What should I pack for Lagos?

Lagos sits at 6°N latitude, and the humidity, currently around 90%, wraps around you like a warm, damp towel the moment you step off the jet bridge at Murtala Muhammed International Airport. The temperature holds between 25°C and 35°C year-round, but that moisture makes everything feel 4-5 degrees worse. Pack 3-4 loose-fitting cotton or linen shirts. Polyester turns into a clammy second skin within 10 minutes of stepping outside. One long-sleeve button-down earns its luggage space for restaurant dinners on Victoria Island, where the air conditioning runs cold enough to raise goosebumps. You'll need at least one knee-and-shoulder-covering outfit for Lagos Island's religious sites. The Cathedral Church of Christ (built in 1946) and the central mosque both expect covered limbs. Shorts draw no attention in Lekki but get side-eyes on the mainland around Surulere and Ikeja.

September through October is the tail end of Lagos's rainy season. Downpours last 20-40 minutes, and the drumming on corrugated roofs across Yaba drowns out phone calls. Roads like the Lekki-Epe Expressway collect knee-deep standing water within an hour. Fashion sneakers won't survive 48 hours. Bring closed-toe waterproof shoes with solid grip for broken sidewalks across the mainland, plus a pair of quick-dry sandals. A packable rain jacket beats an umbrella because you need both hands free in Victoria Island traffic. Once a downpour passes, the sun returns and temperatures climb back toward 33°C. Skip heavy Gore-Tex. A lightweight, breathable shell at around 30-50 USD does the job without the sauna effect.

Lagos runs on Type G plugs, the same 3-pin socket used in the UK, at 230V. Any 110V-only hair tool or charger is dead weight. Power outages happen daily across most Lagos neighborhoods. Expect 6-8 hours without power at a stretch. Hotels run generators, but wall outlets cycle on and off. A 20,000mAh power bank and a multi-port USB charger let you top off devices whenever the current returns. For health, get a prescription for antimalarials, either atovaquone-proguanil or doxycycline, from your doctor at least 2 weeks before departure. Anopheles mosquitoes carry malaria and are active after sunset from Ikoyi's lagoon edges to the mainland markets near Balogun. Pack DEET repellent at 30% concentration or higher for evenings. Bring a printed yellow fever vaccination certificate in your carry-on. Nigeria requires it at immigration.

HealthPlus pharmacies across Victoria Island and Ikeja sell paracetamol, Imodium, and oral rehydration salts for less than you'd pay at a Western drugstore. Skip packing those. Mosquito coils and plug-in repellents run 500-1,500 NGN (under 1.20 USD at the current rate of roughly 1,331 NGN per dollar) at corner shops across Lagos. Umbrellas cost 1,000-2,000 NGN from street vendors. MTN and Airtel SIM cards at the airport sell for 1,500-3,000 NGN with data, but the registration queue can eat 30-45 minutes. An eSIM activated before you land gives you Google Maps and ride-hailing apps the moment your flight touches down. Worth the 5-10 USD premium to have maps working before you clear Nigerian customs.

A small crossbody bag worn against your chest is standard daily carry in Lagos. The city scores 2.8/10 for solo-traveler safety (see the TTDI Solo-Safety Index). Keep your phone in a front pocket and carry only the naira you need for the day, roughly 10,000-20,000 NGN for most outings. Photocopies of your passport bio page and Nigerian visa should live in a separate bag from the originals.