Jos is a city of about 810,000 people (2015). It is the state capital of Plateau State in North Central Nigeria. Its cool climate, due to its breathtaking system of plateaux, and its colonial importance as the tin mining centre of Nigeria made it a favourite tourist destination. However, communal and religious violence had put this on hold. Jos's religious and communal crisis has ended, and it is now slowly gaining its peace.
Understand
Jos is inhabited by various ethnic groups and Chiefs, of whom are the indigenous Jarawa, Berom, Anarguta, Bugi, Mwagwavul, Angas, Tarok and many more from different other places in Nigeria, Yoruba and Igbo, Hausa and many southerners displaced from other northern cities in the aftermath of religious violence. The widely spoken language is Hausa , because of the high literacy rate in Jos almost everyone speaks English.
Jos is a very old city built as one of the most oldest cities in Nigeria during the colonial rule. Jos has always been the home of many cultures and it will always be. Because of its old structure Jos has been a very hard place for the government to renew. Although places like Ray-field and other new settlements have the feeling of living in a developed city, but its oldest sites and tourist locations most certainly are very outdated.
Get in
Jos is served by many bus lines, chiefly Cross Country that runs air-conditioned mini-van services from Lagos and Abuja. The state government owned Plateau Line runs station wagon services, but these are mostly uncomfortably crowded trips. Many other state governments operated transport services with termini in various Jos motor-parks from surrounding state capitals: Gombe, Lafia, Kaduna, Damaturu and even Yola. Other mini-bus or car services are private arrangements where you sit and wait for the vehicle to fill up, but are best avoided because the drivers tend to have dubious driving skills. you can also get into Jos by having a private driver on a private vehicle, because of terrorist acts; you may pass through a lot of security check points.
By plane
Arik air runs a once a day domestic flight from Lagos to Jos and back. The Jos airport is about 30 km from the town so it is best to have some money for a taxi fare to town (generally about ₦2,500) if there will be nobody waiting for you.
By train
The old locomotive trains famed in Cyprian Ekwensi's The Passport of Mallam Ilia no longer bring the people in and the tin out.
By car
You can get into Jos by a private car or a rented vehicle.
By bus
Public buses take passengers from particular spots.
Get around
There are many taxi cabs, and other transport vehicles all over Jos, such as motorcycles, tricycles and buses. But they have to be shared with other passengers over defined routes. it is also possible to get a private taxi where you share with no one at all, but it is much safer to bear the inconvenience of travelling with others, to avoid getting robbed. Some mini-bus routes are also defined but these are difficult to understand. The taxis and buses almost always tend to be rickety. Motorcycle taxis, commonly known as 'okada' are also a choice but these can be very dangerous as the road network is filled with a lot of potholes and there is a general lack of safe practices. The "okada" rides also tend to be more expensive than the 'Tricycle' or bus rides but are very flexible. Since the 2017 change in government, the roads have been safer.
See
There are many parks you can see in Jos, examples are the wild life park, and the national museum.
The old tin mines are all on the outskirts of Jos. They have developed into lakes which might have some environmental concerns. The areas are generally safe but it is best to go with a guide. The Jos wildlife park is not very interesting as there is hardly anything interesting to see. There are many waterfalls on the outskirts of Jos.
Do
There is nothing much to do in Jos. Jos is mostly a very serious place.
Learn
Jos has more than a thousand high schools most of which are private-owned, but the government also owns a large scale of the number, it is mostly better to learn at private schools.
The University of Jos has courses in most fields and has sufficient hostel accommodation.
The Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) has its television college also located in Jos where courses in film production and editing are on offer.
Many other private institutions also exist.
Buy
The central business district is around Ahmadu Bello Way in the centre of Jos. You can buy virtually everything possible, ranging from mobile phones, SIM cards, other devices and peripherals, and many other items including food stuffs snacks There are many banks in the area as well. General merchandise may be purchased around here. For leather products at very good prices, Ferin Gada on Bauchi Road is the best place to go.
Eat
There are many eateries and restaurants that offer a range of cuisines. Local delicacies are also very abundant. many modern restaurants serve International dishes in case you don't feel like eating the local dishes available.
Budget
You may need to budget a lot if you will need to buy much in Jos, but as a normal person who just wants to have a trip to Jos, you may need about ₦50,000.
Mid-range
Always have a local citizen with you so to know what exactly you may need for a day.
Splurge
Drink
Shemshak, opposite the University of Jos gates, is a local favourite where the price is reasonable. There are many other drink zones where local brewed drinks or international drinks are served.
Sleep
Budget
There are many hotels where you can lie low, and have a quite and interesting sleep. You may need a local citizen to suggest the best place of your description.
Connect
Stay safe
Nigeria has a toll-free single emergency number that you can call in case of any trouble, be it fire, or anything. The response time may not be as fast as it is in your country; so you should try and be safe.
Cope
You can speak English and Hausa to virtually every Jos citizen and they understand but someone who doesn't understand English may just stare at you as you speak while others may try redirecting you to others who can, notice where they point to, they may be pointing at people with better knowledge of what you are asking for. Some may speak a mixture of English and other languages whilst no one will definitely speak the pidgin English mostly spoken among locals.