Nigeria weather by month

Most of Nigeria lies within 10° of the equator so the climate is very tropical. During the rainy season (from March to November) the coast is the wettest part of the country with an annual rainfall of more than 2,500mm (100in). Even if it is not raining, you'll end up soaked by the hot, very humid atmosphere.

Nigeria's south coast is an unpleasant place to be at any time of year. Inland and further north, matters improve somewhat. The north of the country has the lowest rainfall and the longest, hottest and sunniest dry season (October to April) cooled by the Harmattan winds but, in March to May, temperatures soar before the onset of the rains.

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Maximum daytime temperature °F	91	95	95	93	88	84	82	82	84	88	90	90
Hours of sunshine (daily)	8	8	7	7	7	6	5	5	6	8	9	9
Days with some rainfall	0	0	2	5	10	13	15	16	15	7	0	0

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Nigeria by month

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

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The climate guide for Nigeria (Abuja) shows long term monthly weather averages processed from data supplied by CRU (University of East Anglia), the Met Office & the Netherlands Meteorological Institute. Find out more about our data sources.

Nigeria climate overview

With a coastline on the Gulf of Guinea and stretching north to the borders of the Sahara Desert, Nigeria is the most populous country by far in all of Africa. Like so many other modern African states, it was a creation of European imperialism, having been a British colony until 1960.

The northern border with Niger is semi-desert with little more than hardy scrub vegetation. Winters are dry, sunny and warm by day but cold at night. Strong Harmattan sandstorms are also possible in the dry winter months. After a very hot spring, the rainy season brings thunderstorms from May to September and temperatures fall a few degrees.

The dryness of the extreme north soon gives way to savannah and open woodland, which dominates the rest of northern Nigeria. The undulating landscape rises gently to the central Jos Plateau where large expanses of grassland prevail. Summer thunderstorms arrive in early May and continue until October, during which time temperatures are warm to hot. The drier winter season runs from November to April but at this time of year strong dusty winds plague the region.

The southern half of Nigeria is much greener, as savannah grassland leads down to pockets of lush tropical rainforest towards the Gulf of Guinea coast. Forests also clad the spectacular Mambila Mountains that run along the Cameroon border. The Niger River meanders across the countryside, emptying into the Gulf via a marshy and mosquito infested delta. The coast itself is home to scenic sandy beaches and mangrove swamp.

Southern Nigeria is the country's wettest region with only a brief dry season from November to February. Thunderstorms are likely throughout the rest of the year but June and September are particularly wet. The warm or hot temperatures vary little and are accompanied by high summer humidity.

What to pack for Nigeria

Supplement light clothing with warm wraps for chilly winter nights in the north: you must have good waterproofs for visits to the south.

Nigeria temperature by month

Compare the average temperature by month for popular destinations in Nigeria. Select a place from below to see more long term weather averages by month.