What to See in Abuja - Top Sights and Attractions

Park in Nigeria. The Millennium Park is the largest public park of Abuja, the capital of Nigeria and is located in the Maitama district of the city.

The Millennium Park was inaugurated by Queen Elizabeth II on 4 December 2003. It is near the former Presidential Palace close to the nucleus of presidential and administrative buildings of the city.

A river crosses the Park in its main rectilinear axis, dividing it into two parts.

One side on the Park is dedicated to uncontaminated nature. In a system of terraces at different levels are located Nigeria's mountain vegetation, savanna, deciduous forest, rainforest and brushwood as well as greenhouses for butterflies and tropical birds.

The other side, corresponding to the main entrance from road, is dedicated to the scientific knowledge of the natural environment. This part of the Park has a very traditional and rigid Italian Style Garden Layout. Entering the Park, a rectilinear path completely paved with Roman white travertine brings the public into its green areas. A series of fountains run alongside this white mark refreshing the public during the hottest days. This path visually links the enormous Cotton Tree, a holy tree of Abuja situated on one side of the Millennium Park, with the Aso Rock, the holy Rock of Abuja. The path layout is based on a trident geometry separated by huge polygonal pools. The roads are crossed by a series of multicoloured bushes going from yellow to red with a very particular wave-like course.

This Park, conceived and designed by the Italian architect Manfredi Nicoletti, has quickly become one of the main attractions of the city of Abuja bringing thousands of people together each day.

During the Millennium Park opening ceremony, each Commonwealth Head of State has planted symbolically a Ravenala madagascariensis palm giving birth to the Park. Among others were present the President of Nigeria Olusegun Obasanjo, UK prime Minister Tony Blair and Queen Elizabeth II.^[3]

Iconic monolith in a high-profile locale. Aso Rock is a large outcrop of granitic rock located on the outskirts of Abuja, the capital of Nigeria. The Aso Rock is a 400-metre prominent monolith with a peak height of 936-metre above sea level. It is one of the city's most noticeable features. The Nigerian Presidential Complex, Nigerian National Assembly, and Nigerian Supreme Court are located around it. Much of the city extends to the south of the rock. "Aso" means victorious in the native language of the Asokoro ethnic group.

Aso Rock was the site of the 2003 Aso Rock Declaration, issued by Heads of Government of the Commonwealth during the CHOGM held in Abuja. It reaffirmed the Commonwealth's principles as detailed under the Harare Declaration, but set the "promotion of democracy and development" as the organisation's priorities.^[4]

Building complex in Abuja, Nigeria. The World Trade Centre is a complex of eight buildings under construction in the Central Business District of Abuja, FCT in Nigeria. There are seven skyscrapers planned for the site, two of which have already been topped out, with the others either under construction or at various stages of development. At 110 m, the 24-floor WTC Tower 1, which topped out in 2015 is the tallest residential building in Nigeria, while WTC Tower 2 is the tallest building in Abuja, standing at 120 m. Initially scheduled to be opened in 2013, the World Trade Centre Abuja is now scheduled to open in 2016.

The complex is being funded by private financial institutions, as well as private investors, costing about ₦200 billion. it is being developed by First Intercontinental Properties Limited, a subsidiary of The churchgate Group, a Nigerian real estate company, and the project was designed by Woods Bagot, WSP Consulting is the structural consultant, whilst Abuja Investments Company is also a partner. The WTC Abuja, when completed, will be the largest mixed-use development on the West African subcontinent.^[5]