Getting around Nigeria - Nigeria travel info and tips

Getting Around Nigeria

Nigerian passport control

Getting around Nigeria


To enter Nigeria, a valid passport and visa is required for nationals of virtually all countries. Your passports must be valid for at least 6 months after period of intended stay.

All visitors to Nigeria must hold passports or ECOWAS travelling documents (for nationals from ECOWAS member countries). Citizens of countries for which Nigeria requires visas must obtain entry information and visas in advance from Nigerian embassies or consulates abroad. Visas cannot be obtained aboard planes or at the airport.


Getting Around By Air

Getting around Nigeria is easy. International airports in Lagos, Abuja, Kano, and Port Harcourt. Domestic flights operate between Lagos and Maiduguri, Abuja, Kaduna, Benin City, Enugu, Kano, Jos, Port Harcourt, Calabar, Sokoto, Yola and some other cities. 

Several foreign airlines fly to Nigeria; British Airways (London Heathrow – Abuja, Lagos), Virgin Atlantic (London Heathrow – Lagos), KLM (Amsterdam – Abuja, Lagos, Kano), Air France (Paris-Charles de Gaulle – Lagos), Alitalia (Milan-Malpensa- Abuja, Lagos), Turkish Airline(Istanbul-Lagos), Lufthansa (Frankfurt – Abuja, Lagos), Iberia Airlines (Madrid-Lagos)

Airline from the United States; North American Airlines (Baltimore/Washington, New York-JFK – Lagos), Delta Air Lines (Atlanta – Lagos from 3-Dec-07). Other Inter Continental Airlines fly to Lagos include; China Southern Airlines (Beijing, Dubai), Emirates (Dubai), Middle East Airlines (Beirut), Qatar Airways (Doha)

Besides these, there are other airlines that operate domestic and regional flights to places like Abidjan, Accra, Banjul, Conakry, Dakar, Douala, Freetown, Johannesburg, Libreville, Monrovia. There are also airports in most states of the federation and local air travel is widespread.


Public Transport

The southern part of the country is well connected by a bus service but further north the main form of transport is shared taxis of up to six people. Motorcycle taxis are common in the cities and outskirts. 

Getting around Nigeria is relatively easy, except that there could be delays owing to traffic jams. As usual, there are multitudes of coaches and buses that will take you to any part of Nigeria you wish.


Getting Around By Rail and Boat

The service connects Lagos to Kano and Port Harcourt to Maiduguri with stopovers at various towns. The service is unreliable and poor and often does not run.

But when it does, it is a cheap way of getting around. Transport by boat isn’t widespread unless you venture into the riverine areas of Nigeria.


Self Drive/Hire Cars

Road conditions in the cities are good. Some lesser used roads are impassable during and after the rains. Petrol is very cheap in Nigeria.  Driving is on the right hand side and an International Driving Licence is required. Car Hire is available in Lagos, Abuja and other cities.

 

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