Abuja is an exciting modern city. Constructed in the 1980s, it is the capital city and the fastest growing city in Nigeria, which is now Africa’s largest economy.
Serviced apartments in Abuja are a fantastic choice for the business traveller who wants their own private space. Each property offers its own cooking, dining and washing facilities, which you wouldn’t expect in a hotel room, and all at a very competitive rate too. Many fully serviced apartments in Abuja have housekeeping services and on-site laundry services too, making it easy for guests to be self-sufficient and non-reliant on their accommodation provider.
Situ‘s corporate, short stay apartments in Abuja can also be much more convenient than hotel rooms as places to do business. Guests have access to free WiFi and some of them even have professional meeting rooms, or at least dining areas and sitting rooms to enjoy a coffee. 'Choice' really is the keyword here – corporates can stay where you want in the city, and choose how they want to live within their very own ‘home away from home’.
Abuja is the capital of Nigeria. It is a ‘planned city’, in that it was only built in the 1980s, and became the capital in 1991. Abuja was chosen as the site for the new capital as it was considered to be a ‘neutral’ location in a country that is largely divided along tribal lines. It is also very centrally located within Nigeria. The official language of Nigeria is English.
The city itself has a population of around 600,000, while the larger Abuja metropolitan area is home to around 3.5 million people. Lagos, which is Nigeria’s largest city and port, and which was the capital until 1991, is around 320 miles southwest of Abuja. Ibadan, another of the country’s largest cities, is around 267 miles southwest of Abuja and is located on the main highway to Lagos. Kano, another large city, is 216 miles to the northeast.
Nigeria is Africa’s largest economy and Abuja is considered to be one of its more affluent cities. Nevertheless, travellers to the city are advised to exercise caution as there is a certain level of street crime here. This city is also a good deal less congested and polluted than some of the other cities in the country.
In 2011, investment company Fidelity coined the term ‘MINT countries’ to describe Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria and Turkey, in recognition of their massive economic growth potential. Fidelity’s prediction has certainly come true, as in 2014, Nigeria became Africa’s largest economy.
Additionally, economic growth in Abuja has been much faster than in the rest of Nigeria. Some of the principal industries in the nation’s capital include oil, telecommunications, manufacturing, construction, minerals, agriculture, financial services and real estate. BNI Nigeria is an organization that provides excellent networking and referral opportunities for Abuja-based businesspeople.
For whatever reason you are visiting the city, whether it is for a small networking event or to relocate your company, just remember there are many serviced apartments in Abuja available that can cater for your business travel needs.
Although the city was only built in the last 40 years, Abuja is noted for its diverse architecture. A must-see is the National Mosque, with its four imposing minarets and gold carpets. The neo-gothic National Christian Centre is also well worth a look; as is the Ministry of Defence building, which was designed to look like a ship.
The city is also home to some superb art galleries, including Nike Art Gallery, Thought Pyramid Art Centre and Omega Gallery. At Bwari Pottery Village, you can watch the potters at work before buying one of their creations. The Abuja Art and Craft Village is home to a bewildering array of traders selling amazing handicrafts.
Abuja was designed to be a ‘green’ city, and there are plenty of beautiful parks in the city, including Jabi Park – a must for water sports enthusiasts. Other green spaces include Millennium Park, the Julius Berger Waterfront Park, Eden Parks and Garden and Area 1 Recreational Garden. You will also find a wealth of excellent restaurants to cater for almost any taste, including Chinese restaurant Sinoni, Thai cuisine at Sawadee, local food at Iya Oyo and Middle Eastern offerings at Dunes.
All in all, there's a lot to do here, and it is for that reason that we recommend an extended stay property, rather than a short stay apartment in Abuja, to make sure you don't miss out on anything that the city has to offer.
Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport opened in 2002 as Abuja’s principal airport. It’s located around 26 miles southwest of the city. Abuja’s airport serves approximately 25 domestic and international destinations. There are direct flights to Abuja from London Heathrow, Paris, Istanbul and Frankfurt.
Otherwise, most of the flights from here serve other African airports, including the Nigerian cities of Lagos, Port Harcourt, Ibadan and Benin City; as well as Cairo, Accra (the capital of Ghana) and Douala in Cameroon. We have a range of serviced apartments in Abuja near the main airport so you can choose to fly to and from the city whenever you please, without having to travel too far.
Abuja’s Light Rail (or Metro Rail) trains call at 12 stations in and around the city, including the international airport. This rail system is still very much under development, with only a few trains per day in each direction. There are plans, however, for the Light Rail to eventually connect Abuja and some of the neighbouring towns.
There are also four trains per day from Abuja to Kaduna, with the 100-mile journey taking just over two hours.
Local buses connect Abuja to many of the surrounding towns, including Mararaba, Bwari, Kuje, Gwagwalada and Suleja.
Abuja also has long-distance bus services to most of Nigeria’s major cities. There are typically several departures per day, and you can reach Lagos in eight hours, Ibadan in nine hours and Port Harcourt in ten and a half hours.
Travel Management Companies