Abuja is a planned city, built from scratch to be Nigeria's capital (which it became in 1991). It lies very close to the geographical center of Nigeria, a location chosen to appease all the ethnic groups. It has also been a very expensive undertaking and has cost billions of dollars to date.
The planners designed the city to grow on a progressive basis: government buildings and light industry facilities were the first things built, with additional residential and cultural facilities following later. Abuja has an international airport, a new national stadium and conference center, and some of the country's best hotels. However, unless you are interested in urban planning or have business with the government, there is nothing particularly interesting in the city.
220 mi/350 km southwest of Kano.