How Foreigners can blend in with the Crowd in Nigeria

By chris

18 November 2015

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Nigeria plays host to a number of people of different nationalities at different times of the year. Some of these are visitors on tourism, others are on business and some others are resident for the period of a particular appointment. It can be very amusing watching a lot of these foreigners trying to blend into the Nigerian culture and failing woefully at it. If you’re Nigerian, you have definitely stifled a laugh or two at the sight of a blinding lily-white foreigner trying in vain to look local in a fully made Nigerian dashiki. Well, effort has to count for something right? Dressing like the locals is part of how foreigners can blend in with the crowd in Nigeria. This post details the easiest ways you can dress like a local in Nigeria for foreigners and visitors looking to blend in.

Don’t try to dress ‘African’

If you are a foreigner from an African country, with a dark complexion, it may be easier for you to get away with doing this. However, if your complexion already betrays you, the temptation to dress more ‘African’ is something you should put down hard. A lot of foreigners, especially from the West have a certain conceptualization of what it is to look African. The first thing to do if you want to blend in with Nigerians is to discard those fashion styles you saw in Vogue or the Paris Fashion Show that someone assured you was what Nigerians wear as “street wear”.

Wear jeans

It may seem odd but Nigerians love to wear their jeans. If you’re looking to blend in with the Nigerian public, one of the easiest ways to do this would be to simply get a nice pair of stone wash jeans. You may add a touch of African jewelry here and there, in a wristband or bracelet, necklace, ear ring etc. but nothing too flashy. Nigerians only wear complete native wear when going for public or important events like weddings and traditional ceremonies or on Casual Fridays. You would only end up standing out like a sore thumb if you go full on Lagos Fashion Week on a Tuesday.

Dress conservatively

Nigerians dress conservatively. To blend in with Nigerians you should learn to dress the same way. Strolling by the Ring Road in Benin City or along Allen Avenue in Lagos in shorts that barely reach past the belt holding them would achieve the opposite of blending in. You would definitely get a lot of stares and even some propositions. While your head does not need to be covered as a woman, except you are in the northern parts of Nigeria, you should take care to wear skirts that are not too low and avoid plunging necklines. When attending public functions, Nigerians dress corporately. Wearing a T-shirt for a business meeting is not a good way to excite Nigerians or blend in with the crowd for that matter.

Buy a pair of *pam *slippers or sandals

Practically everyone in Nigeria, male or female, has a pair of *pam *slippers. These are leather slippers or sandals made to be worn with traditional garments or jeans. They are the Nigerian version of the slip-ons and getting a pair would qualify you almost immediately as a member of the crowd.

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