How do I get from the airport to Lagos?

Murtala Muhammed International Airport sits in Ikeja, roughly 22 kilometres north of Victoria Island where most first-time visitors stay. Pre-booking a transfer through your Victoria Island or Ikoyi hotel is the safest play. Lagos scores 2.8 out of 10 for solo-traveler safety (see the TTDI Solo-Safety Index), and the LOS arrival hall is not the place to improvise transport at any hour. A pre-arranged driver meets you outside international arrivals with your name on a sign, and the hotel front desk can confirm the driver's plate number while you're still inside. Budget 25,000 to 40,000 NGN ($19 to $30) for this service.

If you'd rather not pre-book, Bolt is the next best option. Download the app and link a Visa or Mastercard before your trip. Uber operates in Lagos too, but Bolt tends to have more active drivers around LOS. Request the ride from inside the terminal, then walk to the pickup zone on the departures level, where the honking and crowding are noticeably lighter than at the arrivals kerb. A Bolt to Victoria Island currently runs 10,000 to 20,000 NGN ($8 to $15), with the higher end hitting during Friday evening gridlock on the Third Mainland Bridge. Mind you, drivers sometimes cancel when they see an airport pin, so request again if the first one drops. The 90% humidity hits the moment you step outside, and the warm air at 25.5°C feels closer to 30°C after hours in a dry cabin.

Skip the yellow airport taxis at LOS. Drivers at the official rank quote fixed fares that tend to run 2 to 3 times what Bolt charges. Freelance drivers who approach you near the baggage carousels are a step below that. They'll quote in dollars, start at $50 to $80 for a ride that costs $10 on Bolt, and some take longer routes through Oshodi or Mushin rather than the direct Ikeja corridor. If a driver makes an unplanned stop between Ikeja and the Third Mainland Bridge, stay in the car with the doors locked and phone your hotel. Lagos is not a city where you improvise ground transport on arrival.

Timing matters more in Lagos than your choice of app. The drive from LOS to Victoria Island can take 45 minutes at 5am or over 2 hours on a Friday afternoon. The worst bottleneck is the Third Mainland Bridge, an 11.8-kilometre span connecting the mainland to the islands. Flights arriving between 6am and 8am or after 9pm get the smoothest run. If you land during the 4pm to 8pm rush, grab a bowl of pepper soup at one of the spots along Toyin Street in Ikeja and wait it out. The smell of suya grilling at roadside stalls carries across the car park even in the rain. Worth noting, the rainy season runs April through October, so September arrivals will likely step into warm drizzle and standing water near Oshodi.