As a tourist, one of your dreams is to visit almost all the nations of the earth and explore them, however, you could be wondering how safe Nigeria is especially for white tourists which is why you searched the phrase on Google.
Don’t worry, this article will answer the questions and also help you make an informed decision about traveling/visiting Nigeria as a tourist, just carefully read this article till the end and take note of things.
Before a country is said to be safe, there are many things that are put into consideration and questions to be asked such as, are the terrorist attacks? natural disaster, how is the healthcare system? and a lot more.
This and many more are what we will be talking about in this article which will help you know if Nigeria is safe for white tourists.
Crime Rate
Nigeria’s political and economic insecurity creates favorable conditions for crime, which range from simple stealing and pickpocketing to armed robberies, muggers’ galleries, kidnappings, and carjackings.
While terrorist threats are more common in the north of the country, robberies and kidnappings are more common in the south.
Keep your cash reserves low at all times, and avoid carrying your credit card because thieves frequently prey on visitors.
Nigeria has a high rate of credit card fraud, which is one of the reasons why the majority of establishments do not accept this method of payment.
Scam Rate
Nigeria is noticeably among the countries with the highest number of scammers and internet fraudsters and this fraud is always directly to white people specially foreign travelers.
Email is often used to start these crimes, therefore any messages that seem odd should be reported to the police. In Nigeria, fake ebony is a popular tourist gift.
Unsavory people frequently prowl the airport in search of a naive target to con or rob. According to reports, these guys frequently impersonate taxi drivers.
Be warned that not all customs officers will be following the law when you are at the airport. It can be the case if anything feels strange to you. If you are unsure, try asking for guidance from management.
Terrorism
In Nigeria, there are several terrorist organizations at work, and terrorist strikes can occur anywhere.
The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), the Boko Haram terrorist organization, Ansaru (Jamaat al Ansar al Muslimeen fi Bilad al Sudan), and Islamic State West Africa are among the terrorist organizations (ISWA).
Although there have been a sizable number of assaults abroad, the UK Government’s advice indicates that “the majority of attacks take place in northern and north-eastern Nigeria.
Travelers should always be aware of their surroundings and vigilant. In times of civil upheaval, pay attention to local news broadcasts and stay away from crowded areas and huge gatherings.
Nigerian Healthcare system
As a consequence of inadequate political will on the part of succeeding administrations to successfully address a variety of issues that have long persisted in the sector over many years, healthcare delivery in Nigeria has steadily become worse.
This has an immediate effect on citizen productivity and, indirectly, Nigeria’s economic expansion. More than 50% of Nigerians survive on less than $1.90 a day.
However, some states have good healthcare systems than other but then not good enough which is why most politicians get to travel abroad for medical checkups and treatments.
Is Nigeria Safe For White Tourists
Now that we have looked at some of the things to consider as a white tourist before traveling to any country and in this context Nigeria, you can now agree with me that Nigeria is not safe for white tourists.
But then this does not mean that the country is totally dangerous because over the year thousand of people/tourists have visited the country and explored it.
However, you need to be very careful when you visit the country and avoid going to the states that have had previous cases of crime and terrorism.
We hope this article has helped answer the question, is Nigeria safe for white tourists?.
FAQ
Is It Safe To Travel To Nigeria Right Now?
At the time of writing this article, Nigeria is safe but not very safe this is why you should avoid traveling to Nigeria unless absolutely necessary owing to the unpredictability of the country’s security situation and the high danger of terrorism, criminality, intercommunal conflict, armed attacks, and kidnappings.
Is It Safe For A White Woman To Travel to Nigeria?
Women should avoid traveling to Nigeria. Never travel alone, and it’s better to avoid moving around Nigeria altogether unless you’re in a vehicle with the windows down.
Is Lagos Nigeria Safe?
Lagos has a high degree of criminal activity, and there have been violent crimes against foreign people and in locations frequented by foreigners, including assaults and armed attacks. Avoid any needless nighttime travel.
Is Abuja Safe
Abuja is safe however, rethink your need to travel to Nigeria overall, including the capital Abuja and surrounding areas, due to high threats of terrorist attack and kidnapping, the volatile security situation, possible violent civil unrest, and high levels of violent crime.
Is Lagos Safe For White Tourists?
Not really, Lagos has a high degree of criminal activity, and there have been violent crimes against foreign people and in locations frequented by foreigners, including assaults and armed attacks. Avoid any needless nighttime travel.
Why is Nigeria not safe?
In Nigeria, crime is quite common and includes armed robberies, assaults, kidnappings, terrorism, as well as marine crime, and piracy.
Numerous regions of the nation, particularly northern Nigeria, have a relatively high murder rate. In Nigeria, there is also an endless possibility of civil disturbance.
What part of Nigeria is not safe?
Northern Nigeria. The FCDO advises against all travel to Borno State, Yobe State, Adamawa State, Gombe State, Kaduna State, Katsina State, and Zamfara State. Violent attacks are frequent and there is a high threat of kidnap.
Can US citizens travel to Nigeria right now?
Yes but you need to be extremely careful and know the states and places you visit.
