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Territory capital · Nigeria

MaiduguriYerwa

Go only if you have a work, NGO or family reason: 1–2 nights, city limits only, no road travel beyond the outskirts.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
NGN
Best months
Nov–Feb (dry, cooler nights)
avoid Jun–Sep (heavy rain), Apr–May (40 °C heat)
Airport
MIU
Nights
1–2
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
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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.

Maiduguri is the capital of Borno State and the trading hub of north-eastern Nigeria, home to about 1.2 million people. Since 2009 it has been the centre of the Boko Haram insurgency, and most Western governments advise against all travel here. The city itself is heavily guarded and has long stretches of calm, but attacks on the airport side and the roads out are recurring. Treat it as a work trip, not a holiday: one or two nights, a driver, and a curfew-aware plan.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Maiduguri, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • BeerBeer in a hotel bar₦1,500–3,000
  • Taxi, about 5 kmKeke (tuk-tuk), 45 minutesabout ₦1,500
  • Budget bedMid hotel room (Dujima, Grand Pinnacle class), a night, per roomNGN 14,000
  • Mid-range bedCheaper hotel room, a night, per roomNGN 35,000
  • High-end bedCheaper hotel room, a night, per roomNGN 50,000

A day, not counting the bed: Budget NGN 25,000 · Mid NGN 55,000 · 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 →

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.

Borno State MuseumEmir Palace and the Borno EmirateMonday Market and Gomboru MarketMai Deribe Palace
Airports
MIU Maiduguri International Airport (Domestic flights from Lagos via Abuja and from Yola; the airport sits west of the centre, the side most often hit by mortar fire — check current advisories before booking.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Maiduguri: 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

32°C

13°C

0 rd

Feb

35°C

16°C

0 rd

Mar

39°C

21°C

0 rd

Apr

41°C

25°C

4 rd

May

40°C

27°C

8 rd

Jun

37°C

26°C

11 rd

Jul

33°C

24°C

14 rd

Aug

31°C

23°C

15 rd

Sep

33°C

23°C

10 rd

Oct

36°C

22°C

3 rd

Nov

36°C

17°C

0 rd

Dec

33°C

14°C

0 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

Hire a car with a driver for the whole stay; NGOs and UN staff are not allowed to drive themselves far. Yellow kekes (tuk-tuks) and blue buses cover short hops — about ₦1,500 for 45 minutes by keke, about ₦300 by tricycle — but sitting on the side of a tricycle exposes you to robbers. Do not overtake or cut into military convoys.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Jere

caution

Door to door: Under 1 h

By car with a driver, north-east of the centre

Only with local advice and daylight; check the security situation the same day.

Mafa

caution

Door to door: About 1 h

By car with a driver, east on the Dikwa road

Aid-worker territory, not a sightseeing run; check before you go.

Benisheikh

skip

Door to door: About 1.5 h

By car on the Damaturu road

Highway travel out of Maiduguri is not advised for visitors.

Monguno

skip

Door to door: 2.5–3 h

By road north, about 135 km

Road corridor with repeated attacks; fly or don't go.

Gwoza

skip

Door to door: 3 h+

By road south-east, about 130 km

Check state advice; not a visitor route.

Biu

skip

Door to door: 3.5–4 h

By road south on the A4, about 190 km

Only with an organised convoy and current clearance.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Old GRA and Kashim Ibrahim Road

Government-quarter side, most hotels with walls, generators and armed guards.

Around the airport road

Closest to MIU and to the Grand Pinnacle; convenient for early flights, but the western edge is the exposed side.

City centre (Lagos Street, Yerima Road)

Restaurants and shops within walking distance; quieter streets after dark.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
₦25,000–45,000 excl. bed
Mid
₦45,000–90,000 excl. bed
High
₦90,000+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Mid hotel room (Dujima, Grand Pinnacle class)1 × 2 nights × NGN 28,000NGN 56,000
Food, local transport, entries1 × 2 days × NGN 55,000NGN 110,000
Car with driver, full day1 × NGN 60,000NGN 60,000
Keke (tuk-tuk), 45 minutes1 × NGN 1,500NGN 1,500
eSIM, about a week of data1 × NGN 12,000NGN 12,000
Buffer 15%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeNGN 35,900
Trip total≈ NGN 137,700 per person per day, bed includedNGN 275,400

Posted rates have run from about ₦13,500 to ₦27,600

2026 estimate in naira; flights excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Bottle of water (75 cl)₦300–700
Plate of rice and stew in a local restaurant₦2,000–5,000
Fried chicken and fries (BinMak Cafe class)₦5,000–9,000
Beer in a hotel bar₦1,500–3,000
Keke (tuk-tuk), 45 minutesabout ₦1,500
Tricycle, 45 minutesabout ₦300
Lake Chad Club day entrance₦1,000; lifelong membership ₦60,000

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Maiduguri is the epicentre of the north-east insurgency. The centre is heavily garrisoned and has been calm for stretches, but the airport side takes mortar fire and the roads out are not safe for visitors. Stay inside the city, move in daylight with a driver, keep doors locked after dark, and check your government's advice before you book.
  • Most Western governments advise against all travel to Borno State; check your own government's advice and your insurer before booking.
  • Militants operate within about 20 km of the centre; rocket and mortar attacks on the western side near the airport recur.
  • A curfew is in force, adjusted by the military; it has been set at 23:00 since late 2023 — check the current time on arrival.
  • Do not photograph military personnel, checkpoints or government buildings.
  • Do not walk the streets after dark: much of the city has no mains power and is very dark.
  • Road travel out of the city is not possible for visitors; national highways A3 and A4 are unsafe.
  • Demonstrations are illegal and can turn violent; turn your vehicle around rather than drive through a crowd.

Emergency numbers

National emergency
112
Police
112
Fire
112

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

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MaiduguriYerwa

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

Kai ni wannan adireshin, don AllahTake me to this address, please

Emergency

  • National emergency112
  • Police112

Embassy

No US or UK embassy in Maiduguri; the US embassy and UK high commission are in Abuja. Register your trip with your embassy before travelling to Borno State.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Keke (tuk-tuk), 45 minutes: about ₦1,500
  • Tricycle, 45 minutes: about ₦300
  • Car with driver, full day: ₦40,000–90,000

Say or show

  • Barka da safiya — Good morning (BAR-ka da sa-FEE-ya)
  • Na gode — Thank you (na GO-day)
  • Nawa ne? — How much is it? (NA-wa ne)
  • Don Allah — Please (don AL-lah)
  • Ban gane ba — I don't understand (ban GA-ne ba)
  • Taimaka — Help (tie-MA-ka)

Carry a printed address card in Hausa and English; many drivers read Hausa first.

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 Maiduguri. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Nov–Feb (dry, cooler nights) · avoid Jun–Sep (heavy rain), Apr–May (40 °C heat) · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 6 day-trips, door to door
  6. 7 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. An airport-to-bed path that says whether a late landing still works
  2. Walking clusters with bag rules
  3. Day plans checked against opening hours
  4. Field-verified times and fares

Meanwhile

Back to Nigeria

Sources