Kaduna

Kaduna is the capital of Kaduna State in North West Nigeria. It is a trade centre and a major transportation hub for the surrounding agricultural areas, with its rail and road junction. Kaduna State is the fourth largest state in Nigeria.

Understand

Kaduna River

Kaduna's name is derived from the Hausa word kada, for crocodile (kaduna being the plural form). Its population was estimated to be 1.1 million in 2020.

Get in

Sultan Bello Mosque

By car

Roads to Kaduna from Abuja and Kano are good. From Abuja the journey takes 2½ hours by car.

By plane

• 1 Kaduna International Airport (KAD  ^IATA) (22 km (14 mi) northwest of the city). Frequent daily flights from Lagos (1 hr 15 min, US$34 one-way) on Aero Nigeria, and Dana Airlines. (updated May 2021)

By train

Kaduna is an important junction on Nigeria's Cape gauge railway network. At Kaduna, a branch line connects the Lagos–Nguru Railway to the Port Harcourt–Maiduguri Railway via Kafanchan.

Kaduna is also on the route of the planned Lagos–Kano Standard Gauge Railway, which has been completed between the national capital of Abuja and Kaduna. Trains for Abuja depart from the Rigasa Railway Station in Kaduna.

See

• 1 Lugard Footbridge. The footbridge was built when Nigeria was under colonial rule. The bridge was built by Sir Frederic Lugard the Governor General Northern Nigeria Protectorate and Protectorate of Southern Nigeria, in 1904 at the capital of the northern protectorate of Nigeria called Zungeru. It was reconstructed in 1920 after it was moved to the gate of Kaduna. (updated Jun 2021)
• 2 Arewa House (Gidan Arewa, A.B.U Kaduna), 1 Rabah Road, Ungwan Sarki Muslimi (from Rigasa via Independence Way and Ali Akilu Road/Jaba Rd/Zaria Rd), ☏ +234 807 543 9330. M-F 8AM-4PM. Arewa House was designed as a private residence of northern Nigeria’s first and only premier, Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto. The house was then converted to a Historical Documentation Centre in 1973. In 1989, due to increasing patronage, plans were prepared for the comprehensive design, redevelopment, and expansion of the facilities. The new Arewa complex includes an auditorium, museum, library, and restaurant. The new facilities are independent but integrated into the entire complex ₦350. (updated Jul 2024)
• 3 National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Kaduna, Plot 47 Ali Akilu Road, City Centre, ☏ +234 8033303587. 8AM-6PM. It is a museum with historical and ancient artefacts telling the story of Kaduna people. (updated Jun 2021)
• 4 Kajuru Castle, ☏ +234 8156440144. 24 hr. A tourist site with a resort hotel, a stone villa designed like a medieval castle with turrets and dungeons. Wheelchair-accessible and appropriate for children. Lodging overnight available. (updated Jun 2021)
• 5 Splash Park (formerly Kofar Gamji Park), No 6 swimming pool road, Gamji St. 24 hr. A place of fun with water slides, space for picnics, clean and safe. It also has a zoo. (updated Jun 2021)
• Kaduna Polytechnic Main Campus. Kaduna Polytechnic has four branches: Sabo, Barnawa, Ugwan Rimi and Tudun Wada campus. Tudun Wada campus is the main campus.
• Kaduna Central market: provisions, furnitures, electronics, generators. The market can be accessed from different angles through zaria that is the North Kawo sides. You can get to the market from the south through yakuwa expressway I'm from this house you coming from command junction and from the East coming from bypass that is to the mother bypass that links to Air Force base.
• NNPC Quarters, at sabo opposite u/borrow by the roadside leading to refinery junction underneath wall is the part to village.
• Garment spa laundry and dry cleaners. Garment spa laundry and dry cleaners is located at number 2 constitution road that is, off Amadu Bello Way.
• Kagoro mountain is the tallest mountain in the middlebelt.
• 6 Makarfi Plaza, Ibrahim Taiwo Road, ☏ +234 8027086615. Makarfi Plaza is the biggest plaza in Kaduna town having underground building and 4-storey building at it top of it. (updated Dec 2022)
• 7 Lugard Hall, Crescent, Independence Way. This was the House of Assembly and House of Chiefs during Nigeria’s first republic. It was the House of the Legislature during the second republic between 1979 – 1983. It is an imposing structure that still maintains its allure as centre of political power in northern Nigeria. (updated Dec 2022)
• 8 Ahmadu Bello Stadium, NR 27 Constitution Rd, Kakuri. 6am. Open for sports such as football, volleyball, handball, karate, running and boxing. (updated Oct 2024)

Buy

• Pottery is highly prized from Kaduna, especially from the Nok culture.
• Fruits, you can buy most of your fruit around stadium round about. There fruits are cheap and affordable
• 1 Bakin Dogo Market, Sabon Gari, Tudun Wada (adjacent to Central Market). Noon-midnight. A farm produce market. (updated Jul 2024)
• 1 Kantin kwari Morning Market (Shaba/Bus station), Shaba Street, Ahmadu Bello Way, Kaduna North (opposite Royal market straight from Ahmadu Bello Way to Gombe Road). 6AM-11AM. Kantin Kwari is a motor park and also a morning market, the market starts as early as 6AM. The market Kantin Kwari buys and sells for only five hours, the market which stretches from Ahmadu Bello Way to Gombe Road is usually filled with sellers and buyers of varieties of goods including foodstuffs like spices, dry/stock fish, crayfish, meat, pumpkin, water/bitter leaf, palm/groundnut oil, pepper, tomato, onion and melon among others. (updated Aug 2024)
• 2 Sabon-Gari Modern Market (Sabon-Gari Market), Old Hospital Road, Zaria (close to PZ Junction). 8AM - 6PM. A general market that houses various items ranging from foodstuff, textile material, building material, etc. (updated Oct 2024)

Eat

• 1 Byblos Restaurant, Abakwa, 2 Waziri Ibrahim Cres, City Centre, ☏ +234 8033119480. 9AM-3PM reopens 6:30PM. A nice eatery in the city centre that offers dine in, takeaway and delivery services. (updated Jun 2021)
• 2 The Courtyard Restaurant, 16 Galadima Road, Off Alkali Road, ☏ +234 811 888 6697. 9AM-9PM. A restaurant that offers dine in, takeaway and delivery services. (updated Jun 2021)
• Gwandu Restaurant (Gwandu Restaurant), Kontagora Rd, Kakuri, ☏ +234 070 356 80467. 8AM-10PM. Gwandu Restaurant offers delivery, takeaway, dine-in services. Good for kids. The sitting is in groups. ₦1,250 for 2 people. (updated Mar 2022)

Drink

Bars and restaurants that serve alcoholic drinks tend to be in the city's southern part. In the north, some hotels do not serve alcohol.

• 1 Command Guest House, Muhammadu Buhari Way. A large open air bar in the grounds of the guest house. They serve beers, good fresh fish from the barbecue and sometimes have live music. (updated Mar 2015)

Sleep

Not all hotels have bars that serve alcoholic drinks. So if that is important, check first. Hotels in the south of the city are more likely to have bars.

• 1 Quarter House Hotel, #2 Ogbadu Road, ☏ +234 8104127575. Perfectly adequate hotel on the northern side of town. Air conditioned rooms, wifi and a restaurant. No beer here! ₦22,000. (updated Feb 2015)
• 2 Hotel Seventeen Limited, Phase 1, 6 Tafawa Balewa, Lafia Road, Unguwan Rimi, ☏ +234 7035680467. High level rooms available including a pool, spa, free parking, bar, fitness centre, free Wi-Fi. Has a great location. (updated Jun 2021)
• 3 Assa Pyramid Hotel, 13 Lafia Road, City Centre, ☏ +234 8034657770. A comfortable place to be. (updated Dec 2021)
• 4 Fifth Chukker Polo and Country Club, KM2, Kaduna to Jos Road, Katabu, ☏ +234 8035142711. Villas and huts in a development by Kangimi Resorts. (updated Aug 2024)

Cope

• 2 General Hospital Rigasa (Asibitin Karshen Kwalta), close to Rigasa Train Station (Rigasa Busstop). 24 hr. A medical centre. (updated Oct 2024)

Go next

• Katsina
• Zamfara
• Bauchi
• Kano
• Jos
• Niger