Traveling to Nigeria! are you planning on visiting Nigeria soon? Is this trip essential? It is currently advised to suspend all non-essential travel to Nigeria.
Additionally, the UK, US, Canada, and Australian governments have advised their citizens to not travel to Nigeria.
This stems from the threat to security, COVID-19 risks, lack of healthcare facilities, and a lot of other factors. Furthermore, there are states that are tagged high-risk due to terrorism and increased crime rates. It is advised to not travel to these areas for any reason.
Traveling To Nigeria
Nigeria’s high-risk states are Borno, Sokoto, Adamawa, and currently Kaduna, which are terrorist zones and are prone to subsequent attacks from terrorists.
Also, Bauchi, Kano, Katsina, and Gombe states have witnessed skyrocketing rates of kidnapping. The coastal areas of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, and Rivers states except for its capital, Port-Harcourt, are riddled with maritime and violent crimes.
The rest of the country is also riddled with violent crime and the aftermath of civil unrest from large demonstrations, which occurred in late October.
These demonstrations can disrupt road movements, phone networks, and domestic or international flights. As a result, attending these demonstrations is not strongly advised.
Keep in mind that these demonstrations can turn violent at any time. When this occurs, travelers are expected to stay updated with local media news and prepare for the possibility of a disruption in phone networks.
Traveling to Nigeria, note Nigeria still has a high risk of the spread of covid-19, with restrictions in place. After the country went back to normal, the covid-19 rates were dropping up until late November.
As the country drew close to the festive season, several people were not adhering to covid-19 restrictions. Hence, the current increase in covid-19 rates. It is strongly advised to not visit the country because of this.
Also, inadequate healthcare facilities make it difficult for patients to seek immediate medical attention. Medicines and ambulance services can also be hard to get for emergencies.
To add, most healthcare facilities demand upfront cash payments before one can be cared for. However, for cases of emergencies, call 112.
Traveling to Nigeria, travelers are subjected to local laws and may be imprisoned once arrested or found with illegal items.
There are also specific areas in the country that have strict moral codes. These areas are in the Northern part of Nigeria.
They apply the Sharia Law, which has specific rules on morality, dressing, the LGBT community, and alcohol intake. Women should cover their hair with a veil and be dressed modestly.
Consensual same-sex relations are prohibited in Nigeria. In states which adopt Sharia law, the offense is punishable by death.
LGBT travelers should visit their home country’s website for further advice and assistance. Traveling to Nigeria, travelers should take note of items that are illegal in Nigeria. One can be imprisoned if found with any of these items.
When traveling to Nigeria take note, that the currency in use is the Nigerian Naira (N). However, the US Dollar can be exchanged with the Naira at all Nigerian Commercial banks. The widely accepted method of payment is by cash – ensure to carry enough at all times.
Some supermarkets and shops, however, accept payment by credit and debit cards. Travelers must be careful while paying with credit cards or withdrawing from an ATM to avoid scammers. Credit card fraud is common in Nigeria; one must always be alert.
Travel within Nigeria can be by land or air. Land travel is by road or by rail. However, traveling to some parts of the country can be done using rail. Also, travelers using public transportation can be subjected to violent crime.
Road users can also be asked for bribes from patrolling police officers. The roads are also in terrible conditions, so it is best to travel by air.
Nevertheless, travelers must obey traffic laws. These laws can be found on Nigeria’s Federal Road Safety Corps website.
Conclusion
Traveling to Nigeria, In conclusion, while you might consider visiting your loved one or taking a trip to Obudu Cattle Ranch, Nigeria is not currently in a safe state.
The threat to security, civil unrest, and COVID-19 restrictions may hinder a full experience of the Nigerian culture.
Nevertheless, once the security threat level and the risk of COVID-19 is reduced to the lowest possible level, it would be advised to travel to Nigeria.