Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Tomb
Bauchi City, Bauchi State
Burial place of Nigeria's first Prime Minister, and one of the country's principal national monuments.
User-provided photograph · Used with permission
Visiting information
- Address
- Bauchi City, Bauchi State
- Opening information
- Open to visitors during daylight hours; confirm access on arrival.
- Accessibility
- Level paved forecourt with step-free approach.
- Suggested time
- 1–2 hours
About this place
Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Nigeria's first and only Prime Minister, was killed in the coup of January 1966 and buried in Bauchi, the state of his birth. The tomb sits within a walled memorial ground in the city, marked by a domed structure and a public forecourt used for commemorations. It is a quiet place, visited by school groups and officials as much as by travellers.
District profile
Bauchi City
Bauchi City is the state capital, a Hausa-Fulani trading town on the edge of the savannah where the emirate founded in 1809 still shapes civic life.
Why stay here: It carries the state's museums, the emir's palace and the tomb of Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Nigeria's first Prime Minister.
Atmosphere: Low-rise, dusty and unhurried, with the loudest hours around the central market.
Distances in the city are short; local taxis and keke are the usual option, and journeys are best made in daylight.
Airport journey
- Arrival airportBauchi State Airport (BCU)
- Travel time30 minutes to Bauchi; about 2 hours to Yankari
- Recommended routeBauchi → Dindima → Yankari main gate
- Traffic informationLight.
- Ride hailing optionsNot reliably available.
- Hotel airport pickupArrange a park transfer with your accommodation.
Nearby attractions
More to explore around Bauchi City and the wider Bauchi State.
- Emir's Palace Bauchi Bauchi CitySeat of the Bauchi Emirate, founded in 1809 and still the centre of the state's traditional authority. 1–2 hours
Bauchi National Museum Bauchi CityState museum holding archaeological finds, emirate regalia and everyday material from across Bauchi. 1.5–2 hours
Yankari Game Reserve AlkaleriSavannah reserve in Bauchi State holding Nigeria's largest surviving elephant population. 2–3 hours
Wikki Warm Springs AlkaleriA clear warm spring inside Yankari, holding a near-constant temperature and open for swimming year-round. 2–3 hours
Marshall Caves BogoroRock shelters cut into sandstone cliffs in southern Bauchi, long used for refuge and settlement. 1–2 hours
Tunga Dutse Rock Paintings ToroRock paintings on granite surfaces near Toro, among the older records of human life in Northern Nigeria. Half a day
Sumu Wildlife Park GanjuwaA state conservation park in Ganjuwa laid out for game viewing, birdwatching and quiet savannah drives. 2–3 hours
Kadag Rock Formation DassA field of granite domes and balanced boulders rising from farmland south of Bauchi, popular with walkers. Half a day
Recommended district
Bauchi City
It carries the state's museums, the emir's palace and the tomb of Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Nigeria's first Prime Minister.
Plan the rest of your visit
Build an itinerary around this district, or check what Nigeria requires for entry before you travel.
Sources and verification
Status: Reviewed. Last reviewed 2026-08-06.
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