompetent staff that could care less if you have a working air conditioner and burned out light bulbs.
The safari guides, however, were wonderful. They took some questionable paths with our safari vehicles and the maintenance and quality of the roads can be called into question, but they were very knowledgable about the animals and terrain. Seeing elephants and hippos in their natural habitat made all the frustrations worth it. Again, Abuja and Nigeria in general is BORING, so people entertain themselves by having people over for dinner or by going out to eat. Bring board games, movies, etc. to keep you entertained. There's no historical places like the great wall, eiffel tour, sistene chapel, etc. to tour here. You'll be creating your own fun.
8. Is this a "shopping post"? Are there interesting handicrafts, artwork, antiques, or other items that people typically buy there?
Haha that's funny. Unique, LOCAL items? How about unique items that are brought in from other African countries?
9. Can you save money?
You can, but it may be harder than you think it will be.
Words of Wisdom:
1. Knowing what you know now, would you still move to this city?
Absolutely not. I just hope my time here will have some career rewards on down the road. I think there are generally 4 types of people who come here:1. those on their first overseas assignment who couldn't get anywhere else 2. those who choose Abuja in hopes it will help them get that big promotion or advance their career 3. civil service people who are filling positions that foreign service people won't 4. tandem couples
2. If you move here, you can leave behind your:
Hopes that this will be a better place than it sounds and hopes that the local food will be good...it's not.
3. But don't forget your:
Positive reminders that this place should help your career, board games, playing cards, movies, TV shows on DVD, books you've been meaning to read.
4. Do you recommend any books or movies about this city/country for those who are interested in learning more?
5. Do you recommend any books or movies about this city/country for those who are interested in learning more?
6. Recommended movies/DVDs related to this city:
7. Do you have any other comments?
Only come here if you think this will help your career. If you come here thinking you'll like it, I think you'll be gravely disappointed.
