Pre-Departure Checklist: What to Sort Before You Fly Out of Nigeria

The trip is booked and the visa is in the passport. What is left is the part that quietly goes wrong: an expired card, a missing vaccination certificate, or a transfer nobody arranged at the other end. Work backwards from your departure date using this countdown.

Two Weeks Before

• Reconfirm flight times directly with the airline — schedules change
• Check health entry requirements and any vaccination certificate your destination requires
• Notify your bank of your travel dates so cards are not blocked abroad
• Arrange foreign currency; do not rely on getting a good rate at the airport
• Book airport transfers at both ends, especially for a late-night arrival
• Confirm travel insurance covers your full dates and any activities you plan

One Week Before

• Photograph your passport, visa, tickets, insurance and vaccination card; store copies offline and email them to yourself
• Download offline maps for your destination and your airline's app
• Check the baggage allowance and weigh your bags at home
• Confirm hotel bookings and note the check-in time and address in local language
• Share your full itinerary with someone at home

Two Days Before

• Complete online check-in the moment the window opens
• Charge power banks and pack the right plug adapter for your destination
• Pack medication in the original packaging with the prescription, in your hand luggage
• Put one change of clothes and essentials in your carry-on in case a bag is delayed
• Set alarms allowing for Lagos or Abuja traffic to the airport

At the Airport

• Arrive three to four hours ahead for an international departure from Nigeria
• Keep passport, boarding pass, yellow card where required and return ticket together
• Do not carry items for anyone else, however well you know them
• Keep a small amount of local currency for your arrival airport

On Arrival

• Have your hotel address, return ticket and insurance details ready for immigration
• Buy a local SIM or activate roaming before leaving the terminal
• Confirm your return flight forty-eight hours before flying home

Get the Printable Version

Download the Pre-Departure Travel Prep Checklist below and we will email it to you. If you would rather we handled the transfers, insurance and tours as part of the booking, send us your trip details and our Lagos team will put it together.