My Actual Struggle Picking Nigerian Airports
So I totally blanked when planning my Nigeria trip last month. Saw flights landing in different cities on the booking site and just froze. Which airport actually makes sense? Lagos? Abuja? Kano? Zero clue. Went with the cheapest ticket landing in Lagos. Big mistake.
Landed at Murtala Muhammed International late at night. Cool, right? Nope. Got hit with this insane, slow-moving visa-on-arrival line. Took over two freaking hours just to get stamped in. Felt like eternity. Luggage carousel was pure chaos too – my bag took another hour to show up. By the time I stumbled out looking for my ride, the driver had almost bounced ’cause he waited so long. Not the chill start I wanted.
Meeting a client in Abuja two days later? Had to fly domestic. Didn’t realize how bad Lagos traffic is EVERY SINGLE DAY. What Google Maps said was 30 minutes turned into a sweaty, horn-honking two-hour panic attack crawling to the domestic terminal. Almost missed my dang flight. Makes me wanna pull my hair out thinking about it.
What I’d Totally Do Different Now
Learned my lesson the hard way. Here’s my straight-up advice:
- Think Final Destination FIRST: Don’t just chase cheap tickets. If you’re mainly in Abuja or the North, seriously consider flying straight into Nnamdi Azikiwe in Abuja (ABV), even if it costs a bit more. Saving $100 ain’t worth wasting a whole day stuck in Lagos chaos or missing connections.
- Lagos Arrivals? Give Yourself SPACE: Landed in LOS? Cool. But build in MAJOR buffer time. I mean it. Got a connecting domestic flight? Minimum 4 hours between landing and your next take-off. Arriving late? Book your ride way in advance and warn them about delays. Assume everything will be slower than you think.
- Ditch Lagos Altogether If Possible: Heading north or mostly staying in Abuja? Dude, just fly into ABV. Abuja airport is smaller, way less chaotic, and traffic into the city is usually manageable. Saved my sanity on the return trip. Night and day difference.
- Domestic Flights Aren’t Always Smoother: Thought hopping from Lagos to Abuja would be quick? Maybe, but getting to that domestic flight in Lagos traffic is the real fight. Factor that mess in!
Bottom line after sweating bullets? Match the airport to your actual destination. Paying a little extra upfront saves you cash on last-minute taxis, hotels ’cause you missed flights, and most importantly, saves your sanity. Trust me, Lagos arrivals are no joke. Choose wisely!
