World Country Guide

Travel - International

Note
Travellers are currently advised to avoid the Bakassi Peninsula on the border with Cameroon; plus all but essential travel is advised to Warri, the riverine areas in the Delta State and the southeast Plateau State. Localised outbreaks of civil unrest have been known to occur at short notice, and violent crime is prevalent in the south of the country, including Lagos.

Air
Nigeria's former national airline, Nigeria Airways, has now been liquidated. But several other airlines service the region. Airlines operating between Nigeria, Europe and North America include Air France, British Airways, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Lufthansa, United Airlines and Virgin Atlantic.

Approximate flight times
From Lagos to London is seven hours 25 minutes and to New York is 12 hours 10 minutes.

International airports
Lagos (LOS) (Murtala Muhammed) is 22km (13 miles) north of Lagos (travel time – 40 minutes). Taxis to the city are available. There is a free coach service every 10 minutes. Airport facilities include restaurant, bar, snack bar, bank, post office and car hire.
Kano (KAN) is 8km (5 miles) north of Kano (travel time – 25 minutes). Buses leave for the city every 10 minutes 0600-2200, and taxis are available. Airport facilities include restaurant, bank, post office, duty-free shop and car hire.
Abuja (ABV) is 35km (22 miles) from the city.

Note
Pickpockets and confidence tricksters, some posing as local immigration and other government officials, are especially common at Murtala Muhammed Airport.

Departure tax
None.

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

Road
Links are with Benin, Cameroon, Chad and Niger. The principal trans-Saharan routes pass through Nigeria from Niger. The principal link with Benin is via the Idoroko border point along the good coast road to Lagos.