Naijabranch Blog

It seems a bit quiet on the Yola bridge Road, Adamawa state.  You may have had a quiet year, a busy one, or a combination of both. Whatever the case, as you cross the bridge connecting 2015 and 2016 here's hoping you've been able to count your blessings this year, and that the next year will be even greater! This photo has been added to the  Man-made Structures, Landscapes   gallery! Photo Credit: Nwuanyi [ cc by sa 2.0]

Have you heard of Tectona grandis? It is the source of teak wood. This photo has been added to the Flora  gallery! Photo Credit: Malcolm Manners [ cc  by 2.0 ]

The Central Bank of Nigeria Headquarters, Abuja. This photo appears in the  Man-made Structures, Landscapes  gallery! Photo Credit:   chippla   [Public domain]

Ryom Rocks, Jos. These photos have been added to the Natural Structures, Landscapes   gallery! Photo Credit:   Jeremy Weate [ cc  by 2.0 ]

A Steganocerus multipunctatus or you could just call it a Ladybird bug for short. This photo appears in the Fauna   gallery! Photo Credit:  dotun55  [ cc  by 2.0 ]

Roses in the Felak garden,  Jos. This photo appears in the Flora   gallery! Photo Credit:   Jeremy Weate [ cc  by 2.0 ]

Lagos Marina. This photo appears in the Man-made Structures, Landscapes   gallery! Photo Credit:  Stefan Magdalinski  [cc  by 2.0 ]

Zuma Rock, Niger. These photos have been added to the Natural Structures, Landscapes   gallery! Photo Credit:  Jeff Attaway [cc  by 2.0 ]

Oh no wait the baboon did look down!  What could this wonderful creature have seen that made it ponder the meaning of life and then scamper back up a tree looking grim? These photos were taken at the Lekki Conservation Centre, Lagos and have been added to the Fauna   gallery! Photo Credit: Clara Sanchiz / RNW   cc

Here's a praying mantis playing Peekaboo! Photo Credit: Malcolm Manners   cc

The National Arts Theatre, Iganmu Lagos. Photo Credit: Bruno Chatelin   cc

Happy new month! It's the last one of 2015. Enjoy the views of Gurara Falls, Niger State while you contemplate whether you can still achieve your 2015 Year resolution(s)! Photo Credit  Mark Hillary and  Jeff Attaway  cc

Camel at the Jos Museum zoo, looking bewildered? Photo Credit: Paul Scott cc

A photo of a dragonfly taken in Epe, Lagos Photo Credit:  dotun55   cc

Aerial shots of Lagos Island, Lagos State. Photo Credit: " island " and " parks and port " by dot un55  cc

These stunning rock formations were seen on the road to Abuja. They are located somewhere between Jos and Abuja. Photo Credit:  Andrew Moore   cc

In the very first Naijabranch blog post  I mentioned how the aim was for Naijabranch to keep you connected to Nigeria using educational games in the first instance. I'm happy to announce the next way Naijabranch will keep you connected to Naija: using stunning galleries! Starting from Friday the 27th of November, curated pictures highlighting different aspects of Nigeria will be published on the blog. Expect natural landscapes, flora, fauna, man-made structures and more...... The Naija discovery continues! Photo Credit: Aso Rock by Jeff Attaway cc

Remember, the FREE Shapeymix Android app can help improve your Naija knowledge!

Happy Independence Day! Nigeria is 55 today! How well do you know Naija? Do you know where your state is on the map of Nigeria? Alright if you're from Plateau you can already clearly see your state puzzle piece placed correctly above. How about the other 35 others states and Abuja? Go ahead and build Naija and more: Give the new  Shapeymix  app a go - Get it on Google Play . Photo Credit: State flag of the Federal Republic of Nigeria " by Thommy, via Wikimedia Commons. Licensed under Public Domain via Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons

Shapeymix is now available on Google Play !!! Use this 2D and 3D puzzle to build a Country, a   Groundnut Pyramid, and even a Wind Turbine !!!  

How many days before Shapeymix is launched on Android? The answer my friend, is blowing in the wind......

It's been so quiet, I bet you can hear the crickets chirping (or singing)?  Well one of the main reasons is that I've been working on the first Naijabranch mobile app. It will be released before the end of the year. Watch out for an educational and free Nigerian game coming to your Android phone sooner than you think! While you are waiting, why not boost your (Igbo) vocabulary , or Build while learning a bit more about Naija ? Or you could just enjoy the sound of the crickets...... Photo Credit: Jiminy Cricket " by Walt Disney Productions for RKO Radio Pictures - Trailer for the film. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons

Naijabranch has been featured on The Startup Pitch Website . Photo Credit: whiteafrican via Compfight cc

Did you know that learning a language is good for the brain? According to this post from the BBC , learning a second language can have a positive effect on the brain, even if it is taken up in adulthood. Boost those neurons by learning a new language: Try Vocabmix , an anagram game which is initially based on the Igbo language, one of the many languages spoken in Nigeria. Already know some Igbo and want to boost your vocabulary? You may still pick up some new words by playing Vocabmix (Igbo). Go on, give it a go!

Naijabranch has been featured on Business Cabal , our first ever feature! Photo Credit: Stuart Mudie cc

The tutorial for Shapeymix (Nigeria) is now available:

Nigeria is made up of 36 states and Abuja, the Federal Captial Territory (or FCT). The purpose of Shapeymix (Nigeria) is to place the jumbled up states/FCT back in their rightful spots. Why not give Shapeymix (Nigeria) a go at naijabranch.com/shapeymix_nigeria.php . We're also on Google Plus !

Here's the thing: Naija is a great country. It really is. Naija is a vast land of many tongues, many traditions, many highs, many lows, many stories, and so much more. Naijabranch aims to bring you that little bit closer to the incredibly complex country that is Nigeria by offering you relevant content - in this instance educational puzzle games with a nigerian flavour  (and they're all free!). Thanks for visiting the site, and we hope you'll embark on this Naija discovery journey with us. We're also on Facebook and Twitter Photo Credit: Bryn Pinzgauer via Compfight cc