Getting Around Jalingo
Jalingo is the capital of Taraba State in north-eastern Nigeria, and getting around the city is largely a matter of road transport. There is no metro, tram or light-rail network to plan around, so visitors should expect to rely on road-based options: minibuses, tricycles, commercial motorcycles and taxis. The Benue River also runs into Jalingo and provides a means of river transport, though this is a secondary option rather than the main way people move about the city.
Rail, Metro and Tram
Jalingo has no metro, tram or urban rail network. There is no rail-based public transport within the city for a visitor to use, so all practical movement around Jalingo is by road or, where relevant, by river.
Buses and Minibuses
Minibuses are one of the main intra-city transport options in Jalingo, alongside tricycles and commercial motorcycles. They are a practical way to cover longer hops across the city.
For travel into Jalingo from elsewhere, several road transport companies run shuttle services from nearby towns and other parts of the country. Notable operators include Waidun Ahadun Transport Company and Mallam Mohammed Transport Services. Their bus parks are located at No. 18 Majidadi Road and on Millionaire Street in the Government Reserved Area axis of Jalingo respectively. If you are arriving by long-distance bus, these are the terminals to ask for.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Taxi cab drivers operate in Jalingo and are one of the recognised intra-city transport options. As with the other local modes, expect to negotiate or pay a fare for a point-to-point trip within the city.
Tricycles and Commercial Motorcycles
Tricycle operators and commercial motorcycles — known locally as Achaba — are among the most common ways of getting around Jalingo. They are well suited to short trips and to reaching parts of the city that minibuses may not serve directly. Several smaller transporter service providers also move people between different parts of Jalingo.
Fares for intra-city trips by any of these options start at a modest amount, so they are an affordable choice for short journeys. Agree the fare before you set off, as is customary with this kind of transport.
Walkability
Visitors should therefore treat walking as a option for short, local trips rather than as a primary way to cross the city, and should plan on using one of the road-based modes for anything longer.
Getting from the Airport into the City
Jalingo is served by Jalingo Airport, also known as Danbaba Danfulani Suntai Airport (ICAO: DNJA). The airport was upgraded, with that work completed in 2014, and it can be reached directly by a number of local airlines from different parts of the country. For a visitor, flying in is a straightforward way to arrive, and from the airport you would continue into the city by road using one of the local options — taxi, tricycle, motorcycle or minibus.
Practical Tips
- Budget for road transport: intra-city trips by minibus, tricycle, motorcycle or taxi start at a low fare, so carry small change.
- Know your bus parks if arriving overland: Waidun Ahadun Transport Company is at No. 18 Majidadi Road, and Mallam Mohammed Transport Services is on Millionaire Street in the Government Reserved Area.
- Use Achaba motorcycles and tricycles for short, direct trips, and minibuses or taxis for longer hops.
- There is no metro, tram or city rail service, so do not plan your visit around rail travel.
- River transport on the Benue River is an additional option, but road transport is the mainstay of movement in and around Jalingo.