The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Sites are places of importance to cultural or natural heritage as described in the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, established in 1972.[1] Nigeria accepted the convention on October 23, 1974, making its historical sites eligible for inclusion on the list. As of 2023, Nigeria has two World Heritage Sites.[2]

Location of sites

List of World Heritage Sites in Nigeria is located in Nigeria
Sukur Cultural Landscape
Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove
Location of World Heritage Sites in  Nigeria

List of sites

Name Image Location Criteria Year Description
Sukur Cultural Landscape Adamawa

10°44′26″N 13°34′19″E / 10.740556°N 13.571944°E / 10.740556; 13.571944 (Sukur Cultural Landscape)

Cultural (iii) (v) (vi) 1999 The Sukur Cultural Landscape, with the Palace of the Hidi (Chief) on a hill dominating the villages below, the terraced fields and their sacred symbols, and the extensive remains of a former flourishing iron industry, is a remarkably intact physical expression of a society and its spiritual and material culture.[3]
Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove Osun

7°45′20″N 4°33′08″E / 7.755556°N 4.552222°E / 7.755556; 4.552222 (Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove)

Cultural (ii) (iii) (vi) 2005 The dense forest of the Osun Sacred Grove, on the outskirts of the city of Osogbo, is one of the last remnants of primary high forest in southern Nigeria. Regarded as the abode of the goddess of fertility Osun, one of the pantheon of Yoruba gods, the landscape of the grove and its meandering river is dotted with sanctuaries and shrines, sculptures and art works in honour of Osun and other deities. The sacred grove, which is now seen as a symbol of identity for all Yoruba people, is probably the last in Yoruba culture. It testifies to the once widespread practice of establishing sacred groves outside all settlements.[4]

Tentative List

Site Image Location Criteria Area
ha (acre)
 Year of submission Description
Benin Iya / Sungbo' s Eredo Edo 6°19′43″N 5°37′08″E / 6.328611°N 5.618889°E / 6.328611; 5.618889 (Benin Iya / Sungbo' s Eredo) Cultural (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) 1995 [5]
Kwiambana and/or Ningi Zamfara 11°05′12″N 6°33′39″E / 11.086667°N 6.560833°E / 11.086667; 6.560833 (Kwiambana and/or Ningi) Cultural (ii) (iii) (iv) 1995 [6]
Oban Hills / Korup Cross River 5°30′00″N 8°35′00″E / 5.5°N 8.58333°E / 5.5; 8.58333 (Oban Hills / Korup) Natural (viii) (ix) (x) 1995 [7]
Niger Delta Mangroves Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo, Rivers 4°45′00″N 6°50′00″E / 4.75°N 6.833333°E / 4.75; 6.833333 (Niger Delta Mangroves) Natural 1995 [8]
Gashaka Gumti National Park Adamawa, Taraba7°21′N 11°31′E / 7.35°N 11.52°E / 7.35; 11.52 (Gashaki-Gumpti National Park) Natural (vii) (x) 1995 [9]
Oke Idanre (Idanre Hill) Ondo 7°05′32″N 5°07′56″E / 7.092222°N 5.132222°E / 7.092222; 5.132222 (Oke Idanre (Idanre Hill)) Cultural (ii) (iii) (v) 2007 [10]
Arochkwu Long Juju Slave Route (Cave Temple Complex) Abia 5°23′00″N 7°55′00″E / 5.383333°N 7.916667°E / 5.383333; 7.916667 (Arochkwu Long Juju Slave Route (Cave Temple Complex)) Cultural (iii) (vi) 2007 [11]
Ancient Kano City Walls and Asociated Sites Kano 12°00′00″N 8°31′00″E / 12°N 8.516667°E / 12; 8.516667 (Ancient Kano City Walls and Asociated Sites) Cultural (iii) (v) (vi) 2007 [12]
Surame Cultural Landscape Sokoto 13°05′15″N 4°53′55″E / 13.0875°N 4.898611°E / 13.0875; 4.898611 (Surame Cultural Landscape) Mixed (i) (vii) 2007 [13]
Alok Ikom Stone Monoliths Cross River 6°05′00″N 8°37′00″E / 6.083333°N 8.616667°E / 6.083333; 8.616667 (Alok Ikom Stone Monoliths) Cultural (i) (iii) 2007 [14]
Ogbunike Caves Anambra 6°11′09″N 6°54′22″E / 6.185872°N 6.906069°E / 6.185872; 6.906069 (Ogbunike Caves) Mixed (vi) (vii) 2007 [15]
Cross River-Korup-Takamanda Cross River 5°34′50″N 8°44′54″E / 5.580451°N 8.748379°E / 5.580451; 8.748379 (Cross River-Korup-Takamanda) Natural (ix) (x) 2020 [16]
Lake Chad cultural landscape Borno, Yobe 13°N 14°E / 13°N 14°E / 13; 14 (Lake Chad cultural landscape) Mixed (ii) (iii) (vii) (ix) 2018 [17]

References

  1. ^ "The World Heritage Convention". UNESCO. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
  2. ^ "Nigeria". UNESCO. Retrieved November 20, 2023.
  3. ^ "Sukur Cultural Landscape". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2023-11-20. Text was copied from this source, which is available under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 IGO (CC BY 3.0 IGO) license.
  4. ^ "Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2023-11-20. Text was copied from this source, which is available under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 IGO (CC BY 3.0 IGO) license.
  5. ^ "Benin Iya / Sungbo' s Eredo". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  6. ^ "Kwiambana and/or Ningi". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  7. ^ "Oban Hills / Korup". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  8. ^ "Niger Delta Mangroves". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  9. ^ "Gashaki-Gumpti National Park". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  10. ^ "Oke Idanre (Idanre Hill)". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  11. ^ "Arochkwu Long Juju Slave Route (Cave Temple Complex)". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  12. ^ "Arochkwu Ancient Kano City Walls and Asociated Sites". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  13. ^ "Surame Cultural Landscape". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  14. ^ "Alok Ikom Stone Monoliths". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  15. ^ "Ogbunike Caves". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  16. ^ "Cross River-Korup-Takamanda". UNESCO World Heritage Centre (in French). Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  17. ^ "Lake Chad cultural landscape". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
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