Top 6 Nigerian novels that will fuel your hunger for travel

These books, about Nigeria or Nigerians, will primarily fuel your wanderlust and make you want to buy the next ticket to or out of Nigeria, fast.

If you're a frequent traveller, or a nomad at heart, you find that there are times when a good book is all you need — whether you are lounging by the pool somewhere or curled up on your bed.

We've picked some books, classics and contemporary, for you to choose any to fuel your wanderlust.

1. Open City by Teju Cole

Told from the streets of Manhattan, a young Nigerian doctor doing his residency wanders aimlessly. He becomes self-aware and equally aware of his surroundings and is able to process his relationships, his recent breakup with his girlfriend, his present and his past. Teju Cole has the ability to let readers completely feel his character's encounters and how the people and culture shape him.

2. The Passport of Mallam Ilia by Cyprian Ekwensi

Cyprian Ekwensi is one of the fathers of African literature. This classic novella explores the life, love and adventures of Mallam Ilia during Nigerian colonial times.

3. My Life in the Bush of Ghosts by Amos Tutuola

This is Amos Tutuola's second novel after the popular Palm Wine Drinkard. Though the two can be categorised as adventurous in their own right, My Life in the Bush of Ghosts documents the adventures of a little boy who is lost in an enchanted forest. Similar to the Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, his experiences on his search for a way back home can be translated to an allegory for lost humans in the world of self.

4. Welcome to Lagos by Chibundu Onuzo

In search of freedom and a new life, a group of four five people set out on the road to Lagos. They strive to find their places in the hustle and bustle of the city while becoming entangled in a political scandal. Let Chibundu Onuzo take your mind on a journey through the mazes and intimate stories she weaves with her words.

5. On Black Sister's Street by Chika Unigwe

Award-winning author Chika Unigwe tells the haunting story of four very different women who have left their African homeland for the riches of Europe — the almighty Italy. They form a sisterhood from a life of bad luck and similar struggles. See the city through their eyes.

6. Nigerians in Space by Deji Olukotun

Nigerians in Space is an afro-futuristic a crime thriller set in many places at once — Houston, Stockholm, Basel, Paris, Abuja, Bulawayo, Lagos, Capetown, Johannesburg, and Paris. It is a story of international intrigue that tackles deeper questions about exile, identity, and the need to answer an elusive question: what exactly is brain gain?

Bonus: Our Sister Killjoy by Ama Ata Aidoo

In the spirit of African Literature, this novel by Ghanaian author, Ama Ata Aidoo, tells a quirky story about a Ghanaian student who wins a European travel scholarship and sets out on a tourist adventure in Germany and London. The main character is able to convey her thoughts and feelings about her experiences in epic poetry and prose.