What should I do before travelling?
Use the Contact Us tab to let the Embassy know of your travel plans in case we can assist and make sure to register online at the website of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
There are no specific seasons for travel to Nigeria. Temperatures average from 25-40º C. Lagos has a humid climate and year-round temperatures of about 30ºC, but air-conditioning is provided in up-market hotels and offices. May - September is the Nigerian rainy season and October - March is usually dry and dusty due to the Harmattan wind which blows down from the Sahara. The expatriate executives of international companies may take holidays during the European summer months, public holidays like Christmas and the end of Ramadan are taken seriously and most Nigerian executives will travel to their home towns or fly out. Other than that, Nigeria is always open for business.
Flights: There are daily flights to Abuja and Lagos via Dubai, Istanbul, Addis Ababa, Frankfurt, London and Paris. Abuja is mainly geared towards companies dealing with the Federal Government or any of its Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA’s) and northern-based companies. Most business travellers arrive in Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos. If travelling with anything other than hand luggage, you may have to wait longer than usual, depending on the specific flight and airport passenger services, before you arrive in your hotel. Make sure you have the name and number of the person collecting you from the airport and, if possible, avoid arriving at night-time. Domestic airline coverage is quite good, but there have been safety issues with Nigerian airlines in recent years and delays are a common occurrence. Flying is still safer than road travel. Where possible, avoid travelling between cities or fly only with airlines which have been recommended.
Visa and vaccinations: Make sure your Irish passport is valid for at least 6 months after the date you intend to leave Nigeria, that you have the correct visa and a yellow fever vaccination certificate (failure to produce a yellow fever cert can result in deportation). It is best to have all the recommended vaccinations and to take precautions against malaria. You should not travel without comprehensive medical insurance as the health services in Nigeria can be very limited. Make sure you bring any medications you may need as local availability may be an issue.
Mobiles and internet: Those on the O2 network may have problems receiving calls and text messages. Contact O2 in advance to discuss roaming. You can purchase a local sim card but will have to submit fingerprints and show your passport. Up-market hotels generally have wireless internet connections.
Car hire: Avis, Hertz and Sixt and many other car hire companies are active in Nigeria. Car hire here in West Africa generally comes with a driver. You are strongly advised to have your airport pick-up arranged before leaving Ireland, and to have the name and mobile of your driver and your exact meeting point. Hotels usually also provide car hire/airport pick-up. You are strongly advised against travel at night-time and driving alone in Nigeria for road safety and security reasons.
Hotel bookings: It is also best to have your hotel booked before reaching Nigeria as the best hotels are often fully booked. There are several international chains represented in Nigeria and it is not difficult to find a suitable business hotel in Abuja and Lagos. Make sure your hotel is in a safe area and, especially in Lagos, ensure it is near where you will have your business meetings (or located in such a way that you will travel against traffic).
Safety & security: Before making your travel plans consult the latest travel advice and take the usual precautions. Problems in particular areas include the Boko Haram insurgency in the north-east, militants in the Niger Delta, kidnapping and robberies in the Delta region and elsewhere. While Lagos is much safer than many other cities in Africa, there have been a number of expatriate kidnappings. Houses and offices are protected by private security organisations and not the authorities. Road accidents remain a real and constant threat, thousands lose their lives every year in traffic accidents.