Important Travel Information About Nigeria

Central Bank of Nigeria Naturally the first thing that comes to mind as we look at travel information about Nigeria is the types of travel documents required to travel to Nigeria. Please find below the travel documents needed to travel to Nigeria.

Passport – Your national passport should be valid for at least six months from the date of your travel and should have at least one blank visa page.
Visa – Unless you are a Nigerian, or a national of a few West African countries, you need a Nigerian visa to enter Nigeria.
Vaccinations – A certificate of Yellow Fever vaccination is required.

The only travel information about Nigeria you will find in most guides will be in the form of travel warning or advisory. For the most part those concerns are real; some parts of the country continue to pose some significant dangers to foreigners. The US Dept of State , travel advisory on Nigeria while understandably over cautious provides a close assessment of the dangers is these parts of Nigeria.

However the vast majority of the country is very peaceful at least to visitors. Poverty induced crime, car accidents, ethnic violence and corruption summarizes the dangers that you can face in Nigeria. This has been the condition of Nigeria for a very long time and there is no credible hope of its eradication in sight.

So you don’t have to postpone your trip because of them, especially if your travel is need based. You stand a similar chance of running into harms way even in other parts of the world. Normal caution and an average sense of alert will be very helpful. The following tips will help you prepare adequately.

Though you can use credit card in selected places, you are better off leaving your plastic back home. And do not have all your money with you when you go out.
Allow a Nigerian driver to drive you, even if you rent a car. Your Nigerian vacation or trip is demanding enough without the added worry of trying to find your way around, leave that to a local driver.
With all its appeal, do not go out at night alone. Enjoy the vibrant Nightlife with a party of two or more.
Drink only bottled water! And it must be from a reputed brand. Discard if seal is broken.
If you are staying for a long time, register with your embassy and seek out the local expatriate community, among other uses, they can be of help to you when you feel home sick.
In the event that you fall into armed robbery, do not resist.
Deposit your passport and airline ticket with the hotel or your host. Make a copy of your passport and other identification and have them on you at all times.
Oh one last thing, leave your expensive jewelry back at home.

Ok enough of precautionary tips. You may be wondering why would someone take all these efforts just to visit a place, all this cautionary information about Nigeria may appear daunting, but still thousands of people visit Nigeria every month and millions of people live here. That is because the vast majority of Nigerians are peace loving and friendly.

Central Bank of NigeriaMurtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos

The following are other important travel information about Nigeria:

Banking Hours – Monday 0800- 4.00pm, Tuesday to Friday: 0800-1330, some banks are opened on Saturday 8.00am-12.00pm.
Business and Shops Hours – Monday to Friday 8.00am to 5.00pm, Most shops are opened on Saturday too.
Credit Cards – Nigeria is a cash society, credit cards are only accepted in very limited places. Travelers check can however be redeemed with moderate difficulty.
Cash – There is no limit to the amount of money you are allowed to bring in, however any money in the excess of $5000 must be declared at the point of entry.
Gratuity – not required but highly expected.
Prices – Always negotiate the price of non essential items, your starting point should be around 50%.
Email– Don’t bother bringing your Wifi enabled device as there are no real “hot spots” in Nigeria. Internet access is mainly provided at Internet cafes.
News – Nigeria has the highest circulation of newspapers in Africa, Major TV channels and radios also broadcast in English.
Telephone – the country prefix is +234, GSM cell phones are common, and calling cards are recommended when calling Nigeria.
Voltage – Nigeria uses 210/250 Volts AC, 50Hz. The Plug used is Round pins with ground - Rectangular blade plug.

Local Time

Vaccination – Yellow Fever immunization is required, Hepatitis A, Typhoid and Meningococcus, and other vaccinations are recommended. Consult your Doctor before you travel.Click here for more information about the required Vaccinations for Nigeria

Health Insurance – Practically non existent, in case you need health care, your best bet is to pay cash and then file a claim with your health insurance provider when you get back.

Religion– There is a church or a mosque within any given 3 mile radius in urban areas of Nigeria, so practicing your religion won’t be a problem. Adherents of other religion would have to ask around for a place of worship.

Tourist Information Centers – Practically non existent, however you can glean some information from the Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation; they have offices across the country. You can contact them via email for tourism information about Nigeria.Don't expect a prompt response, that is if you get one at all!

Emergency Contact Information – The emergency phone number for the Nigerian Police Force is 199. However you may be better off contacting your Embassy in case of emergency.

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