10th January, 2025
Although they’re thousands of miles apart, New Zealand and Nigeria share somewhat of a history. For one thing, the two nations are both part of the British Commonwealth, as you may know. What you may be less aware of is that, despite all the miles of ocean between them, Nigeria and New Zealand are still trading partners. Culturally, the two countries share some similarities as well. Below is a greater look at these and at the common industries the two nations share.
Exploring the culture between the two
If you’re a Nigerian visiting New Zealand or even thinking of moving there to spend your days, you may find you don’t have to adapt as much as you thought.
Night markets
If you visit cities such as Wellington, you’ll come across night markets, which are very much a thing in Lagos and some other Nigerian cities. This is especially handy if you work or study during the day and can’t get to the shops as easily. The night markets are there to help you so that you don’t have to miss the food or other goods you may need as a price for your schedule seeing you avoid the traffic and shopping at busier times of the day.
Pride in cultural heritage and national identity
Anyone who has ever seen a New Zealand “All Blacks” rugby match will have seen the team lay down their challenge to the other team with the “Haka,” a traditional ceremonial dance the Māori people perform to display tribal strength and unity, but also to fire up warriors on the battlefield. By performing this dance, the New Zealanders are displaying the pride many feel for their heritage.
Nigeria also shares this sense of deep appreciation of its national culture and heritage. Like New Zealand, Nigeria embraces both traditional elements of its culture while also welcoming more contemporary elements into the culture. Both cultures are evolving constantly and the blend of traditional and contemporary contributes to a cultural landscape that reflect a rich history and vibrant present.
Colourful festivals
Another cultural element Nigeria and New Zealand have in common is their love of colourful festivals. The CubaDupa festival, which takes place each year in Wellington, is the most creative and diverse arts festival in New Zealand. This family-friendly inclusive arts festival offers dance, art, body painting, a wide range of musical genres and more.
Some have likened this festival to Nigeria’s “Felabration” festival, which celebrates the iconic Fela Kuti, who was the pioneer of Afrobeat music, a social critic and a champion of the underprivileged. The festival features dance contests, fashion contests and more and lasts a week. It has become an official tourist attraction in Nigeria and receives visitors from all over the world.
Gambling as a pastime
It isn’t just a love of culture and cultural events that Kiwis and Nigerians share. The two peoples also like the tradition of some of the oldest gambling games.
In Nigeria, players can engage in sports betting, play at land-based casinos and play lottery games. Nigeria doesn’t permit games of chance, and, consequently, doesn’t allow roulette, dice games or non-skilled card games. Somewhat controversially, the law doesn’t state anything about online gambling, but operators follow the laws for land-based casinos. Betting sites offer casino gaming, such as baccarat and other games, without repercussions for bettors.
For New Zealanders, their most popular forms of gambling are in the form of sports betting and especially for slot machines, which they call “pokies” out there. Traditional games like baccarat have been adapted to cater for the online market, which continues to grow in the country.
Sharing industries
The two nations trade with each other, with one of Nigeria’s top exports to New Zealand being malt extract and the oceanic nation exporting a lot of concentrated milk to the West African country. Nigeria is one of Africa’s largest economies and has the largest oil resources, whereas New Zealand’s economy is somewhat small in the marketplace but still has a strong energy sector. Both countries have been deriving a lot of their energy from natural resources, such as coal and gas, but are also trying to increase energy production from renewables.
In Nigeria, the service sector is the largest and makes a massive contribution to GDP. The sector is also a major employer in New Zealand, but agriculture is also a powerful sector and has contributed to a more balanced economy. Forestry is a further important part of the New Zealand economy.
Despite the distance between the two countries, Nigeria and New Zealand share several things in common culturally. If you happen to visit either country or going there to live, you’ll feel at home when you arrive.
