Territory capital · Nigeria
Makurdi
Give Makurdi one night as a Benue State stop, not a destination: markets, river bank and Lobi Stars football, then move on.
Makurdi is Benue State's capital and a north–south transport hinge on the Benue River, not a sightseeing city. It has a slow, laid-back feel, a big outdoor market, a riverside bank and a football ground, and it works best as one night between Abuja or Enugu and the rest of the middle belt. Do not plan a holiday around it; plan a stop.
More ways in
Local time, weather, currency, airports
- Weather
- see forecast
- Currency
- NGN
- Best months
- Nov–Feb (dry, cooler nights)
- avoid Jul–Sep (peak rains and river flooding)
- Airport
- MDI
- Nights
- 1
Rules in force · 7Nine African countries on this site have no trip line bec…Carry an original yellow fever vaccination certificate on…
- Africa ↗When a route touches a yellow-fever country — even a transit of 12 hours or more — keep the original yellow card (ICVP) in your hand luggage; health desks and airlines can refuse boarding or entry without it.
- Africa ↗Nine African countries on this site have no trip line because governments advise against travel; several others have no-go regions. Read your government's advice for every country on the route before paying deposits.
- West Africa ↗Carry an original yellow fever vaccination certificate on any West African trip: several countries on the coast road demand it of every arrival, and the rest demand it after you have passed through a neighbour.
- West Africa ↗Cross land borders and drive between cities in daylight only; plan each crossing as a full travel day with cash for fees and passport copies for checkpoints.
- Nigeria ↗Check visa and entry rules for your passport with the Nigeria Immigration Service or a Nigerian mission; most visitors need a visa arranged before travel.
- Nigeria ↗Governments advise against all or all but essential travel to a number of Nigerian states; check your own government's advice for each state on your route.
- Nigeria ↗Check the yellow-fever vaccination certificate rules for Nigeria before you fly; carry the certificate with your passport.
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾
In this guide
Not in this guide yet
- Walking areas with bag rules
- Day plans checked against opening hours
- Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
- Field-checked times and prices
Official sites
Emergency numbers for Makurdi112 ▾
Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.
EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost
Essentials
Quick answers and what things cost
Quick answers
The questions people ask first about Makurdi, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.
- Cash or card?Currency is the Nigerian naira (NGN, ₦).Nigeria-wide
- SIM or eSIMcheckMTN, Airtel, Glo and 9mobile; SIM registration needs a passport and NIN-style biometric capture — foreigners register at company offices (check).Nigeria-wide
- Tap waterNot safe from the tap.Nigeria-wide
- TippingRestaurant: 5–10% if service is not added.Nigeria-wide
- Plugs & powerSockets D/G. US/Canada (A/B): adapter · UK/Ireland (G): fits · Australia/NZ (I): adapter. 230 V: US 120 V-only devices (hair dryers) need a converter; most chargers are dual-voltage.Nigeria-wide
- SafetyMakurdi is calm by day and best treated as a daytime city: no night walks, no unlit riverbank trips…
Show all 12 answers
- RestroomsWestern toilets in hotels, malls and restaurants; carry tissue and hand sanitiser.Nigeria-wide
- Emergency numbers112 National emergency · 112 police (not 911, 999 or 000)
- Sundays & holidaysSunday mornings are church time in the south; Friday midday prayers in the north.Nigeria-wide
- Your embassyFind your embassy's 24-hour line before you fly.
- AirportcheckMDI Makurdi Airport (About 8 km (5 mi) from the centre; domestic links from Abuja and Lagos — check current schedules.).MDI Makurdi Airport (About 5 mi (8 km) from the centre; domestic links from Abuja and Lagos — check current schedules.).
- Getting aroundShuttle minibuses, keke-napep tricycles and okada motorbikes cover the city; buses start around ₦50 and fares rise with distance.
Cost cheat-sheet
Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.
- CoffeeCoffee or soft drink₦1,000–2,500
- Beerbottled, in a bar₦1,500–3,000
- Metro or bus rideShuttle bus ride in town₦50–500 (check)
- SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week₦5,000–12,000
- Budget bedGuesthouse or hostel bed, a night, per personNGN 8,000
- Mid-range bedHotel double room, a night, per roomNGN 55,000
- High-end bedHotel double room, a night, per roomNGN 120,000
A day, not counting the bed: Budget NGN 18,000 · Mid NGN 45,000 · High NGN 110,000
Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →
DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works
Decide
What it is known for, and when the weather works
At a glance
What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.
- Airports
- MDI Makurdi Airport (About 8 km (5 mi) from the centre; domestic links from Abuja and Lagos — check current schedules.)MDI Makurdi Airport (About 5 mi (8 km) from the centre; domestic links from Abuja and Lagos — check current schedules.)
Best months at a glance
From the guide's best and avoid lists
Jan
Best
34°C (93°F)93°F (34°C)
Feb
Best
36°C (97°F)97°F (36°C)
Mar
not flagged
37°C (99°F)99°F (37°C)
Apr
not flagged
35°C (95°F)95°F (35°C)
May
not flagged
33°C (91°F)91°F (33°C)
Jun
not flagged
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
Jul
Avoid
30°C (86°F)86°F (30°C)
Aug
Avoid
29°C (84°F)84°F (29°C)
Sep
Avoid
30°C (86°F)86°F (30°C)
Oct
not flagged
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
Nov
Best
33°C (91°F)91°F (33°C)
Dec
Best
34°C (93°F)93°F (34°C)
Best: Nov–Feb. Avoid: Jul–Sep. Month by month →
Warmest Mar (37°C (99°F)99°F (37°C)), coolest Dec (18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C) low), wettest Aug (16 rain days), driest Jan (0). Averages, not a forecast.
Weather and climate
Makurdi: next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Air quality
Loading…
Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.
Jan
34°C (93°F)93°F (34°C)
19°C (66°F)66°F (19°C)
0 rd
Feb
36°C (97°F)97°F (36°C)
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
1 rd
Mar
37°C (99°F)99°F (37°C)
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
3 rd
Apr
35°C (95°F)95°F (35°C)
25°C (77°F)77°F (25°C)
6 rd
May
33°C (91°F)91°F (33°C)
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
10 rd
Jun
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
23°C (73°F)73°F (23°C)
13 rd
Jul
30°C (86°F)86°F (30°C)
23°C (73°F)73°F (23°C)
15 rd
Aug
29°C (84°F)84°F (29°C)
22°C (72°F)72°F (22°C)
16 rd
Sep
30°C (86°F)86°F (30°C)
22°C (72°F)72°F (22°C)
15 rd
Oct
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
22°C (72°F)72°F (22°C)
10 rd
Nov
33°C (91°F)91°F (33°C)
20°C (68°F)68°F (20°C)
2 rd
Dec
34°C (93°F)93°F (34°C)
18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C)
0 rd
High / low, both scales · rd = rain days
Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Arrive & move
Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Getting around
Shuttle minibuses, keke-napep tricycles and okada motorbikes cover the city; buses start around ₦50 and fares rise with distance. Agree the fare before you get in, and let a local quote it first — visitors are quoted higher. Two bridges cross the Benue: a road bridge for vehicles and pedestrians and the rail bridge.
Nearest full guides
Straight-line distance, not travel time
See & doDay-trips, door to door
See & do
Day-trips, door to door
Day-trips
Gboko
goDoor to door: About 1.5 h
Road south-east, about 70 km (43 mi)Road south-east, about 43 mi (70 km)
Tiv heartland town; go with a driver and return before dark.
Otukpo
cautionDoor to door: About 2 h
Road south on the Enugu route, about 120 km (75 mi)Road south on the Enugu route, about 75 mi (120 km)
Idoma cultural centre; check road and security advice first.
Katsina-ala
cautionDoor to door: 2–2.5 h
Road east via Yandev, about 130 km (81 mi)Road east via Yandev, about 81 mi (130 km)
Gateway to the hills; a long day, better as an overnight.
Lafia
overnightDoor to door: 3–4 h
Road north, about 200 km (124 mi)Road north, about 124 mi (200 km)
Too far for a return day; sleep there.
Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in
Eat & sleep
Which area to sleep in
Where to sleep
Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.
High Level
Government and business side; most hotels, banks and restaurants, walkable in daylight.
Wurukum
Market and transport side; handy for Benue Links buses, noisier and busier.
Old GRA / Township
Quieter streets, older hotels; needs a keke or taxi for everything.
Kanshio
Outlying district on the north bank; garden-style hotels, car needed.
PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Practical
What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Cost per day
- Budget
- ₦15,000–30,000 excl. bed
- Mid
- ₦30,000–70,000 excl. bed
- High
- ₦70,000+ excl. bed
Trip budget
| Hotel double room1 × 1 night × NGN 55,000 | NGN 55,000 |
| Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × NGN 45,000 | NGN 90,000 |
| Airport transfer, both ways2 × NGN 12,000 · check | NGN 24,000 |
| Keke or okada hops, one day2 × NGN 4,000 | NGN 8,000 |
| eSIM, about a week of data2 × NGN 8,000 | NGN 16,000 |
| Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge | NGN 19,300 |
| Trip total≈ NGN 106,200 per person per day, bed included | NGN 212,300 |
2026 estimate in naira; long-distance transport excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.
Prices of common things
| Coffee or soft drink | ₦1,000–2,500 |
| Plate of jollof rice with chicken | ₦3,000–7,000 |
| Beer, bottled, in a bar | ₦1,500–3,000 |
| Shuttle bus ride in town | ₦50–500 (check) |
| Keke or okada across the centre | ₦500–2,000 (check) |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | ₦5,000–12,000 |
2026 estimate; check locally.
Watch out
Safety
- Do not walk at night; use a hotel-arranged car or a known driver.
- Touts and street gangs cluster around markets and motor parks — keep bags closed and keep moving.
- Okada bikes are fast but risky on main roads; helmets are rarely offered.
- River levels rise in the wet season and low-lying banks flood — check before any boat trip.
- Carry cash: card machines fail often outside big hotels.
Emergency numbers
- National emergency
- 112
- Police
- 112
Pocket card
Fill in, then print or save as PDF
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MakurdiMakurdi
Pocket card · Voykit
My bed tonight
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—
—
Please take me to this addressPlease take me to this address
Emergency
- National emergency112
- Police112
Embassy
No embassies in Makurdi; the US, UK and most others are in Abuja, with consulates in Lagos.
My embassy: —
Fare anchors (2026 estimate)
- Airport → city centre, taxi: ₦8,000–15,000, about 20 min (check)
- Keke across the centre: ₦500–1,500 (check)
- Makurdi → Otukpo, bus: ₦3,000–6,000, about 2 h (check)
Say or show
- Good morning — Good morning (Nigerian English is fine)
- How much? — How much is it? (ask before you board)
- Thank you — Thank you
- Take me to this address — Please take me to this address
- I'm not buying, thank you — I don't want it, thank you
- Where is the toilet? — Where is the toilet?
Ask your hotel to write the address for the driver; street naming is patchy.
Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources
Deep dive
What this guide covers so far, and its sources
Not a trip line yet
This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Makurdi. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.
What we know, and what is coming
On this page
- Best months: Nov–Feb (dry, cooler nights) · avoid Jul–Sep (peak rains and river flooding) · month by month →
- 1 airport and 4 areas to sleep in
- Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
- Cost per day in 3 bands
- 4 day-trips, door to door
- 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers
Coming as the guide grows
- Airport-to-bed contract for MDI: confirm which carriers still fly, taxi fallback, overnight rung.
- Walking clusters with rescue anchors: High Level, Wurukum market and motor park, the river bank, Aper Aku Stadium.
- Place pages with verified cutoffs (Wurukum Market, river bank, stadium match days) and eat pages with last orders.
- Wet-season and hostile-arrival fixtures so gates A–D can go green.