[Closed] Anybody travelled to Nigeria recently?

I work in Nigeria. You will need Yellow Fever, and a valid certificate or you'll be fined as you enter the airport, and made to have the injection there and then anyhow. Other vacs my company recommend inc. Rabies, Hep A+B, Typhoid, Tetanus,pretty much you name it, you'll need vaccinating for it. Your company and/or your GP will have a list of necessary injections. Also mnake sure you take Anti Malaria prophylaxis - Malarone or Fansidar are the 2 current ones we use. I work as an Offshore Medic so i see the effects on those who ignore there meds regularly. Are you staying at the Sheraton? Its nice if you are. Lagos aint so bad.

I hear the 'anti-scam' jab is kinda useful when travelling anywhere in the proximity of Nigeria.

thanks, i'll give the doctor a bell then.

don't know which hotel it is yet, i know it has a terrace and a pool is all!

smogmonster - if you're an offshore medic, do you ever get out to people on the platforms? One of my in-laws works on one somewhere between Bonny Island and Eket.

Spacemonkey, i work on one rig only, its a semisub drilling unit. We get loads of 3rd Party workers out though, who does he work for?

Michael Wright - i forgot to mention, make sure you are being picked up by a reputable company. We use Premier Worldwide Logistics, and also Libertine Security Solutions to make sure we dont (touchwood) run into problems. Dont try to find your own way around. It can be dangerous in the worng areas (like anywhere else in the world).

oooh, how is it nowadays? I lived there in the late 80s when I was 12ish as expats on Victoria Island.

Ikoyi Club still going? American Intl School? God, I had a great time there 🙂

Exxon Mobil - he's some kind of project/engineering manager. One month on, one month off. TBH I don't know much about what he does out there, except he gets choppered on and off and was shot at a few months ago!

the nigerian person in the office here with me says just be sure you have the Fansidar and you'll be ok.

he rejects the anti-scam comment with disgust 😉

Victoria Island still posh - a friend lives there, not too sure bout the rest, we stick to the hotel in between flights in and out.

What Smogmonster said + 1 dont miss out on the Anti Malarial drugs, some guy have and suffered.

Keep away from the nightfighters as well.

18 months since i was there, oh how i miss the depression that sets in as i used to walk from the BA flight to the Immigration desk, Oh the joys of Warri, Port H, Brass and the relatively normality of Eket and Calibar.

thanks folks

immunisations booked for saturday, glad i'm not paying the bill (£240)

bit late in the day mind, supposed to be 2 weeks before hand and i'm going in 10 days

staying at the Eko hotel which looks alright

I used to go to the Eko hotel all the time - we had passes to use the pool through friends. Looks like it hasn't changed at all 🙂

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[GRUMP]

well i'm here now and if by nothing changed you mean still not finished then you'd be right

utter utter mental hole of a place

i'm with a few people who've been to quite few cities in Africa and they agree that Lagos seems to have no redeeming features

the drive in from the airport was on of the most frightening, exhilarating and boring things i've ever done, all at once.

nothing is finished, anywhere, everybody above basic staff level just lies to you to shut you up although the 'bottom of the pile' staff seem to be ok (the worst culprit is sadly a scot)

i can honestly say i can't wait to get back on the plane, if i make it to the airport in one piece that is!

And to cap it all off the hotel is the most expensive i've ever stayed in, the drinks and food cost more than a 6 star hotel in Dubai or the Landmark in london and at least there you get 5 star service.

[/GRUMP]

to be fair though, makes you realise how monumentality privileged we are in our cosseted 'oh no services are being cut, damn this recession, we're all doomed' land

[GRUMP]

well i'm here now and if by nothing changed you mean still not finished then you'd be right

utter utter mental hole of a place

i'm with a few people who've been to quite few cities in Africa and they agree that Lagos seems to have no redeeming features

the drive in from the airport was on of the most frightening, exhilarating and boring things i've ever done, all at once.

nothing is finished, anywhere, everybody above basic staff level just lies to you to shut you up although the 'bottom of the pile' staff seem to be ok (the worst culprit is sadly a scot)

i can honestly say i can't wait to get back on the plane, if i make it to the airport in one piece that is!

And to cap it all off the hotel is the most expensive i've ever stayed in, the drinks and food cost more than a 6 star hotel in Dubai or the Landmark in london and at least there you get 5 star service.

[/GRUMP]

to be fair though, makes you realise how monumentality privileged we are in our cosseted 'oh no services are being cut, damn this recession, we're all doomed' land

Ah culture shock. Can't beat it.

Say hello to the area boyz...

holy thread resurrection.....

i enjoyed it so much i'm going back 😯

to add to the joy i've got a whole day free to take in the city. is it possible to do anything does anybody know? didn't leave the compound last time but i'd like too if it's possible.

Play 'Hunt the Princess' ?

Edit: I've just noticed that you've already been but having typed all this I'll leave it anyway. TBH there isn't much to do apart from relaxing by the hotel pool and drinking yourself into a stupour. If you were staying in Ikeja I could link you up with a colleague there and he could take you for a game of tennis or something with his family. You could always get the hotel to find you a driver and go for a tour of VI and Ikoyi.

I've been going to Nigeria for nearly 30 years, twice or three times a year. Don't believe all the claptrap about how horrible it is; Lagos is a fascinating, bustling, amazing city and it's a pity you're going to be stuck in the Eko hotel and not getting out for a look around. The current Lagos state governor is only stealing some of the money, not all of it so some is being spent on the city, which looks and works a lot better than it used to. They even bought bulbs for the traffic lights, which drivers obey but only because they know that if they jump a red they will get relieved of all their cash.

Try to fly with Air France if you can, they are cheaper than BA and the flight arrives conveniently early on Sunday.

At the airport keep your yellow fever certificate handy because they will ask for it but also have some dollars handy because they will probably tell you it's forged (most are) and insist on a dash anyway. It just depends on how greedy the bogus port health officer of the day is feeling.

Have you got your visa? That's a nightmare, give your passport to a professional visa agent like CIBT UK. Tell them you are going for [b]business discussions only[/b] or else the Nigerians will insist you get a temporary work permit, which will take a month to get from Abuja.

Don't bother with the malaria drugs - really. My British colleagues who live there don't and they have been fine in many years. The important thing is to avoid being bitten at all so do bother with a DEET-based insect repellent, cover your ankles and arms and neck with it and if you suspect there's a mossie in your room call Housekeeping to spray the room. Better still carry a small can of insecticide and do it every night.

Do ask your doctor to give you some Lomotil for diarrhoea and Ciproflaxacin to deal with the bugs; first-timers often get a tummy problem on day 2 or 3.

You will to enjoy the Nigerians; they are fun, clever, educated and resourceful people and you'll be amazed at their energy when they put their minds to something. They brew excellent beer so make sure you try some Star and some Gulder. The Heineken is just Star re-branded and a lot more expensive. Try the Guinness too, it's different from ours, Lagos has the biggest Guinness brewery in the world, bigger then Dublin.

If any "official" gives you a hard time just relax, smile, shake their hands and move on. Nigerians can't resist a joke and the best way to deal with them is to smile and greet them courteously.

thanks, that pretty much sums up my experience. think i'll have a bit of a walk around, seems to be in a safe area. i'd love to get the hotel to book me something but they will rip me off massively. maybe my client will be about and up for something.