Common tourist scams in Nigeria and how to avoid them

Nigeria's scams are mostly variations on two things: someone wants you to pay more than the going rate, or someone wants access to your money or your card. Both are easier to handle if you decide the price and the payment method before you arrive at the counter, the kerb or the machine.

Airport and taxi overcharging is the first one most visitors meet. Touts inside the terminal offer 'official' rides at several times the real fare. Book a ride through an app before landing, or use a marked taxi desk, and agree the fare in naira before the boot opens. The same applies to keke (three-wheeler) and okada (motorbike) rides in Lagos: state the price first, have small notes ready, and expect no change.

Fake officials and 'helpers' are the second pattern. Someone in a uniform or a lanyard says there is a fee for a form, a bag check, a road checkpoint or a tour, and offers to sort it for you. Legitimate officers can show ID, and legitimate fees come with a receipt. If neither appears, walk to the official desk or counter and ask there. At road checkpoints, stay calm, keep documents in one folder, and ask to see identification before handing anything over.

Card and ATM fraud is the risk that costs the most. Skimming devices and shoulder-surfers target machines in malls, petrol stations and quiet streets. Use ATMs inside a bank branch during opening hours, cover the keypad, and never let a card out of your sight at a restaurant or shop — ask them to bring the terminal to your table. Keep a second card and some cash separate from your main wallet.

Advance-fee and romance-style requests arrive by message, not in person: a 'relative' needs money to release a package, a 'business partner' needs a deposit, an online contact needs a flight ticket. The rule is simple — never send money to someone you have not met, and never share bank details, one-time codes or photos of your passport over chat. If a deal is real, it can wait until you are face to face.

Pickpocketing and bag-snatching are less common than the money scams but do happen in crowded markets, bus parks and traffic. Keep your phone out of your hand at the roadside, wear a bag across your body, and split cash between pockets. In heavy 'go-slow' traffic, keep windows up and doors locked.

Carry small naira notes so you can pay the exact amount and avoid the 'no change' conversation. Keep a photocopy or phone photo of your passport and visa separate from the originals, and leave the passport in the hotel safe unless you need it.

Save your embassy or consulate number and your bank's block-a-card line before you fly. If a card is skimmed, call the bank immediately — the faster you block it, the less you lose. Report the incident to the police station nearest you and ask for a written report; your insurer and bank will usually want it.

English is the official language, so you can ask directly and read any official form. If someone pressures you for a payment, slowing down and asking for the official desk is usually enough to end it.