Tourist Scams in Nigeria

Unlicensed motorcycle taxis (okadas) and unmarked private cars operating as taxis in Lagos have been used to carry out express kidnappings, where victims are driven to ATMs and forced to withdraw cash. Incidents are most common at night in areas including Victoria Island and Surulere, and often follow a victim being followed from a bar or hotel lobby. Perpetrators sometimes pose as legitimate ride-hail drivers with spoofed apps or printed logos.

How to avoid: Only use verified rides booked through the official Bolt or Uber app and confirm the driver photo and plate before entering. Avoid hailing any vehicle from the street at night, and never share your destination out loud in a public area before getting in.

Tourists and business visitors in Lagos are targeted with elaborate schemes promising large financial returns in exchange for upfront fees — for "government contracts," stranded inheritance, or business partnerships. Victims lose thousands before realizing it is a scam.

How to avoid: Any unsolicited business proposal promising large returns in exchange for fees is a scam, regardless of how official it looks. Never transfer money to people you have not verified through independent channels. Contact your country's embassy in Nigeria for verification help.

At slow-moving traffic intersections and car windows throughout Lagos — particularly along Carter Bridge, Apongbon, and the Oshodi interchange — motorbike riders (sometimes called "one chance" operators) reach through open windows or grab items from pedestrians. Visible gold necklaces, hanging phones, and watches are the primary targets. The speed of the motorbike makes pursuit impossible. This is an opportunistic street crime that peaks during rush-hour gridlock.

How to avoid: Keep windows rolled up in Lagos traffic. Never use your phone visibly at a car window or while walking near heavy traffic. Remove jewellery before entering congested areas. Pedestrians should walk facing oncoming traffic and keep bags on the side away from the road.

Individuals at Murtala Muhammed Airport pose as hotel or car service representatives, collecting luggage and passengers before demanding inflated fees or stranding them elsewhere.

How to avoid: Pre-arrange all airport transfers with your hotel or a verified service. Confirm your driver's name and vehicle details in advance. Do not approach unmarked drivers.

Men claiming to be NAFDAC, customs, or immigration officers approach tourists and businesspeople, claiming documents are irregular and demanding fines paid in cash to avoid arrest. The arrest threat is fabricated.

How to avoid: Ask for official ID and badge number. Insist on going to the official government office. Contact your embassy immediately. Never pay cash to any official demanding payment on the street or without an official receipt.

Strangers contact or approach tourists with elaborate business opportunities — gold export, contract facilitation, government funds — requiring upfront payments. This is the original 419 advance fee fraud.

How to avoid: Never engage with or send money for unsolicited business opportunities, no matter how convincing the story or how official the documentation appears.

Street money changers operating outside official Bureau de Change booths — particularly around Victoria Island and Ikeja — offer exchange rates 10–15% above the official Central Bank rate to lure tourists. The dealer uses sleight of hand to pad the bundle with counterfeit naira or substitute legitimate notes with lower denomination bills folded inside. Victims typically discover the fraud at a shop or ATM deposit. The CBN black market rate itself is technically illegal, creating a double exposure.

How to avoid: Use only CBN-licensed Bureau de Change offices or withdraw naira from standard bank ATMs (GTBank, Zenith, Access). Never exchange money on the street regardless of the offered rate. Count notes immediately in front of the dealer before leaving.

Salesmen approach tourists in hotel areas offering to sell gold nuggets, diamonds, or oil contracts at below-market prices. The "gold" is invariably brass or painted metal.

How to avoid: Decline all unsolicited investment and precious goods offers. Legitimate dealers do not approach tourists in hotel lobbies.