Yola
Discover Yola
Yola (Fulfulde: Ƴoola) is the capital city of Adamawa State, North East Nigeria. With a population of 337,000 in 2010, it is the largest city in Adamawa State. It is also the seat of the traditional Adamawa emirate. The town is served by the port of Jimeta (9 km north-northwest) on the Benue River, about 800 km above its confluence with the Niger, and by an airfield. It is about 10 km north of the city on the road to Mubi. Yola (Fulfulde: Ƴoola) means 'Great Plain' or 'Vast Plain Land'. The name Yola is derived from yolde, a Fula (Fulani language) word signifying a settlement on rising ground. Yola is split into two parts which are the old town of Yola where the Lamido resides and the new city of Jimeta (about 5 km NW) which is the administrative and commercial centre. The ethnic groups in Yola include the Fulbe, Yungur, Kilba, Higgi, Hausa, Bata, Yoruba, Kanuri, and Igbo.
Taste of Yola...
Stay informed. Keep up-to-date with local news and official updates to anticipate any potential security concerns. Try to avoid travelling at night, Select reputable drivers or transportation services to minimize risks and ensure a smooth ride. Pay attention to your surroundings, avoid suspicious areas, and trust your instincts, Take necessary precautions against diseases like malaria and cholera, and maintain good health habits to ensure a healthy journey. In Yola, you would most likely find a reliable coverage of the 2G/3G mobile networks in most areas of this city, but reliable coverage of the 4G network might only be limited to some areas in Yola. Signal strength might diminish further away from the city centre, and you might occasionally experience a network outage for all or some of the mobile phone service providers in some remote areas in the region. Different networks tend to be more stable and reliable in different locations of the region at different times.
A Rich Past
Explore the historical roots that shaped Yola into what it is today.
Yola was founded and made the political centre of Adamawa emirate in 1841, when Modibbo Adama (“Learned One”) Adama, the Fulani founder of the emirate, established Yola as a base in his jihad against the indigenous Bata (Batta) and Vere (Verre) peoples. The municipality of Yola sprawls across the hillside of North-Eastern region of Nigeria. It was the capital of a Fulani state until it was taken over by the British in 1901. Today, it is the capital of Adamawa State, which was formed in 1991 from part of Gongola State. During the Islamic movement led by Shehu Usman Dan Fodio in the early 19th century, Modibbo Adama was recognized as a learned Muslim who could lead the people in the Upper Benue area. Modibbo is the Fulani word for "Professor". Probably the first European to visit the area was Heinrich Barth in 1851, shortly after Yola was founded. He traveled by the Sahara route, coming through Kukawa near Lake Chad, which at the time was the capital of the Borno Empire. The city’s yearly temperature is 30.81C (87.46F) which is 1.35% higher than Nigeria’s average. Visitors that intend to come into Yola by Air have to make use of the state airport which is Yola International Airport. 9.27495112.42711 Yola International Airport (IATA: YOL, ICAO: DNYO), A8, 640211, Jimeta Yola. Yola Airport offers flights throughout the country. YOL is a 30-minute drive from the city centre of Yola. It is 8 km (5.0 mi) northwest of Yola....
Climate
The city’s yearly temperature is 30.81C (87.46F) which is 1.35% higher than Nigeria’s average. Visitors that intend to come into Yola by Air have to make use of the state airport which is Yola International Airport. 9.27495112.42711 Yola International Airport (IATA: YOL, ICAO: DNYO), A8, 640211, Jimeta Yola. Yola Airport offers flights throughout the country. YOL is a 30-minute drive from the city centre of Yola. It is 8 km (5.0 mi) northwest of Yola. The airport has night landing capabilities, but night operations are restricted except for passenger flights during pilgrimage (Hajj). The Yola Airport serves no international airlines, but domestic airlines, such as Arik Air, Azman Air, Areo, Contractors, Air Peace, Air Dornier aviation Nigereia and Mar Air fly from Abuha, Lagos, Kano and Maiduguri states. (updated Jun 2021) There are many bus transport companies in Yola that offer daily services from almost all major cities and states around the country.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsVisitors that intend to come into Yola by Air have to make use of the state airport which is Yola International Airport. 9.27495112.42711 Yola International Airport (IATA: YOL, ICAO: DNYO), A8, 640211, Jimeta Yola. Yola Airport offers flights throughout the country. YOL is a 30-minute drive from the city centre of Yola. It is 8 km (5.0 mi) northwest of Yola. The airport has night landing capabilities, but night operations are restricted except for passenger flights during pilgrimage (Hajj). The Yola Airport serves no international airlines, but domestic airlines, such as Arik Air, Azman Air, Areo, Contractors, Air Peace, Air Dornier aviation Nigereia and Mar Air fly from Abuha, Lagos, Kano and Maiduguri states. (updated Jun 2021) There are many bus transport companies in Yola that offer daily services from almost all major cities and states around the country. The buses are usually comfortable for short and long journey. You can travel to Yola from major cities like Abuja, Lagos, Kano....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
Yola being the state capital, it is a major transport hub with buses and taxis heading North to Mubi and Maiduguri, West to Numan, Gombe, jalingo and Bauchi and South to Makurdi and Katsina Ala. Taxis are available to Garoua in Cameroon. There is an airport with regular flights to Abuja, Kano, Maiduguri and Lagos. Njuwa fishing festival is an annual fishing festival performed by the Buatiye (Bata) people of Rugange, Njoboliyo, Dasin, Dulo, Bagale, Dagri, and Vunoklan villages of Adamawa Emirate. Although there is no fixed date for the festival, it usually takes place when the level of the water in the lake reduces. In most cases, it comes up in the month of April. The fishing festival attracts many people from within and outside the state. It is one of the numerous festivals in the state that attracts milling crowds.
Where to Stay
Stay informed. Keep up-to-date with local news and official updates to anticipate any potential security concerns. Try to avoid travelling at night, Select reputable drivers or transportation services to minimize risks and ensure a smooth ride. Pay attention to your surroundings, avoid suspicious areas, and trust your instincts, Take necessary precautions against diseases like malaria and cholera, and maintain good health habits to ensure a healthy journey. In Yola, you would most likely find a reliable coverage of the 2G/3G mobile networks in most areas of this city, but reliable coverage of the 4G network might only be limited to some areas in Yola. Signal strength might diminish further away from the city centre, and you might occasionally experience a network outage for all or some of the mobile phone service providers in some remote areas in the region. Different networks tend to be more stable and reliable in different locations of the region at different times.
Money & Budget
Yola has local markets and supermarkets where visitors and tourists can go and buy anything they need. Stay informed. Keep up-to-date with local news and official updates to anticipate any potential security concerns. Try to avoid travelling at night, Select reputable drivers or transportation services to minimize risks and ensure a smooth ride. Pay attention to your surroundings, avoid suspicious areas, and trust your instincts, Take necessary precautions against diseases like malaria and cholera, and maintain good health habits to ensure a healthy journey. In Yola, you would most likely find a reliable coverage of the 2G/3G mobile networks in most areas of this city, but reliable coverage of the 4G network might only be limited to some areas in Yola.
Safety Information
Safety Overview
Stay informed. Keep up-to-date with local news and official updates to anticipate any potential security concerns. Try to avoid travelling at night, Select reputable drivers or transportation services to minimize risks and ensure a smooth ride. Pay attention to your surroundings, avoid suspicious areas, and trust your instincts, Take necessary precautions against diseases like malaria and cholera, and maintain good health habits to ensure a healthy journey. In Yola, you would most likely find a reliable coverage of the 2G/3G mobile networks in most areas of this city, but reliable coverage of the 4G network might only be limited to some areas in Yola. Signal strength might diminish further away from the city centre, and you might occasionally experience a network outage for all or some of the mobile phone service providers in some remote areas in the region. Different networks tend to be more stable and reliable in different locations of the region at different times.