Lagos

Photo © TLWH

Introduction

Lagos might not be the capital of Nigeria (centrally located Abuja is) but it is by far the largest city in the country and most of the economical and financial life takes place here, as does criminal life and safety is a major concern here. As a matter of fact, it probably is the biggest city in Africa and one of the fastest growing anywhere in the world. It's estimated that around 15 million people live in the concrete urban jungle that Lagos is.

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Neighbourhoods

The main districts are the mainland, Greater Lagos and the Islands. Three major bridges join the island to the mainland. They are the Carter Bridge which start from Iddo Island, the Eko Bridge (formerly called the Second Mainland Bridge) and the Third Mainland Bridge which passes through densely populated mainland suburbs through Lagos lagoon.

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Sights and Activities

There are also lots of markets to see, although it can be very tiring. Usually safe during the day.
Badagry Town - The ancient slave port of Badagry - also known as the 'Point of No Return'. This ancient town of Badagry was founded around 1425 A.D. Before its existence, people lived along the Coast of Gberefu and this area later gave birth to the town of Badagry. It is the second largest commercial town in Lagos State, located an hour from Lagos and half hour from the Republic du Benin.
National Museum of Nigeria, Awolowo Rd (On Lagos Island, opposite Muson Centre). 9:00am-4:00pm daily - The Museum Kitchen is open on weekdays and is a good place to try local Nigerian cuisine. ₦100 for Nigerians, ₦200 foreigners.

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Weather

Lagos is hot and humid year round, with temperatures around 30 °C on most days. February to May is a bit hotter, when even nights are very warm at 26 °C on average. Although the rainy season lasts from May to October, there generally is a peak in May/June and another in October, while in between it is relatively dry.

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Avg Max	32.2 °C	33.1 °C	32.7 °C	32.1 °C	30.9 °C	29.2 °C	28.1 °C	28.1 °C	28.9 °C	30.4 °C	31 °C	31.9 °C
Avg Min	22.3 °C	23.5 °C	23.8 °C	23.6 °C	23.1 °C	22.6 °C	22.1 °C	21.7 °C	21.9 °C	22.3 °C	22.6 °C	22.4 °C
Rainfall	14.3 mm	42 mm	77.1 mm	142.4 mm	204.8 mm	312.2 mm	256.9 mm	112.4 mm	167.1 mm	135.8 mm	54 mm	19 mm
Rain Days	1.5	2.7	6.4	8.9	12.4	16.2	13.2	11.6	12.7	10.9	4.9	1.4

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Getting There

By Plane

Murtala Muhammed International Airport (LOS) is the country's main airport and has domestic and international connections. Most major African cities are served as well as Atlanta, London, Madrid, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Beirut, Doha, New York City, Istanbul, Paris, Rome, Beijing, Dubai, Guangzhou and Houston.

By Train

Lagos Terminus, Murtala Muhammed Rd (Across the bridge from Lagos Island) is the city's hub for long distance trains and can be quite chaotic.

By Bus

Several bus companies like ABC Transport, Ifesinachi and The Young Shall Grow offers daily services from almost all major cities around the country as well as international destination in West Africa. While buses usually are quite comfortable, journey times are very long.

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Getting Around

If traveling around Lagos, be sure to be accompanied by a tourist guide who is familiar with the routes. Moving around Lagos has become much easier in recent times with street signs on every single street corner making it easier to locate places and landmarks. With the city spending huge budgets on security, there has been a huge reduction in crime generally. For the most part, it's safe to move about during the day. If you are going out at night, be sure to go in groups, and stick to known routes.

If you are not on a tight budget, you should hire a car and driver, usually available from most of the major hotels and the airport. The price will be around ₦1,000-2,000 per hour, you will be expected to haggle. Talk to the drivers and find one you think will be able to communicate best with as they will be able to tell you things about the places you pass.

By Car

The road network of Lagos for the most part is good, but sometimes traffic congestion and limited parking space especially during working hours is rife. Be sure to be on the lookout for road signs, in order to avoid entering one-way roads or streets. LASTMA (Lagos State Traffic Management Agency) is the body responsible for managing traffic in most of the traffic congestion areas. Make sure to follow traffic rules, and avoid driving in the BRT Bus lanes to avoid getting a fine or having your car impounded.

There exists car parks around in hotels, shopping malls, and some of them provide free and safe parking. But if parking in other areas around the city be ready to pay around N200 or more. (N360=$1)

One of the easiest ways to get around is by taxi. Taxis cost more than buses, typically. With the older taxi cabs it is expected to negotiate the price before you enter and pay on arrival. The cabs are relatively safe. The state has embarked on gradual replacement of rickety buses and taxi cabs with modern ones, fitted with good facilities to enhance comfort.

Through public-private partnerships, new cabs are being introduced regularly by licensed cab operators. With fare as low as N500, depending on the distance, the new air-conditioned taxi cabs are already creating a new image for Lagos. Taxis can be found almost everywhere, and all the new cabs have numbers on them that you can call for a pick up. There are several cab companies servicing Lagos, using both metered and fixed fares,and they generally accept cash.

By Public Transport

Lagos now has decent mass transit buses courtesy of the Bus Rapid Transit(BRT)schemes. The BRT lines run on physically segregated lanes and thus make them run faster while private cars are stuck in traffic. The system is run by two operators, NURTW Cooperative (Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers) and Lagbus, a Lagos State Government owned Asset Management Company. The Buses are coloured red (LagBus), and blue (NURTW).

The BRT is one of the three-pronged attacks the state has unleashed against the urban traffic congestion in Lagos. Buses can be an inexpensive and convenient option. Bus fares are relatively affordable and there are numerous routes being plied from the Mainland to the Islands.

The tickets for the BRT and the Lagbus can be purchased at the bus stops before boarding. Tickets range from 100-250 Naira. However, the ticket vendors are seldom available in the evening even though the buses ply till late at night. It makes good sense to purchase a ticket booklet or a couple of tickets in bulk beforehand since these don't contain a timestamp.

There are also smaller yellow buses (Danfo) that ply all routes from the mainland to the island and within mainland. For a newbie, the yellow bus system can be quite confusing and it makes good sense to approach a local for help. The local Nigerians will be more than happy to help an Oyinbo(white person). The fare is fixed and starts from 50 Naira and increases as per distance.

The BRT buses are faster, cleaner and more convenient. They carry hundreds of thousands of passengers on a weekly basis.

Lagos Ferry Services Company runs scheduled routes between Lagos Island, Banana island, Mile 2 (Apapa axis) and the mainland,. Modern ferries have been assigned to carry both passengers and cargo on the lagoon and on some creeks. The service charge is quite affordable for a tourist.

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Sleep

Lagos has some great hotels and many more are being built. There are many 4 star hotels for the price of a 3 star hotel. Try to get a hotel on Victoria Island.

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