Visiting Nigeria can be a mind-blowing experience as there are so many places to see, cities to visit, and cultures to explore. Certainly, along with the excitement of traveling to or living in a foreign land comes the possibility of the visitor experiencing some form of culture shock.
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A number of tourists who have visited or lived in Nigeria have testified to being shocked and overwhelmed by the lifestyle, customs and practices of its people. Here are the top seven things tourists often find strange about Nigerians.
Nigerians find it hard to believe, but they are exceptionally loud, especially those from the western region. Some have stated that the loudness is a consequence of their local dialect and their cultural practices, while other believe that the average Nigerian lous because is is their heritage to be boisterous. A typical Nigerian will not hesitate to belt out a song in crowded street in the bid to sell potions or win souls, and most locals will not even try to reduce the pitch of their voice, as long as they feel the need to air an opinion. While locals see these as normal, most visitors find it utterly alarming.
Nigerians are very religious people and a larger part of the country actually practice Christianity and they are very zealous in their faith. It is hard to find a street in most parts of the country (excluding the northern regions which are saturated with muslims)without at least one church or meeting place. Visitors find it remarkable and some have wondered how these churches maintain their members.
For most people who live outside the country, ATMs and credit cards are the way to go when it comes to buying or purchasing. Most wander about with wallets utterly devoid of cash, they do not see the need to carry cash around as it even creates opportunities of getting robbed or maimed. They find it amazing that Nigerians on the other hand seem to love the scent of raw cash and carry money around with them at all times, despite the fact that there ATM machines around and most stores and spots have POS for credit cards. Nigeria is slowly becoming a cashless society, however they are finding it hard to give up the feel of paper money in their hands.