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, civil_unrest, kidnapping.
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 significant security risks including crime, terrorism, civil unrest, and kidnapping. Violent crime, including armed robbery and kidnapping for ransom, is common throughout the country.
Key concerns cited in the advisory:
- crime
- terrorism
- civil_unrest
- kidnapping
The overall security situation has been worsening recently. Contributing factors: significant security risks including crime, terrorism, civil unrest, and kidnapping, violent crime, including armed robbery and kidnapping for ransom, is common throughout the country.
Traveler Impact
Solo travelers face extreme risks from violent crime and kidnapping, particularly in urban areas where armed gangs operate frequently.
Business travelers may encounter significant operational disruptions due to crime and civil unrest, particularly in southern regions where armed gangs are active.
Families with children face extreme risks due to the high likelihood of violent crime and limited healthcare access, especially outside major cities.
Remote workers may find some urban areas suitable for work, but face high risks of crime and kidnapping, particularly in regions with active gangs.
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
- Bauchi
- Gombe
- Kaduna
- Kano
- Katsina
- Sokoto
- Zamfara
- Abia
- Anambra
- Bayelsa
- Delta
- Enugu
- Imo
- Rivers
▶Level 4 — Do Not Travel18 regions
▶Abia
Do not travel due to crime and kidnapping.
▶Anambra
Do not travel due to crime and kidnapping.
▶Bauchi
Do not travel due to civil unrest.
▶Bayelsa
Do not travel due to crime and kidnapping.
▶Borno
Do not travel due to terrorism and kidnapping.
▶Delta
Do not travel due to crime and kidnapping.
▶Enugu
Do not travel due to crime and kidnapping.
▶Gombe
Do not travel due to civil unrest.
▶Imo
Do not travel due to crime and kidnapping.
▶Kaduna
Do not travel due to civil unrest.
▶Kano
Do not travel due to civil unrest.
▶Katsina
Do not travel due to civil unrest.
▶Kogi
Do not travel due to terrorism and kidnapping.
▶Northern Adamawa
Do not travel due to terrorism and kidnapping.
▶Rivers
Do not travel due to crime and kidnapping.
▶Sokoto
Do not travel due to civil unrest.
▶Yobe
Do not travel due to terrorism and kidnapping.
▶Zamfara
Do not travel due to civil unrest.
Nigeria has 18 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 illegal including medical marijuana.
- E-cigarettes prohibited.
Vaccinations
Required:
- Yellow Fever: Vaccine is recommended for all travelers ≥9 months old. Vaccine is required for travelers ≥9 months old 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.