Nigeria-specific guide · Lagos · Abuja · Port Harcourt
Travel from Nigeria to anywhere abroad
Flights, visa assistance, hotels, tours and insurance for Nigerian travellers — arranged end to end by our Lagos team, with everything confirmed in writing before you pay.
Travel from Nigeria: practical advice before you book
Written by our Lagos team around the questions Nigerian travellers ask most — flight timing, Nigeria visa paperwork, airport routine and arrival essentials.
When to book international flights from Nigeria
Fares out of Lagos and Abuja move with demand rather than with a fixed calendar. The heaviest periods are mid-December to early January, the Easter window, and the August school holidays, when both leisure travellers and visiting families compete for the same seats. If your dates fall inside those windows, treat six to ten weeks ahead as the point where choice starts to narrow rather than the point where prices are guaranteed to rise.
Outside peak season, the useful habit is to compare rather than to wait. Check a mid-week departure against your preferred weekend date, check Abuja against Lagos if either airport is realistic for you, and check a single-stop routing against the direct flight. On long-haul routes a one-stop itinerary through Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Doha, Istanbul or Casablanca is often materially cheaper than the direct service, and the trade-off is a few hours rather than a lost day.
Confirm checked-baggage allowance before comparing two fares — a cheaper ticket with one bag is rarely cheaper once you add a second.
Check whether your connection needs a transit visa; some European and Gulf hubs treat airside and landside transfers differently.
Leave at least three hours between connecting flights when your bags are not checked through to the final destination.
Keep departure and return dates flexible by a day or two while you are still comparing — it is the single biggest lever on price.
Documents Nigerian passport holders should prepare early
Entry requirements are destination-dependent, and the published rules of the embassy or immigration authority for your destination are always the final word. That said, the documents most commonly requested from Nigerian applicants are consistent enough to prepare in advance: a passport with sufficient remaining validity and blank pages, recent stamped bank statements, evidence of employment, business registration or study, a confirmed itinerary, and accommodation for the nights of the stay.
Bank statements are the item that most often delays an application. Statements are usually requested for several consecutive months, stamped by the bank, and are read alongside the trip you have described. Start gathering them before you fix dates, not after, and make sure the name and account details match your passport exactly.
Check passport validity and blank-page rules against your specific destination — the requirement is not the same everywhere.
Ask your bank for stamped statements early; branch turnaround can take several working days.
Keep flight and hotel confirmations consistent with the dates on your application form.
Where yellow fever vaccination is required for entry or on return, carry the certificate with your passport.
Getting to the airport and through departure
For international departures from Murtala Muhammed International in Lagos or Nnamdi Azikiwe International in Abuja, plan to arrive three hours before departure, and add time for Lagos mainland-to-island traffic if you are travelling during the morning or evening peak. Early-morning departures are easier on road time; late-evening departures are not.
Carry printed copies of your ticket, hotel confirmation and any visa or entry approval alongside the digital versions. Network coverage inside terminals is not dependable, and a printed page is faster at a check-in desk than a phone with a flat battery.
Money, connectivity and arrival
Tell your bank you are travelling before you leave so card transactions abroad are not blocked, and travel with a second payment method kept separately from the first. Carry a small amount of the destination currency for your first taxi or transit ticket rather than relying on finding a working ATM on arrival.
An eSIM bought before departure is usually cheaper than airport roaming and works from the moment you land, which matters most when you need a ride-hailing app or a map before you reach your hotel. Save your accommodation address in writing, in the local language where relevant, and screenshot it for offline use.
Sample itineraries from Nigeria
Outlines we use as a starting point when planning trips for travellers departing Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt. Adjust the length and pace to suit your dates.
Dubai city break
Lagos or Abuja to Dubai · 5 days
Best months: November to March, when daytime heat is manageable
Day 1:Overnight or early-morning arrival, hotel check-in in Deira or Business Bay, and an easy first evening at the Dubai Creek waterfront.
Day 2:Downtown Dubai — the fountain show, the mall district and an early-evening observation deck slot booked ahead to avoid the queue.
Day 3:Desert excursion in the afternoon, returning late; keep the morning free so the day is not rushed.
Day 4:Old Dubai: the gold and spice souks, an abra crossing, then a beach or marina afternoon.
Day 5:Shopping or a museum morning, then the airport with three hours in hand.
The controllable costs are the hotel district and the excursions. Staying in Deira rather than the Marina and booking two paid attractions instead of five is the difference most travellers feel.
London family visit
Lagos to London · 10 days
Best months: May to September for long daylight; December for the festive season
Days 1–2:Arrival, rest, and a slow first day — long-haul arrivals into the UK morning are harder than they look on paper.
Days 3–5:Central London on a travel card: the free national museums, a South Bank walk, and one paid attraction booked in advance.
Days 6–7:Family time and local errands; markets and parks cost nothing and fill a weekend well.
Days 8–9:A day trip by train — Oxford, Brighton or Windsor are all comfortable returns in a day when tickets are booked ahead.
Day 10:Departure, allowing for Heathrow or Gatwick queues at peak hours.
Advance train tickets and a contactless daily cap on London transport save more than hotel-hunting does on a trip of this length.
Johannesburg and Cape Town
Lagos to Johannesburg, onward to Cape Town · 8 days
Best months: October to April for Cape Town weather
Days 1–3:Johannesburg: Apartheid Museum, Constitution Hill and a guided Soweto visit, using arranged transport rather than walking between districts.
Day 4:Domestic flight to Cape Town, booked as a separate leg with enough connection time to clear the transfer comfortably.
Days 5–7:Table Mountain on the clearest forecast day, the Cape Peninsula drive, and a Winelands afternoon.
Day 8:V&A Waterfront morning, then the return routing home.
Book the domestic Johannesburg–Cape Town leg early; it is the part of this trip that moves most in price.
What we handle
One team for the whole trip
You send the trip idea; we handle the moving parts that usually cost Nigerian travellers time and money.
Flights out of Nigeria
Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt departures compared across direct and one-stop routings, with baggage and transit-visa rules checked before you book.
Everything to sort in the two weeks before you fly out of Nigeria.
We'll email the checklist and occasional travel deals. Unsubscribe anytime.
Plan your trip abroad
Send your destination and dates and our Lagos team will come back with flight, hotel and visa options — usually the same working day.
Frequently asked questions
How far ahead should I book a flight from Nigeria?
Six to ten weeks ahead for regional African routes and three to five months for long-haul routes to Europe, North America, the Gulf and Asia. Fares out of Lagos and Abuja can rise as departure approaches, particularly during busy travel periods.
Do you handle the visa paperwork too?
Yes. We provide visa assistance — document checklists, appointment guidance, itinerary and hotel confirmations for the application file. We do not influence embassy decisions; the embassy alone approves or refuses a visa.
Can I book the flight, hotel and tours together?
Yes. Most clients book the whole trip in one enquiry — flight, hotel, transfers, tours and travel insurance — so the dates and confirmations line up for the visa application and for arrival.
Which destinations do Nigerians travel to most through Bemer Travels?
Dubai, the United Kingdom, Turkey, South Africa, Canada, Qatar, China, Kenya and Italy are our most requested destinations from Lagos and Abuja.
Start Planning Today
Ready to travel?
Book your next trip with Bemer Travels today — flights, hotels, tours, car rentals, visa assistance and travel insurance, all handled by one trusted team.
