{"id":103878,"date":"2018-08-09T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2018-08-09T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/travelstartblg.wpenginepowered.com\/south-african-in-nigeria\/"},"modified":"2025-11-04T13:55:05","modified_gmt":"2025-11-04T13:55:05","slug":"south-african-in-nigeria","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.travelstart.co.za\/blog\/south-african-in-nigeria\/","title":{"rendered":"A South African in Nigeria – what it\u2019s really like"},"content":{"rendered":"

Lagos<\/a>\u00a0is hot, humid and loud for any South African in Nigeria. Not in a tropical island sort of way really, more like you\u2019re walking into a wall of heat and sound and you feel a little disorientated. My connotations with Nigeria before I visited the country were definitely not sunshine and roses\u2026<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Landing in Nigeria, Murtala Muhammed International Airport<\/a> in Lagos was what I had researched most ahead of my trip to Africa\u2019s largest city. If Internet forums and reviews were to be believed, this is where I would lose all my life\u2019s savings, luggage and dignity, so I was reasonably concerned about how my trip through Nigerian customs control would go.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Zippy yellow tuk-tuks are all over Lagos. Photo: Joshua Oluwagbemiga.<\/em><\/p>\n

As it turns out, there wasn\u2019t much to fear as a South African in Nigeria. The city\u2019s airport is really just like very many others I\u2019ve passed through. Yes, the queues are long, but have you been through Dubai? Yes, the security guards are intimidating, but have you flown to Berlin? Yes, people are pretty loud and \u2018shouty\u2019, but have you ever travelled in Africa<\/a>?<\/span><\/p>\n

After reading all the online forums and then making my way through customs myself, I can happily report that nobody has died waiting in those queues or been permanently detained and had to take up residence in the airport. So, you will make it through, just be patient and polite and wait until you\u2019re instructed on where to go.<\/span><\/p>\n

There is also the rumour that unless you pay a fixer to get you through the airport, you won\u2019t make it. This is not true at all. I can assure you that the airport officials don\u2019t want you waiting around in their halls for kicks, and are more likely to push you through than hold you back at the counters.<\/span><\/p>\n

Travelling through Lagos<\/span><\/h2>\n

Lagos is an incredible city in so many ways. If there ever needed to be a physical testament to the survival instinct of human beings, I would probably start here. Despite poor infrastructure and terrible living conditions, there is a sense of pride in every person that I met during my trip to Lagos.<\/span><\/p>\n

Half-built buildings sit next to huge glass office blocks, with luxe hotels dotted in between. Restaurants and roadside street food stalls all offer delicious-smelling treats and artists advertise their wares both on street corners and in polar air-conditioned galleries on Victoria Island<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s also a confusing city, but that\u2019s what made it so fascinating for me. There is\u00a0camaraderie and familiarity between strangers that contributes to the culture of Lagos. So while on the outside the shouting and constant bargaining and arguing can be exhausting for a South African in Nigeria, it\u2019s all part of the city that would be rather dull without it.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sadly, the city has very little in terms of discernible tourist infrastructure. Forget public transport, you\u2019ll need a driver to traverse the crazy lanes of traffic and a local guide is pretty much a must if you want to really discover the city. Hire cars do usually come with a driver, and unless you\u2019re either stupid-brave or used to the traffic, I would not recommend trying to drive yourself.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Ikoyi Island in Lagos. Photo: Kate Els<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Luckily, travelling as a South African in Nigeria for work does mean that I had access to local colleagues and was looked after from start to end. And since my trip, I have encouraged many friends and family that have been, to also ask for local recommendations from their hosts. It\u2019s the easiest way to turn any work trip into something a bit more fulfilling, in any case.<\/span><\/p>\n

What to see in Lagos<\/span><\/h2>\n

While it may not be easy to travel around Lagos because of the traffic, there are a number of places of interest that are worth visiting if you have the time and are in the area. I was lucky enough to cover quite a few of these, but have curated this list with some colleagues and friends that have travelled to Lagos in recent years:<\/span><\/p>\n