5 Best Places to Read in Nigeria for Book Lovers

There’s no perfect reading spot, but you can always go somewhere that makes you happy and carry a book along.

Rio de Janeiro has the Royal Portuguese Reading Room, all dark wood and stained glass. 

Dubai has the Mohammed bin Rashid Library. Tianjin has The Eye, a library literally shaped like a giant eye. Mumbai has a reading room called the Forest of Knowledge that looks like it belongs in a fantasy novel. 

Nigeria doesn’t have any of these. But it has its own spots worth the trip. 

From outdoor gardens to university libraries, cafés and art spaces, here are five places to read in Nigeria. Add them to your list.

One quick tip before we start: Associate reading with things you genuinely enjoy. If you love nature, take a book outdoors. If art is your thing, find a space surrounded by it. And if you love coffee, find a café and settle in.

Ladies and gentlemen, block your schedules, bring out your wallets, and let’s go exploring.

1. Jardin Reading Garden & Outdoor Library — Jos, Plateau State

Photo credit: Trip Advisor

This is an outdoor pick. It has everything from trails and benches to greenery. 

Bring a novel and settle into the scenery. And the best part? Entry is free. There’s a bookstore on site where you can borrow titles, plus a gift shop. 

There are a few rules, though: No picnics, no loud music. This spot is for readers who want quiet and an immersive experience, not a group hangout.

2. Ngwo Pine Forest — Enugu, Enugu State

Photo credit: BellaNaija

Ngwo Pine is not a library. And it’s not technically a reading garden, but it still earns a spot on this list.

Picture reading near waterfalls, pine-scented air, red sand under your feet, a quiet limestone ledge to sit on. Don’t forget to bring your camera. 

The colonial government planted these trees decades ago to fight erosion. They weren’t thinking about readers looking for a scenic afternoon spot. But here we are. 

Pack a book, some water, a couple of friends, and make a day of it.

3. Hezekiah Oluwasanmi Library — Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife

This entry is for the academics in the house. The Hezekiah Oluwasanmi Library isn’t your standard institutional box. It’s built from off-form concrete, with bold shading, open stairways, and hallways designed for airflow and shade. Beautiful murals line the walls. 

Come to highlight papers and pretend you’re writing the next great academic work. Or just bring a novel and enjoy the architecture. A university library visit doesn’t always require an assignment.

4. BMT International Library — Abuja

For readers who want a social scene, this one’s for you. 

BMT offers affordable access plans, quiet reading rooms, co-working space, and outdoor garden lounges. Free computers, unlimited Wi-Fi, and a collection covering politics, history, fiction, romance, and nation-building, plus an e-library section.

Steady power, restaurants nearby, and recreational spots inside the BMT Garden complex. You can read, work, eat, and meet other book lovers without rushing off. 

The greenery and the woodsy feel make this an easy pick.

5. Terrakulture — Lagos

Number five is for the artsy bookworms. Terrakulture isn’t purely a reading spot, but it belongs here anyway.

Break out your Ankara mini skirt. Nerds can be baddies too. The place has arts, culture, and nightlife energy, the kind that makes an afternoon with a book feel natural before a performance or a gallery walk. Pick up a Tunde Leye or an Emecheta and settle in. Solo date or group hangout, it works either way. There’s a bookshop too.

Bonus: Bookshop & Café

Let’s add one more entry, because five never feels like enough. 

Massive collections of African and international titles, a quiet room, vintage feel and furniture, yellow walls that give the space real character. 

Walk in for one book. Leave with four.

There’s No Perfect Location

You don’t need a desk, dead silence, or a perfectly arranged shelf to read well. Go somewhere that already makes you happy and bring a book along. When reading connects to something you enjoy, it stops feeling like a chore.

And while we absolutely adore these places, don’t forget the simplest options—your favourite corner at home, back against the wall, a drink beside you, a good book in your hands. That’s still a top spot to read.