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, 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. Violent crime is common throughout Nigeria, including armed robbery, assault, carjacking, and kidnapping.
Key concerns cited in the advisory:
- crime
- terrorism
- civil_unrest
- kidnapping
- health
The overall security situation has been worsening recently. Contributing factors: Reconsider travel due to crime, terrorism, unrest, kidnapping, and inconsistent availability of health care services., Violent crime is common throughout Nigeria, including armed robbery, assault, carjacking, and kidnapping., Civil unrest and armed gangs are active in parts of Southern Nigeria..
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 are prevalent.
Business travelers may encounter significant operational risks due to crime and civil unrest, especially in regions outside major urban centers.
Families with children face extreme risks from violent crime and health threats, with limited access to reliable healthcare services outside major cities.
Remote workers may find some urban areas suitable for work, but face high risks of crime and civil unrest, particularly in the northern regions.
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
- Jigawa
- Kwara
- Niger
- Plateau
- Taraba
- northern Adamawa
- 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 9.0/10, 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. Country entry requirements: Vaccine is not required for direct travel from the United States.
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.
- watchNew Diphtheria in Sub-Saharan Africa: There are outbreaks of diphtheria in several countries in Africa. Vaccination against diphtheria is essential to protect against the 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, according to CDC's measles vaccination recommendations for international travel.
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.