Nigeria experienced a significant downturn in visitor arrivals in 2020, marking the lowest point in 25 years

The number of non-resident visitors to Nigeria fell sharply in 2020 to the lowest level in 25 years. This sudden downturn was a contrast to the years between 1995 and 2010 when Nigeria's tourism sector experienced an amazing upswing.
Nigeria saw a record high of 6.1 million non-resident visitors in 2010, highlighting the country's increasing appeal as a travel destination. A remarkable spike in arrivals of 5.24 million in 2007 made the year stand out.
The global pandemic in 2020, however, caused a significant decline, with just 1.21 million visitors — the lowest number since 1996.

Source:

World Tourism Organization

Period:

1995 - 2021
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  • Anambra has the highest intercity transport fare at ₦9,862, exceeding the national average by ₦1,857.
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  • Cargo volume and revenue both crashed in 2020 due to COVID-19 disruptions, falling to 87.4k tons and ₦281.4 million respectively.
  • Recovery began in 2021–2022, as improved freight operations and industrial demand pushed steady gains in both tonnage and income.
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  • Strong recovery followed in 2021, with passenger numbers jumping to 2.71 million and revenue surging by 226% to ₦5.6 billion.
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