Nigeria

Why It Is Difficult

Status, May 2026: Boko Haram and ISWAP active in north-east (Borno, Yobe, Adamawa); bandit/kidnap problem in north-west and middle belt; Lagos, Abuja, Ibadan, Calabar, Port Harcourt all functional with normal megacity precautions. Independent travel possible across most of the country. Police and immigration bribery is the everyday friction, not violence.

Why It Is Worth Visiting

Lagos - the African mega-city: Lekki, Victoria Island, Yoruba art and Afrobeats. Calabar Carnival in December. Olumo Rock in Abeokuta. Idanre Hills. Yankari and Cross River national parks. Slave-trade heritage at Badagry. Nollywood. The Nigerian energy is its own attraction. Visa (with archive notes) E-visa at evisa.immigration.gov.ng. Most nationalities require it; for some (e.g. Singapore) it is free. Requires: passport, photo, hotel booking, flight tickets, 6-month bank statement (USD 2,000+ recommended in account). Often issued within 3 hours but can be inconsistent. Landing card - apply online up to 72 hours before flight; approval instant. Yellow fever certificate required and checked. Immigration warning (from a March 2026 trip report) Port Harcourt airport - multiple immigration officers and customs ask for bribes. From the archive: “I would advise against landing there, they’re not used to seeing tourists and I got asked for bribes by 4 different immigration officers.” Strongly prefer Lagos (MMA-2) or Abuja (ABV) for arrival. If asked for “something from your country” - act blur, repeat that everything is paid, do not pay any bribe, stay polite, eventually they wave you through. Drivers and guides (from the archive) In-country tour operators with EPS reputation: Soft Roads, Naija Nomads, Travelmoor Tourism.

Practical Travel Notes

Currency: naira (NGN), heavily devalued post-2023. Cash is hard to come by - branch ATMs cap at NGN 20,000-40,000 per withdrawal and run out daily. Carry USD and exchange on the parallel market through hotels. SIM: MTN or Globacom. Registration with passport. Photography: Bolt and Uber drivers cannot pick up at Port Harcourt airport - order them outside the terminal. Don’t photograph uniformed people or government buildings. Bribery script: smile, repeat “no I have nothing”, walk away when no one is actively blocking you. The archive author succeeded by simply ignoring the persistent extorters.

Access And Logistics

Lagos (LOS): British Airways, KLM, Lufthansa, Air France, Turkish, Qatar, Emirates, Ethiopian, Kenya, RwandAir. Many. Abuja (ABV): similar long-haul carriers; quieter. Overland from Benin (Seme), Niger (Birnin Konni), Cameroon (Mfum) and Chad - functional but heavy police friction. Lagos - Lekki Conservation Centre canopy walk, Nike Art Gallery (largest in West Africa), New Afrika Shrine, Tarkwa Bay, Lekki Market. Abeokuta - Olumo Rock, Adire textile studios. Abuja - Aso Rock viewpoint, Millennium Park, Zuma Rock day trip. Calabar - December Carnival, Slave History Museum, Cross River NP (rare gorilla habitat). Ibadan, Osogbo (sacred grove UNESCO), Olumo Rock, Idanre - Yoruba cultural heartland. Kano, Sokoto - northern Hausa cities; verify security.

Safety Considerations

Treat security as the core planning constraint. Avoid improvising routes, keep a conservative schedule, and re-check local conditions immediately before travel.

Visa Or Permit Notes

Visa and permit rules can change quickly. Confirm current requirements with official sources and allow extra time for letters, permits, or regional approvals where needed.

Obfuscated Contact Leads

These archive leads are intentionally not clickable and not clean-copy formatted. Re-type them manually if a lead is relevant, and verify independently before relying on anyone.