Lafia, or Lafia Garin Madidi, is prominent as an agricultural center for sesame seeds, soybeans, and is a trading centre for yams, sorghum, millet, and cotton.
Lafia is a town in North Central Nigeria. This region of the country is also referred to as the middle belt. It is the capital city of Nasarawa State. Lafia had a population of 330,712 inhabitants in 2006 but has an estimated population in 2021 of 348,000 inhabitants.
Lafia has a Tropical Savanna Climate with an average annual temperature of 36 °C.
Lafia is also known as Lafian Bare-bari or Lafia Garin Madidi. It was once known as Lafia Beri-Beri. It was founded by Muhammadu Dunama in late 17th century on the site of a Koro (Migili) village. In 1903, during the colonial rule, the British who controlled the northern region of the country recognised Chief Musa as Lafia’s first emir. The emirate formed the major part of the Lafia Division of Benue province. Lafia became the capital of a prominent local chiefdom in the late 19th century. As of 2021, Lafia town has its 17th Emir.
Between 1881–1903, during the rule of Mohamman Agwai, the Lafia market became one of the most important in the Benue Valley, and a trade route was opened to Loko about 56 mi [90 km] southwest, a Benue River port.
The population of Lafia is mainly Eggon, Alago, Kanuri, Aho and Koro people. It also has large populations of Igbo, Hausa, Mwaghavul settlers amongst other tribes. This is as a result of the hospitable and peaceful nature of the indigenes of the area and has made the city a miniature country.
Lafia is on the trunk railway from Port Harcourt and on the main highway between Makurdi and Jos. In Lafia,Tin and Columbite are mined nearby, and there is a deposit of coal southeast of the town.
There are couple of transportation options available to travellers and intending travellers to the town. These are:
As of June 2021, the Nassarawa Cargo Airport in Lafia is under construction and visitors to Lafia would have to use of airports around the neighbouring cities. These airports are the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja, the Kaduna Airport in Kaduna state and the Yakubu Gowon Airport in Jos, Plateau state. These airports are relatively close to Lafia. The average time for travelling by road to Lafia from these Airports is 1 hour 30 minutes and a taxi costs about ₦17,900.
One can access Lafia by road from bordering cities within states like Benue, Kogi, Plateau and Abuja. So many public transport companies offer bus shuttle services to the town from these cities and other cities within the country. Small-scale transporters also convey travellers from other parts of Nassarawa State and its environs to Lafia. The cost of travelling to the city by road from the southern regions of Nigeria is about ₦600 whereas the average cost is ₦3000 from the northern parts of the country. Notable road transporters to Lafia are the Aminu Transport Services with bus terminal in New Nyanya and ABC transport with bus terminal along Jos Road among others.
The city's railway is connected to the East line railway axis and it is served by the main narrow gauge railway that begins at Port Harcourt, Rivers state. Travelling to the city by train is less popular than it used to be because the railway sector in Nigeria is struggling.
Movement around and within Lafia is made easy by intra-town transport service providers such especially the commercial motorcycle riders, the tricycle operators, the minibus drivers and the taxi shuttle cab drivers. The average price for the motorcycles, tricycles, and minibuses is ₦100 while the taxi cabs might charge commuters between ₦1000-2000 when they are chartered (2021).
Intending travellers and visitors to Lafia would have a much better feel of the city by paying visits to some interesting sites.
There is a wide range of entertaining and fun-filled activities visitors can engage in while in Lafia.
Lafia is well notable and prominent as a center point for sesame seeds, soybeans, and is a trading centre for yams, sorghum, millet, and cotton.
Lafia has a good number of Malls and Markets from where Visitors can purchase commodities of different varieties. Some of these Malls are:
The Sani Sani Plaza situated at the center of the Lafia City metropolis. This shopping centre offers a wide range of commodities such as domestic utilities, office equipment, and clothing materials.
The Danmaje Shopping Complex located along Science School Road, a shopping complex where customers can purchase different kinds of items ranging from kids toys to stationery and fashion items.
Another shopping centre is the Ask Plaza.
Markets in Lafia include:
Karu International Market, a place where buyers can purchase several food items including affordable fairly used clothing.
Lafia Central Market, a markeyt where buyers can get edible items such as meat, yam, and grains alongside non-edible items like clothing and toiletries.
Another notable market is the Lafia International Market.
The People of Lafia town have a good number of local delicacies such as Pate, Acha, Tuwo Masara. Other meals such as Tuwon Dawa and Tuwo Shinkafa.
Soups like the Miyan Kuka are also well known in the town.
In Lafia, there are a number of good eateries/ restaurants that can serve visitors and travellers decent homegrown and as well as foreign dishes. Also, food hawkers and roadside food vendors also offer food to the town populace. Some of these Restaurants and Fast-food spots in Lafia are:
Mr Biggs Restaurant which has branches spread across the town from where customers can get basic meals and pastries.
Jenase chops, a shop where customers are offered foods and snacks like cakes, burgers, hotdogs, plus assorted fresh juice, ice cream and grilled fish and chicken. This popular eatery is located at millionaire’s quarters Lafia beriberi.
The cost of a meal from food hawkers or roadside vendors is about ₦200 while the average cost of getting a meal at the upscale restaurants is ₦750 (2021). Some of these prominent restaurants are: Tegina Restaurant, Akarekwu Kworo Restaurant, Akabeleu Restaurant, Alebiosu Restaurant, Lavista Fries all along Makurdi - Jos Road, Lafia,
There is accommodation available for visitors to lodge in Lafia. The town has a couple of temporary accommodation facilities that cut across different budget categories.
The average cost of spending a night in lodging facilities under this category is ₦3,500 (2021).
The average cost of a night in hotels that fall within this range is ₦7000 (2021).
The cost of hotels in this category is about ₦14,000 (2021).
However, hotel accommodation in Lafia may be more difficult to secure during the festive periods.
2nd-order administrative division
Primary administrative division