Camera PV 2007 » Digital Camera » Visiting Lagos, Nigeria
Visiting Lagos, Nigeria
Question:
Hello everyone I shortly have to travel to Lagos, Nigeria on business. I’ve been invited by one of the banks, and a representative will meet me at the airport and help me get around town. So that parts ok. But given the reputation of Nigeria in general and Lagos specifically, I googled about and read plenty of web pages / travel blogs. Has anybody reading this been to Lagos? If so, how recently and could you please summarise your experience? I’d like to know if I should leave the Rolex, iPod and TiBook at home or if some of the stories are just that, stories. Am I going to have trouble with Customs / Immigration, particularly with my personal property? And how prevalent are bribes? Is what you read just BS or true? Should I plan for this, especially when entering and leaving the country? Finally, what shots did you get? I haven’t been to a GP yet and wasn’t sure about precisely what to get. I’m sure the good Doctor will know, but it doesn’t hurt to be an informed patient. FWIW, I’m American but live in London and will be travelling BA. I’ll be travelling alone, and staying at Le Meridien. Thanks for your help - I appreciate any information you can give me. I know that more than likely it will be ok, but just wanted to ask. Take care
Response:
leave the valuables at home. Lagos is the Nairobi of West Africa. If you show off what the others don’t have your only asking for trouble. Change your $ only at banks. You didn’t say how long your going for but if for only a couple weeks, take the basics only in one sack. You can get your clothes washed anywhere and you can buy the necessities for pennies. As for vaccinations, Malaria pills depending on how long your there, tetnus and your Hep ones. Just be very mindful of your health when you go there, don’t eat from the street venders, don’t eat salads, make sure you eat foods that you can peel(banana, mango, orange etc..) eat vegetables only if they are well cooked. Make sure all your food is well cooked. watch out for scams bigtime and also when buying things at market.. make sure the item is in the box and it is what you paid for. ie: my friend bought a cd/tape player from the market. The seller had many to view and check out. the box was sealed like new when he got it, however, when he opened it, it was only filled with rocks and sawdust. when he went back to the market to confront the guy he was gone. no one heard of him and he just dissappeared. Nigeria has a large Muslim population so keep the cultural aspects in mind. don’t believe everything you hear, experience it for yourself. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Finally, what shots did you get? I haven’t been to a GP yet > and wasn’t sure about precisely what to get. I’m sure the good Doctor > will know, but it doesn’t hurt to be an informed patient. > FWIW, I’m American but live in London and will be travelling > BA. I’ll be travelling alone, and staying at Le Meridien. > Thanks for your help - I appreciate any information you can > give me. I know that more than likely it will be ok, but just > wanted to ask. > Take care
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> leave the valuables at home. Lagos is the Nairobi of West Africa. > If you show off what the others don’t have your only asking for trouble. > Change your $ only at banks. > You didn’t say how long your going for but if for only a couple weeks, take > the basics only in one sack. You can get your clothes washed anywhere and > you can buy the necessities for pennies. > As for vaccinations, Malaria pills depending on how long your there, tetnus > and your Hep ones. > Just be very mindful of your health when you go there, don’t eat from the > street venders, don’t eat salads, make sure you eat foods that you can > peel(banana, mango, orange etc..) eat vegetables only if they are well > cooked. Make sure all your food is well cooked. > watch out for scams bigtime and also when buying things at market.. make > sure the item is in the box and it is what you paid for. > ie: my friend bought a cd/tape player from the market. The seller had many > to view and check out. the box was sealed like new when he got it, however, > when he opened it, it was only filled with rocks and sawdust. when he went > back to the market to confront the guy he was gone. no one heard of him and > he just dissappeared. > Nigeria has a large Muslim population so keep the cultural aspects in mind. > don’t believe everything you hear, experience it for yourself.
Yep, I’m afraid everything you’ve heard is probably true. Just think the worst and guard against everything, and you’ll probably be OK. As a ‘company’ man with a local ‘guide’ you’ll probably be insulated from a lot. (But our agent out there once tried a big con on us!!!!!). I would like to say that underneath all this is a culture that you might find and enjoy, but I never did in some years of visiting (and I am normally a very keen ‘in depth’ traveller). Out of Lagos (Kano, Ibadan, Benin City, Port Harcourt, etc.) you *will* find the attractive Nigeria, although always be on your guard. And, incidentally, the climate is xxxxxxxxxxx!!!!!!! Xxxxxxxx hot and xxxxxxx humid with it. Doesn’t help if your power (mainly, electricity for air conditioning, which frequently goes off) is not backed up by generators! Try and enjoy your stay! I have no regrets that I’ll probably never to back to Lagos again. Surreyman
Response:
Why is a bank inviting you to Nigeria? That in itself sounds dodgy to me. They are not wanting you to "look after" some money for them, are – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Hello everyone > I shortly have to travel to Lagos, Nigeria on business. > I’ve been invited by one of the banks, and a representative will > meet me at the airport and help me get around town. So that parts > ok. > But given the reputation of Nigeria in general and Lagos specifically, > I googled about and read plenty of web pages / travel blogs. > Has anybody reading this been to Lagos? If so, how recently > and could you please summarise your experience? I’d like to > know if I should leave the Rolex, iPod and TiBook at home or > if some of the stories are just that, stories. > Am I going to have trouble with Customs / Immigration, particularly > with my personal property? And how prevalent are bribes? Is what > you read just BS or true? Should I plan for this, especially when > entering and leaving the country? > Finally, what shots did you get? I haven’t been to a GP yet > and wasn’t sure about precisely what to get. I’m sure the good Doctor > will know, but it doesn’t hurt to be an informed patient. > FWIW, I’m American but live in London and will be travelling > BA. I’ll be travelling alone, and staying at Le Meridien. > Thanks for your help - I appreciate any information you can > give me. I know that more than likely it will be ok, but just > wanted to ask. > Take care
Response:
Heh. No, I work for a Financial Services firm that sells Financial Services to banks. We just sold to a bank in Lagos, and I’m going down for post sales support. In the Western world this is a fun thing to do but I’m not so sure about Lagos. Anyhow, thanks to everyone who replied. Between this thread and my own googling I’ve decided to visit butt nekkid, or as close to nekkid as I can be and get on the plane from Heathrow. : Why is a bank inviting you to Nigeria? That in itself sounds dodgy to me. : They are not wanting you to "look after" some money for them, are
:> Hello everyone :> :> I shortly have to travel to Lagos, Nigeria on business. :> I’ve been invited by one of the banks, and a representative will :> meet me at the airport and help me get around town. So that parts :> ok. :> :> But given the reputation of Nigeria in general and Lagos specifically, :> I googled about and read plenty of web pages / travel blogs. :> :> Has anybody reading this been to Lagos? If so, how recently :> and could you please summarise your experience? I’d like to :> know if I should leave the Rolex, iPod and TiBook at home or :> if some of the stories are just that, stories. :> :> Am I going to have trouble with Customs / Immigration, particularly :> with my personal property? And how prevalent are bribes? Is what :> you read just BS or true? Should I plan for this, especially when :> entering and leaving the country? :> :> Finally, what shots did you get? I haven’t been to a GP yet :> and wasn’t sure about precisely what to get. I’m sure the good Doctor :> will know, but it doesn’t hurt to be an informed patient. :> :> FWIW, I’m American but live in London and will be travelling :> BA. I’ll be travelling alone, and staying at Le Meridien. :> :> Thanks for your help - I appreciate any information you can :> give me. I know that more than likely it will be ok, but just :> wanted to ask. :> :> Take care :> :> :>
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Heh. No, I work for a Financial Services firm that sells >Financial Services to banks. We just sold to a bank in Lagos, >and I’m going down for post sales support. >In the Western world this is a fun thing to do but I’m not so >sure about Lagos. >Anyhow, thanks to everyone who replied. Between this thread >and my own googling I’ve decided to visit butt nekkid, or as close >to nekkid as I can be and get on the plane from Heathrow. >: Why is a bank inviting you to Nigeria? That in itself sounds dodgy to me. >: They are not wanting you to "look after" some money for them, are >:> Hello everyone >:> >:> I shortly have to travel to Lagos, Nigeria on business. >:> I’ve been invited by one of the banks, and a representative will >:> meet me at the airport and help me get around town. So that parts >:> ok. >:> >:> But given the reputation of Nigeria in general and Lagos specifically, >:> I googled about and read plenty of web pages / travel blogs. >:> >:> Has anybody reading this been to Lagos? If so, how recently >:> and could you please summarise your experience? I’d like to >:> know if I should leave the Rolex, iPod and TiBook at home or >:> if some of the stories are just that, stories. >:> >:> Am I going to have trouble with Customs / Immigration, particularly >:> with my personal property? And how prevalent are bribes? Is what >:> you read just BS or true? Should I plan for this, especially when >:> entering and leaving the country? >:> >:> Finally, what shots did you get? I haven’t been to a GP yet >:> and wasn’t sure about precisely what to get. I’m sure the good Doctor >:> will know, but it doesn’t hurt to be an informed patient. >:> >:> FWIW, I’m American but live in London and will be travelling >:> BA. I’ll be travelling alone, and staying at Le Meridien. >:> >:> Thanks for your help - I appreciate any information you can >:> give me. I know that more than likely it will be ok, but just >:> wanted to ask. >:> >:> Take care >:> >:> >:>
I think Lagos is just the right place for Spam to go!! I think he should go with the Rolex and laptop and also take a digital camera and anything else he may need. Lagos will definitely be good for him. Pat — Pat Anderson
Response:
Well the trip was pretty un-eventful. Except I tripped and managed to knock myself on a hole in the street on Victoria Island, Lagos. Now I’ve got to say this : those folks ain’t got much but what I dropped all over the streets down there when I fell got returned to me. This simply would NOT have happened in either New York (where I lived for thirteen years) or London (where I’ve lived for about seven). I don’t carry a wallet and my credit cards from my shirt pocket went flying all about. But everything was returned – no problems. Amazing testament to those folks. Absolutely no problem. Took all the toys and returned with all the toys, scary stories notwithstanding. I figured between my own insurance and the firms, anything that got "confiscated" I wouldn’t be paying for. I appreciate all the useful feedback but to be honest, I get far more problems from the rather xeno-phobic British Immigration people than I did from the professional and curt folks working the same job in Laogs. No problems at all entering or leaving Lagos.