Taraba State · Nigeria
Jalingo travel guide
Jalingo is a city in Taraba State, Nigeria, home to about 660,000 people.
- Nearest airport
- YOL123 km · Yola Airport
- Currency
- NGNnaira
- Time zone
- Africa/Lagos
- Language
- English
About
About Jalingo
Jalingo () is the capital city of Taraba State in north-eastern Nigeria, named in Fulfude (the word Jalingo means "Superior Place") and has been estimated with population of 418,000 as of 2018, The city has received the highest number of immigrants mainly from, Kano, Borno, Gombe and the neighbouring Cameroon. As of November, 2022 the city is estimated to have around 581,000 people.
The word "Jalingo" means "superior place". Jalingo has been estimated to have a population of 118,000. After Gongola state was divided into Adamawa and Taraba states, Jalingo became the state capital of Taraba in 1991. The city is largely dominated by Fulanis and other small secondary ethnic groups. Jalingo falls in the savanna-covered foothills of the Shebshi Mountains which is about 25 miles (40 km) southeast of the Benue River.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Jalingo
See
The city offers visitors an interesting centres of tourist attractions. Some of these landmarks are situated within the City while some others are just on the outskirts of the city.
- Tashan Lau Park
Do
There is a popular annual festival that takes place in Jalingo. It is known as Asamu Festival. It is a festival held yearly in Kona-Jalingo Local Government Area.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
When to go
The best time to visit Jalingo
Jalingo has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. March is the warmest month, with average highs of 38 °C; August is the wettest, with about 217 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Jalingo: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Yola Airport (YOL), about 123 km from the city centre in a straight line.
Getting around
The city is can be accessed by road transport and the Benue River which runs into Jalingo also creates another means for river transport. Several smaller transporter service providers also transport people from other parts of Jalingo. The average cost of travelling to Jalingo by Road from places in Northern Nigeria is ₦2500 (2021). Getting around the city of Jalingo is made easier by a couple of intra-city transport providers such as the commercial motorcycle popularly known as Achaba, tricycle operators, and the minibuses as well as taxi Cab drivers.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
YOL · Yola Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Jalingo
Drink
Kunu, also known as "kununzaki": a popular drink that is made from grains such as millet, sorghum, and maize. When it is made from sorghum, it is a milky light-brown colour. When it is made from millet or maize, it is whitish. Kunun gyada, also known as "groundnut milk", is a light porridge made from raw groundnuts and rice. It is similar to akamu/pap/ogi, which is consumed in the southwestern region of the country. Zobo: This is a popular drink mostly taken cold. It is made from dried Roselle plant flowers. The bright red drink is made from a boiled combination of dried Roselle plant, ginger and pineapple. Some might add sugar to taste. Fura da nono: Fura is millet dough balls.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Jalingo: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Jalingo?
Jalingo has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. March is the warmest month, with average highs of 38 °C; August is the wettest, with about 217 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Jalingo?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Yola Airport (YOL), about 123 km from the city centre in a straight line.
What currency is used in Jalingo?
naira (NGN).
Nearby
Destinations near Jalingo
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.