Is It Safe to Travel to Nigeria in 2026?
Nigeria - Level 3: Reconsider Travel
Last updated: · Source: U.S. Department of State
⚠ Reconsider Travel
The U.S. State Department recommends reconsidering travel to Nigeria due to elevated risks. Key factors: crime, terrorism, kidnapping, civil_unrest, health.
Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It covers an area of 923,769 square kilometres (356,669 mi2).
Is It Safe to Travel to Nigeria in 2026?
Nigeria is currently rated Level 3 — Reconsider Travel by the U.S. Department of State. Reconsider travel to Nigeria due to crime, terrorism, unrest, kidnapping, and inconsistent availability of health care services. Do not travel to Borno, Jigawa, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Plateau, Taraba, Yobe, and northern Adamawa states due to terrorism, crime, and kidnapping. Do not travel to Bauchi, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, and Zamfara states due to unrest, crime, and kidnapping. Do not travel to Abia, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Imo, and Rivers states (with the exception of Port Harcourt) due to crime, kidnapping, and unrest.
Key concerns cited in the advisory:
- crime
- terrorism
- kidnapping
- civil_unrest
- health
The overall security situation has been worsening recently. Contributing factors: deteriorating security situation, increased risk of violent crime, ordered departure for non-emergency U.S. government employees.
Traveler Impact
Solo travelers face a high risk of violent crime and kidnapping, particularly in areas like the Niger Delta and Northern Nigeria, where armed gangs operate frequently.
Business travelers may encounter significant operational disruptions due to civil unrest and security concerns, particularly in regions with high crime rates like Lagos and the Niger Delta.
Families with children face extreme risks from kidnapping and poor healthcare access, making travel to Nigeria particularly dangerous for minors.
Remote workers may find limited internet connectivity in rural areas and face significant safety risks, especially in regions with high crime and civil unrest.
Data on this page comes from the U.S. Department of State, the CDC, the World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, and Freedom House. All sources are updated regularly and cross-referenced to provide a composite safety picture for Nigeria.
Regional Safety Breakdown
Do Not Travel Zones
The U.S. State Department advises against all travel to the following areas due to extreme risk:
- Borno
- Yobe
- Kogi
- Northern Adamawa
- Jigawa
- Kwara
- Niger
- Plateau
- Taraba
- Bauchi
- Gombe
- Kaduna
- Kano
- Katsina
- Sokoto
- Zamfara
- Abia
- Anambra
- Bayelsa
- Delta
- Enugu
- Imo
- Rivers
▶Level 4 — Do Not Travel23 regions
▶Abia
Do not travel due to crime, kidnapping, and unrest.
▶Anambra
Do not travel due to crime, kidnapping, and unrest.
▶Bauchi
Do not travel due to unrest, crime, and kidnapping.
▶Bayelsa
Do not travel due to crime, kidnapping, and unrest.
▶Borno
Do not travel due to terrorism, crime, and kidnapping.
▶Delta
Do not travel due to crime, kidnapping, and unrest.
▶Enugu
Do not travel due to crime, kidnapping, and unrest.
▶Gombe
Do not travel due to unrest, crime, and kidnapping.
▶Imo
Do not travel due to crime, kidnapping, and unrest.
▶Jigawa
Do not travel due to terrorism, crime, and kidnapping.
▶Kaduna
Do not travel due to unrest, crime, and kidnapping.
▶Kano
Do not travel due to unrest, crime, and kidnapping.
▶Katsina
Do not travel due to unrest, crime, and kidnapping.
▶Kogi
Do not travel due to terrorism, crime, and kidnapping.
▶Kwara
Do not travel due to terrorism, crime, and kidnapping.
▶Niger
Do not travel due to terrorism, crime, and kidnapping.
▶Northern Adamawa
Do not travel due to terrorism, crime, and kidnapping.
▶Plateau
Do not travel due to terrorism, crime, and kidnapping.
▶Rivers
Do not travel due to crime, kidnapping, and unrest.
▶Sokoto
Do not travel due to unrest, crime, and kidnapping.
▶Taraba
Do not travel due to terrorism, crime, and kidnapping.
▶Yobe
Do not travel due to terrorism, crime, and kidnapping.
▶Zamfara
Do not travel due to unrest, crime, and kidnapping.
Nigeria has 23 distinct regions with varying advisory levels. Risk conditions differ significantly by area.
▶Safety and Stability Ratings
Threat Severity (0-10 scale)
Nigeria has an overall threat severity of 7.5 out of 10. Crime risk is rated 8.0/10, terrorism risk 7.0/10, and kidnapping risk 9.0/10.
Governance Indicators (World Bank, percentile)
Political Stability▶
Measures the likelihood that the government will be destabilized or overthrown by unconstitutional or violent means, including politically-motivated violence and terrorism. Higher percentile means greater stability.
Rule of Law▶
Captures perceptions of the extent to which agents have confidence in and abide by the rules of society, including the quality of contract enforcement, property rights, the police, and the courts, as well as the likelihood of crime and violence.
Control of Corruption▶
Captures perceptions of the extent to which public power is exercised for private gain, including both petty and grand forms of corruption, as well as capture of the state by elites and private interests.
Government Effectiveness▶
Captures perceptions of the quality of public services, the quality of the civil service and the degree of its independence from political pressures, the quality of policy formulation and implementation, and the credibility of the government's commitment to such policies.
Regulatory Quality▶
Captures perceptions of the ability of the government to formulate and implement sound policies and regulations that permit and promote private sector development.
Voice & Accountability▶
Captures perceptions of the extent to which a country's citizens are able to participate in selecting their government, as well as freedom of expression, freedom of association, and a free media.
Data from World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators (2023).
Freedom Status: Partly Free — scored 44/100 by Freedom House (2024). View full freedom profile →
▶Entry Requirements and Health
Entry Information
Visa
Required
Currency
Naira (NGN)
Language
English
Notable restrictions:
- Drug possession is illegal, including medical marijuana.
- E-cigarettes are prohibited.
Vaccinations
Required:
- Yellow Fever: Vaccine is not required for direct travel from the United States but is required for travelers coming from countries with risk for YF virus transmission.
Recommended:
⚠ Malaria Risk: high
Recommended medications: Atovaquone-proguanil, doxycycline, mefloquine, tafenoquine
Active health notices:
- alertGlobal Polio: Some international destinations have circulating poliovirus. Before any international travel, make sure you are up to date on your polio vaccines.
- watchDiphtheria in Nigeria: There is an outbreak of diphtheria in several states in Nigeria. Vaccination against diphtheria is essential to protect against disease.
- watchGlobal Measles: Measles cases are rising in many countries around the world. All international travelers should be fully vaccinated against measles with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine.
Vaccination data sourced from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Consult a travel health professional before your trip.
Common Questions About Traveling to Nigeria
▶What is the current travel advisory level for Nigeria?
▶Is it safe to travel to Nigeria right now?
▶Do I need a visa to visit Nigeria?
▶What vaccines do I need for Nigeria?
▶Is Nigeria safe for solo travelers?
▶How bad is crime in Nigeria?
More Nigeria Data
Partly Free — 44/100 on the Freedom House index.
Governance indicators including rule of law, corruption control, and regulatory quality.
View all 195 countries color-coded by advisory level.
Read the full advisory on travel.state.gov.
Access this data programmatically. Free tier available.
On-demand country risk PDFs from 6 government sources.