Discover
Lagos
Quick facts
- Country: Nigeria
- Currency: Nigerian Naira (NGN)
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Lagos, Nigeria — one of the real routes we help travelers book flights to.
Country
Nigeria
Currency
Nigerian Naira (NGN)
History
Lagos began as a small Yoruba settlement on Lagos Island known to the Awori people as "Oko", before the Benin Empire conquered the area in the 16th century and renamed it "Eko". Portuguese sailors reached the island in 1472, and by the 1760s Portuguese traders had built a slave-trading post there, renaming it "Lagos" after the port city in southern Portugal. Britain annexed Lagos in 1861, and it went on to serve as the administrative centre of colonial Nigeria and then as the capital of independent Nigeria from 1960 until the government relocated to the purpose-built city of Abuja in December 1991. Lagos remains Nigeria's commercial and cultural centre — with a metropolitan population estimated at more than 20 million, it is the largest city in sub-Saharan Africa, spread across islands and a mainland linked by bridges including the Third Mainland Bridge.
Top Sites to Visit
Nike Art Gallery
A four-storey gallery in Lekki run by artist Nike Okundaye, holding over 7,000 works of contemporary and traditional Nigerian art and textiles.
Lekki Conservation Centre
A 78-hectare nature reserve established in 1990, home to monkeys, tortoises and peacocks, with Africa's longest canopy walkway strung above the forest.
Nigerian National Museum, Onikan
Established in 1957 on Lagos Island, with Benin bronzes, Nok terracottas, royal carvings and ethnographic exhibits.
Tafawa Balewa Square
A 14.5-hectare ceremonial ground opened in 1972 on Lagos Island, marked by sculpted horses and eagles at its gates and the Remembrance Arcade war memorials.
Balogun Market
One of West Africa's largest open-air markets, sprawling across many streets of Lagos Island and known for textiles, fabrics and household goods.
Tarkwa Bay Beach
A sheltered, boat-access-only beach near the Lagos harbour, reached by a short ride from jetties on Lagos Island; calm water makes it popular for swimming.
Elegushi Beach
A private beach in Lekki, reachable by road, popular with locals for weekend parties, food stalls and jet-skiing.
Activities
Browse thousands of works of contemporary Nigerian art at the Nike Art Gallery in Lekki
Walk the canopy walkway above the forest at Lekki Conservation Centre
Take a short boat ride from a Lagos Island jetty out to Tarkwa Bay to swim
Bargain for fabric and crafts at Balogun Market on Lagos Island
View Benin bronzes and Nok terracottas at the Nigerian National Museum in Onikan
Catch a live Afrobeat show at the New Afrika Shrine in Ikeja
Spend a weekend afternoon at Elegushi Beach in Lekki
Cross the Third Mainland Bridge outside rush hour for views over the Lagos Lagoon
Conferences & Sporting Events
Felabration — next running 12–18 October 2026
An annual week-long Afrobeat festival at the New Afrika Shrine in Ikeja, held every year around Fela Kuti's 15 October birthday, with live music, panel discussions and art exhibitions celebrating his legacy.
Travel Tips
All travelers over 9 months old need a yellow fever vaccination certificate (issued at least 10 days before arrival) to enter Nigeria — immigration checks it on arrival, and arriving without one can mean mandatory on-the-spot vaccination or being denied entry.
The Third Mainland Bridge is heavily congested from roughly 6:00–10:00am and 4:00–8:30pm; where possible, travel outside those windows or use the BRT bus lanes or a ferry to cross between the mainland and the islands.
The UK FCDO advises caution moving around Lagos, particularly the mainland, and recommends avoiding travel on foot after dark given the risk of street crime, mugging and carjacking in crowded areas.
Use licensed ride-hailing apps (Uber, Bolt) rather than danfo minibuses — they're the safer and more predictable way to get around the city.
Cash is still preferred for most everyday transactions; carry small naira notes, and if an ATM is out of cash, POS agent kiosks (common on most street corners) will dispense cash for a small fee, typically 1–2%.
Cards are widely accepted at malls, hotels and upscale restaurants in areas like Victoria Island and Lekki, but don't count on it elsewhere — keep cash on hand as a backup.
How you'll pay
Card via Stripe
Card or mobile money via DPO
Card or mobile money via Pesapal