UK ⇄ Nigeria

UK Passport Holder's Guide to Flying to Lagos

If you're planning to fly from the UK to Lagos, the single most important thing to know is this: Nigeria does not offer visa-on-arrival for British tourists. You need to apply for an eVisa and get it approved before you travel. There's no option to sort it out at the airport, no matter what you might have heard from someone who went a few years ago — this has changed.

Do you need a visa?

Yes. British passport holders need a visa to enter Nigeria for any purpose — tourism, business, or visiting family. There's no visa-free arrangement and, as of 2026, no visa-on-arrival option for tourists either. The application has to be completed and approved online, in advance, through Nigeria's official immigration portal.

The standard tourist option is usually called the Short-Term/Tourist Visa. The whole process runs through the Nigeria Immigration Service's own portal — not a travel agent, not the airline, not a third-party site pretending to be official.

How long does it actually take?

Processing is typically quoted at 48–72 hours in normal conditions. But if you're travelling in November through January — the "Detty December" peak season, when a huge number of diaspora visits happen at once — it can stretch to one to two weeks simply because of volume. If your trip falls in that window, apply at least a month ahead. Don't leave it to the week before.

The passport rule that catches people out

Your passport needs at least six months of validity remaining beyond your travel date. This is enforced strictly — not a guideline, a hard requirement. If your passport is close to that line, renew it before you even start the visa application, not after.

If you're only transiting (not actually leaving the airport)

If you're connecting through a Nigerian airport without leaving the international transit area — staying airside, with a confirmed onward ticket — you typically don't need a visa for that. The moment you pass through immigration or leave the airport, though, a visa is required, transit or not. If there's any chance your connection involves a terminal change that takes you through immigration, treat it as if you need the visa, and confirm directly with your airline.

The health requirement people forget

A yellow fever vaccination is required for travellers arriving from countries where yellow fever is present, and recommended more broadly for visitors to Nigeria. If you need it, it has to be done in advance — this isn't something arranged at the airport. Talk to a travel health clinic or your GP well before your trip, since it's a specific vaccine that isn't always available same-day. Some clinics also recommend Hepatitis A and Typhoid protection for the trip; that's a conversation for a travel health professional, not something to self-diagnose from a blog post.

The realistic checklist

• Apply for your eVisa early — weeks, not days, especially Nov–Jan
• Check your passport has 6+ months validity from your travel date, and renew now if it's borderline
• Sort a yellow fever vaccination with enough lead time if you need one
• Keep transit rules in mind if you have a connection — confirmed onward ticket, stay airside, or expect to need the visa anyway

Sources worth checking directly

• Nigeria Immigration Service e-Visa portal — the official application channel
• Your nearest Nigerian High Commission or Consulate
• Your airline, specifically for transit-visa questions on your exact routing

Landing at the airport itself? See What to Expect Landing at Murtala Muhammed Airport.