Travel to Nigeria

Flying to Nigeria

Airlines operating direct flights from the UK to Nigeria include Arik Air (www.arikair.com), British Airways (www.ba.com) and Virgin Atlantic (www.virgin-atlantic.com). Med-View Airline (www.medviewairline.com) is currently prohibited from flying to the EU due to safety concerns. From the USA, you can fly from Houston to Lagos with United (www.united.com).

The peak time to fly is usually during school holidays or festive periods, especially Christmas, Easter and Eid-al-Fitr. The cheapest times of year to fly are usually outside of these periods, although flight prices do not vary dramatically from one season to another. Flights between London and Lagos tend to get booked up quite far ahead of time, especially during festive periods.

Major airports that are located in Nigeria are: Lagos Murtala Muhammed International Airport., Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport and Port Harcourt International Airport.

Notes

Some airlines permit higher baggage allowances in all travel classes when flying to Nigeria; Arik Air allows passengers to take two 30kg bags as hold luggage. These are often issued at no cost, and allow Nigerians to fly back from Europe to Nigeria with heavy purchases.

Airport Guides

Flight times

From London - 6 hours 30 minutes; Houston - 11 hours 25 minutes; New York - 14 hours 30 minutes (including stopover).

Departure tax

None.

Travelling to Nigeria by Rail

Driving to Nigeria

Nigeria shares land borders with Benin, Niger, Chad and Cameroon. One of the most popular land routes into Nigeria is via Benin. You can drive fairly easily from Accra in Ghana to the Nigerian border via Togo and Benin; expect at least one full day's drive from Ghana's border with Togo to Nigeria's border with Benin. The road is generally in good condition and a 4-wheel drive isn't required; however visas for all transiting countries are necessary.

Some travellers extend this route, going overland from Europe (via Spain) to Morocco (by car ferry) and onwards through Senegal, The Gambia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Ivory Coast. This route is generally free of security concerns but the roads can prove hazardous during the rainy season. Check the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office travel advisory before setting out. It is not recommended to cross into Nigeria from Niger or Chad due to security concerns.

Getting to Nigeria by boat

The main ports are Lagos, Port Harcourt and Calabar. Other important ports include Warri and Sapele.

Cruise ships

Lagos and Calabar occasionally feature on cruise ship itineraries, depending on weather and security issues.

Ferry operators

Ferries run between Calabar and Limbe in Cameroon on a weekly basis. Operating companies and schedules change frequently.