Lagos Scams to Avoid in 2026 (Nigeria)

Lagos sits in our database with 13 documented tourist-targeted scams, 6 of which are rated high severity — meaning genuine financial loss or personal-safety risk if a traveller is caught unprepared. The defining pattern is opportunistic tourist fraud (5 of the 13 reports), with Express Kidnapping via Unlicensed Okada or Taxi as the most consistently documented individual scam: 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. Travellers familiar with Nairobi or Cape Town will recognise the broad shape of the risk environment in Sub-Saharan Africa, though the specific local variations in Lagos are what catch first-time visitors out.

Specific documented risk areas include Victoria Island bar strip along Adeola Odeku Street, hotel taxi ranks on Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue, and late-night Surulere streets near National Stadium; International and domestic arrivals halls at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, particularly the waiting area outside arrivals gates and the car park approach road; At Murtala Muhammed International Airport particularly near the customs and immigration exits, in the business districts of Victoria Island and Ikoyi, and along major roads near the Tinubu Square area of Lagos Island. A separate but related pattern is Fake Government Official Bribe: 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 single most effective protection across these patterns: 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.