Potiskum

Potiskum is one of the largest cities (483,000 in 2022) in Yobe State, Nigeria.

It has one of the largest cattle markets in Africa and the largest in West Africa, and also a large grain and millet market.

Understand

Savannah Road in Potiskum

Climate

Potiskum has two seasons, rainy and dry season. Rainfall is generally seasonal, variable, as well as heavy in this part of the city and it occurs between the months of March and October through November. The wet season peaks in July, lasting more than 290 days. The only dry months are January and February having little to no effect.

Get in

There is no airport in Potiskum or Yobe State, however, there are airports nearby by which one can get in through:

• Gombe Lawanti International Airport is about 158 km away from Potiskum. A taxi will take you to Potiskum.

• Bauchi State International Airport (IATA: BCU) is 22 km (14 mi) northwest of Bauchi. MaxAir and Aero Contractors have flights to Bauchi from Abuja. This airport is about 200 km away. A taxi will take you to Potiskum.

By bus

The most common way to get into Potiskum is by bus. There is a lot of bus station that offers services from any state in Nigeria to Yobe State, and you can then take a cab or bus into Potiskum. Some of these services are:

• God is Good Motors (GIGM): One of the most popular bus and travel services provider, Air-conditioned bus, comfortability, ability to place order online and even book your preferred seat online.
• ABC Motors

and many others.

• Yobe Line. (updated Nov 2024)

Get around

Getting around in Potiskum is not difficult, as there are buses available to take you around, all you need to do is to board the bus in Potiskum, tell the driver the area you are going to and the driver will take you there, however, you need to inform the driver and keep reminding him/her, so they don't end up missing your bus stops.

See

Emir Palace

• 1 Fika Emirate Palace, Mohammed Idriss way. Emir Palace with museum for visitors and tourism attraction.  
• 2 Goat And Sheep Market Potiskum. Popular goat and sheep market. 
• 3 Kasuwar Hatsi/Grain Market Potiskum, Maiduguri-Potiskum Road. Ensure you visit one of the most popular grain markets in Nigeria. 

Part of the cattle market in Potiskum

• 4 Tike Cattle Market Potiskum, Maiduguri-Potiskum Road, ☏ +234 810 047 5919. You shouldn't leave Potiskum without paying a visit to the Tike Cattle Market. This is one of the largest cattle market in Africa and it is really a tourists attraction for tourist to Potiskum. 
• 5 Federal College of Education (Technical) Potiskum (FCE). (updated Nov 2024)

Do

Gate of grain market

Buy

• 1 NPN Market Potiskum, Kasuwar NPN Area. Popular general market. 
• 2 Jata Super Market, Old Nangere Motor Park. Supermarket. 
• 3 Potiskum Phone Center, Beside UBA Bank Opposit Buraima Primary School Potiskum. Popular phones market. 
• 4 Potiskum Main Market. Popular general market. 
• 5 Potiskum Cattle Market, Damaturu road. Popular general market. 
• 6 Kasuwar Kuka, Tsohuwar Kasuwa Kano Road Potiskum. Popular general market. 

Eat

• 1 Ibrahimawa restaurant, Near Texaco filling station along Jos, Maiduguri - Potiskum Road, ☏ +234 803 579 9037. (updated Dec 2021)
• 2 Victoria Restaurant, ☏ +234 706 538 1165. 
• 3 STwinkles, Mohammed Idriss way. 
• Abba Indomie And Shayi. Popular aboki 'Indomie Shayi', special made indomie noodles. 
• Alhaji Aminu Special Suya, Opposit FCE (T) Potiskum. Popular aboki meat seller. 

Drink

• Ramin Dorawa Potiskum, Potiskum dorawan mashaya. A bar 
• Victoria Restaurant, Mashaya. A restaurant with bar extension 
• POFCET Guest house. A guest house with drinking extension 
• Sharifa Restaurant, ☏ +234704 258 8101. A restaurant with drinking extension. 
• Sani Kiyashi Tea and Bread. Tea and bread selling. 
• PKM Global. A restaurant with a drinking extension. 
• Rufaida Shop. A shop with drinking extension 

Sleep

• 1 POFCET Guest house. A guest house 
• 2 Tamir Hotel Ltd, No.37, Socol Junction Opposite A U Filling Station Along Bauchi Jos Road,Potiskum Damaturu, Yobe, ☏ +234 803 131 9961, reservations@hotels.ng. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: noon. A hotel 
• 3 Kaladista Hotel, No. 6, Ajiya Maina Baba Street, ☏ +234 803 679 0178. A hotel 
• 4 Race House GRA, Potiskum. A hotel 
• 5 Gwallaka Hotel, Potiskum. A hotel 
• 6 Annoor Hotel, Potiskum. A hotel 

Connect

All major mobile phone service networks are available in Potiskum but with varying degrees of reliability and usability. It is usual to occasionally experience network outages for all or some of the mobile phone service providers. Such a situation is particularly common in some remote areas of the city. And it is also common for different networks to be more stable and reliable in different locations of the city at different times.

if you are planning a visit to this city, you should consider having multiple SIM cards preferably for all the mobile service providers, since you can't tell which will be more stable and reliable at a time in your location during your visit. And if you will risk not having any of them, you might be better off not risking the MTN network, because, from indications, it seems to perform well than the others, though its rates may be high and its offers and services might be stringent, you are less likely to be concerned of erratic voice and data connection compared to others. The various broadband cellular network available include 2G, 3G, and 4G networks. And unlike many other cities in the country, there is wider coverage of the 4G network in most locations in the city.

Of the service providers, it is Glo (or Globacom), which boasts of fast network speed for internet browsing activities, but that might not be enjoyable in some locations in Potiskum. Airtel is fairly satisfactory for all you might need to connect to the world, including rates and network stability. And 9mobile usually also performs well in internet browsing speed but not without locational limitations.

Go next

• Damaturu
• Azare
• Bauchi