Visiting Nigeria

New terminal Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos

Every foreign national needs a visa to visit Nigeria except citizens of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) countries. These countries are Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone and Togo.

The visa free entry policy also covers holders of diplomatic or service category passports issued to nationals of Brazil, China, Namibia and South Africa, including holders of diplomatic passports issued to nationals of Turkey.

An agreement was signed in 2019 for visa free entry for holders of diplomatic and official passports of Vietnam (which is yet to be ratified). Holders of Chinese passports for public affairs do not require a visa for a maximum stay of 30 days.

A visa on arrival program for citizens of African countries came into effect in 2020. This is granted for a maximum stay of 90 days in Nigeria.

Holders of e-Visa can also obtain a visa on arrival, provided holding a visa application form and e-Visa application payment receipt and holding an invitation letter from Nigerian company.

Visa application can be initiated via the Nigerian Immigration Service Portal

Nigeria Entry Requirements

Below are the general requirements for entry into Nigeria, including covid 19 entry protocols.

• Compliance to current covid 19 protocols (details below)
• Correct class of visa (visitor/business etc)
• Current passport with at least a blank page and 6 months validity left
• Polio and Yellow fever vaccination if visiting from an endemic region. Children under the age of one year are however exempted. No certificate of AIDS free tests are required. Visitors from Europe and North America should take precausional steps against Malaria Fever, which are prevalent in the rainy season from May to October.
• Unlimited amount of currency if declared at entry and exit
• Compliance with customs guidelines (for personal and commercial merchandise). Visitors to Nigeria are allowed four liters of spirit and 200 cigarettes duty free, personal effects such as cameras, watches, pen lighters, and cosmetics are allowed duty free within reasonable quantity. Other goods, such as video equipment, are dutiable and visitors are expected to pay the duties on the spot. If in doubt, ask to see a senior customs officer for clearance. Illegal drugs of all descriptions are not allowed into Nigeria.

COVID-19 Protocols for Entering Nigeria

New terminal Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos

Travellers to Nigeria are required to use an online Nigeria International Travel Portal to complete an online declaration form and upload a negative PCR COVID-19 test, taken not more than 72 hours prior to their departure, via the online portal. You will be issued with a permit to travel via the travel portal.

The following travel protocols came into effect 25 October 2021:

• Travellers arriving in Nigeria must present a negative COVID-19 PCR test result conducted no more than 72 hours before boarding
• Fully vaccinated in-bound passengers will not be required to observe the mandatory 7-days self-isolation but will be required to do a COVID-19 PCR test on day 2 after arrival.
• Unvaccinated and partially vaccinated in-bound passengers will be required to observe a mandatory 7-day self-isolation and a COVID-19 PCR test on day 2 and day 7 after arrival

Covid-19 Provisional Quarantine Protocol For Travellers Arriving Nigeria

Details of the current Covid-19 Provisional Quarantine Protocol For Travellers Arriving Nigeria can be found here.

Air Travel

Nigeria is a major aviation hub in Africa. Murtala Mohammed International airport is the busiest airport in the Nigeria, and most international flights come in through Murtala Mohammed. There are other international aiports in Calabar, Enugu, Maiduguri and Sokoto which operate chartered flights to some international destinations. There are also airstrips that can land different types of aircraft, giving access to greater access to more locations, e.g. Bebi Airstrip at the Obudu Cattle Ranch and Resort.

Most major international airlines fly into Nigeria through Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt and Abuja. You can also get connecting flights to other towns and cities in Nigeria with local airports.

Airports in Nigeria

Murtala Mohammed Airport Domestic Wing (MM2), Lagos

State	Name of Airport	Airport Type	City	ICAO Code	IATA Code
Abia
Abuja FCT	Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport	International and Domestic	Abuja	DNAA	ABV
Adamawa	Yola Airport	Domestic	Yola	DNYO	YOL
Akwa Ibom	Victor Attah International Airport (Akwa Ibom Airport)	International and Domestic	Uyo	DNAI	QUO
	Eket Airstrip	Airstrip	Eket	DNEK
Anambra
Bauchi	Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Airport	Domestic	Bauchi	DNBC	BCU
	Azare Airstrip	Airstrip	Azare
Bayelsa	Bayelsa International Airport*	International and Domestic	Yenagoa
Benue	Makurdi Airport*	Domestic	Makurdi	DNMK	MDI
Borno	Maiduguri International Airport	International and Domestic	Maiduguri	DNMA	MIU
Cross River	Margaret Ekpo International Airport	International and Domestic	Calabar	DNCA	CBQ
	Bebi Airstrip	Airstrip	Bebi
Delta	Asaba International Airport	International and Domestic	Asaba	DNAS	ABB
	Warri Airport (Formerly Osubi Airstrip)	Domestic	Warri	DNSU	QRW
	Escravos Airstrip	Airstrip	Escravos	DN56
Ebonyi
Edo	Benin Airport	Domestic	Benin	DNBE	BNI

Ekiti
Enugu	Akanu Ibiam International Airport	International and Domestic	Enugu	DNEN	ENU
Gombe	Gombe Lawanti International Airport (Sani Abacha International)	International and Domestic	Gombe	DNGO	GMO
	Bajoga Northeast Airport	Airstrip	Bajoga	DN54
Imo	Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport (SMICA)	International and Domestic	Owerri	DNIM	QOW
Jigawa	Dutse International Airport	International and Domestic	Dutse	DNDS
Kaduna	Kaduna International Airport	International and Domestic	Kaduna	DNKA	KAD
	Zaria Airport*	Domestic	Zaria	DNZA	ZAR
Kano	Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport	International and Domestic	Kano	DNKN	KAN
Katsina	Katsina Airport	Domestic	Katsina	DNKT	DKA
Kebbi	Kebbi International Airport (Sir Ahmadu Bello International)	International and Domestic	Birnin Kebbi	DNBK
	Tuga Airstrip	Airstrip	Tuga
Kogi	Ajaokuta Airstrip	Airstrip	Ajaokuta	DN51
Kwara	Ilorin International Airport	International and Domestic	Ilorin	DNIL	ILR
	Bacita Airstrip	Airstrip	Bacita

Lagos	Murtala Muhammed (MM I) International Airport	International	Lagos	DNMM	LOS
	Murtala Muhammed (MM II) Domestic Airport	Domestic	Lagos	DNMM	LOS
Nasarawa
Niger	Minna Airport	Domestic	Minna	DNMN	MXJ
	Bida Airstrip	Airstrip	Bida	DNBI
	Shiroro Airstrip	Airstrip	Shiroro	DN50
Ogun
Ondo	Akure Airport	Domestic	Akure	DNAK	AKR
Osun
Oyo	Ibadan Airport	Domestic	Ibadan	DNIB	IBA
Plateau	Yakubu Gowon Airport	Domestic	Jos	DNJO	JOS
Rivers	Port Harcourt International Airport	International and Domestic	Port Harcourt	DNPO	PHC
Sokoto	Sadiq Abubakar III International Airport	International and Domestic	Sokoto	DNSO	SKO
Taraba	Jalingo Airport (Danbaba Danfulani Suntai Airport)	Domestic	Jalingo	DNJA
Yobe	Nguru Airstrip	Airstrip	Nguru
	Potiskum Airstrip	Airstrip	Potiskum
Zamfara	Gusau Airstrip	Airstrip	Gusau	DNGU	QUS

Airport names starred and airstrips do not have scheduled passenger service by commercial airlines.



Nigeria can be accessed through on one the major sea ports of Lagos (Apapa and Tin Can), Port Harcourt, Onne, Koko, Burutu, Warri, and Calabar.

By road, you can come into Nigeria through several authorized border posts from Benin Republic, Niger Republic, and the Republic of Cameroon.

When To Visit Nigeria

Nigeria is warm all year round. However, there are two distinct seasons - the rainy season and the dry. Normally, the rainy begins around March and ends in July with a peak in June, followed by a short dry break in August known as the August break lasting for two to three weeks in August. Rains resume in September and ends in November. The dry season in Nigeria typically runs from November to March. Typically, the hottest month in Nigeria is March while the coldest month is August. The wettest month is June while windiest month is August.

However, due to effects of global warming, there could be sporadic rains till January while the onset of the rainy season can be delayed beyond March.



Be it for conferences, business, leisure, sports etc you can visit Nigeria anytime without the need for warm clothing. During the rainy season, rain may inconvenience tourist who is keen on sight-seeing, for it could rain for seven days, especially in the coastal areas without a break

Telephone
You can roam with your mobile phone in Nigeria on most mobile networks. Confirm roaming charges from your network provider before your trip. If you plan to stay long in Nigeria, you can purchase a SIM card for one of the major Nigerian Teelecoms companies - MTN, Glo, Airtel and Etisalat from major outlets. You will need a form of ID and address in order to register your SIM to activate your line.

Medical Services

As in many countries, medical services or hospital care are borne by visitors themselves. If any travel insurance plan exists in your country of origin, please take one. Many international HMOs have offices or representatives in Nigeria, hence are able to provide health insurance cover for policy holders travelling to Nigeria. Find out from your provider before your trip if you have cover while visiting Nigeria.

Private clinics and hospitals manned by qualified practitioners exist, even in rural towns. Government owned hospitals and teaching hospitals exist in major towns.

Electricity

The main voltage in Nigeria is 220 volts. If you bring along any electrical equipment with 110 volts, remember to bring along a converter.

Measures
Nigeria operates a metric system, through the Imperial measure is still usually referred to. Cloth is sold in meters and yards, beef in kilograms, and petrol in liters. Distance is marked in kilometers, and temperature in centigrade.