What should I avoid in Lagos?

The yellow danfo minibuses cost ₦200-₦400 per ride, but drivers on the Ojuelegba-to-CMS route race through gridlock with no seatbelts and doors that swing open mid-ride. Bolt and Uber both operate across Lagos. A trip from Murtala Muhammed to Victoria Island runs ₦8,000-₦12,000 on the app versus ₦15,000 at the official taxi desk near the exit doors. Walk past the touts in the arrivals hall. Okada motorcycle taxis were banned on major highways and bridges in 2020, though enforcement stays patchy on the mainland. You'll still see them on Ikeja and Surulere side streets, and riders rarely carry a spare helmet. Stick to ride-hailing apps for your first 48 hours while you get your bearings.

Never change currency with the men who approach you outside Balogun Market or along Broad Street on Lagos Island. They fan thick stacks of naira, but the notes in the middle are often cut paper or lower denominations folded to look like ₦1,000 bills. At roughly 1,330 NGN per 1 USD, a $100 exchange should yield about ₦133,000. Bureau de change offices on Awolowo Road in Ikoyi or Allen Avenue in Ikeja give rates within 2-3% of the parallel market and count everything in front of you. 'One chance' is Lagos slang for a shared-taxi robbery where accomplices already inside pin you down once the doors close. This tends to happen after dark around Oshodi, Mile 2, and Ojota motor parks. If a vehicle already has passengers and the driver is pressing you to board, walk away.

Most visitors base themselves on Victoria Island or Lekki Phase 1, and that's a reasonable call. Admiralty Way has a walkable stretch of restaurants, and the side streets off Adeola Odeku hold small galleries and live-music bars where you can hear Afrobeats acts on weekend nights. Freedom Park on Broad Street, a former colonial prison turned open-air arts venue, hosts performances most Fridays for ₦2,000 entry. Lekki Conservation Centre's canopy walkway runs 401 metres above mangrove forest for ₦1,000. The Buka Restaurant in Ikoyi does a pounded yam and egusi soup that locals queue for at lunch, thick and peppery with a slow smoky finish. Jollof rice at Mama Cass on Admiralty Way costs about ₦2,500. Mind you, Lagos runs on warmth and respect. Greet elders with a slight bow, use your right hand for handshakes, and dress modestly if you visit the Central Mosque on Lagos Island. Photography near military installations or government buildings will likely get your phone confiscated.

Lagos sits at 2.8 out of 10 for solo-traveler safety (cities.solo_safety_score), and that number reflects real conditions. Avoid walking alone after 9pm on the mainland. Even on Victoria Island, stick to well-lit streets like Admiralty Way after dark. Bar Beach near Eko Hotel looks calm by day, but the undertow along the Lagos coastline causes drownings every rainy season. The LGBTQ+ friendliness score is 1.0 out of 10 (cities.lgbtq_friendliness_score). Nigeria's Same-Sex Marriage Prohibition Act of 2014 carries penalties of up to 14 years, and public displays of affection between same-sex couples draw hostile attention. September falls in the second rainy season. The 90% humidity makes 25.5°C feel closer to 30°C, and Lekki-Epe Expressway, Ikorodu Road, and the Third Mainland Bridge approaches flood after heavy downpours. Traffic sits for 3-5 hours in standing brown water that smells of open drains. Tap water is not safe. Locals buy sachet water, the 500ml pouches sold everywhere for ₦50-₦100, or bottled Eva and Nestle Pure Life. Skip any suya stand on Allen Avenue where the meat sits uncovered in the afternoon heat. Look for a vendor with fresh cuts over open coals.