Lagos

Is Lagos safe?

Lagos is manageable for a careful business or family visitor, but it carries more risk than almost any city we cover. The UK Foreign Office says violent crimes such as mugging, kidnapping, carjacking and armed robbery are common in the larger cities of south-west Nigeria, and singles out the Lagos mainland for high levels of crime and unpredictable security. The city publishes no crime figures of its own. Nigeria as a whole recorded 15.8 homicides per 100,000Homicide rateThe number of people killed on purpose each year for every 100,000 residents. It is the most comparable crime figure between countries.More in the glossary people in 2023 (UNODC), more than three times Kenya's 4.9 in 2022.

Lagos is not on the lists of states the US or UK tell people to avoid; those cover the north and the Niger Delta (see our Nigeria page). We score Lagos 41, below Nairobi and close to Kingston.

Where crime happens and how to avoid it

The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary draws a clear line between the mainland and the rest of the city, and says street crime is a significant risk across Lagos, particularly in crowded areas. Most foreign visitors stay on the island side, where the British Deputy High Commission sits on Victoria Island, and keep trips to the mainland short and by car.

What to expect and what to do:

• Robbery in traffic. The FCDO reports frequent carjackings on Nigeria's urban roads, some by armed gunmen. Keep windows up, doors locked and phones out of sight in jams and at traffic lights.
• ATMs and cards. Crime around banks and cash machines has spiked, and card fraud is common. Withdraw cash inside a hotel or bank during the day and keep your card in sight when paying.
• Fake greeters. Criminals pose as drivers at international airports. Confirm the name and car in advance.
• Kidnapping. The FCDO says kidnapping is widespread and can happen anywhere; British nationals of Nigerian origin visiting family and staff of international companies are seen as targets. Vary your routes and do not post your plans online.

If you are robbed, the FCDO advice is to comply immediately. Do not wear valuable watches or jewellery.

Getting around Lagos

Lagos traffic is slow, and the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary tells visitors to allow extra time. It also warns that taxis and buses are often poorly maintained, uninsured and driven by unqualified drivers, that public transport has a high level of crime, and that taxis, including app services, can pose a kidnap risk. Most major hotels offer cars with drivers, and that is the option the FCDO recommends.

Motorbike taxis, called okadas, are banned in much of the city. Lagos State banned them from June 2022 in six local government areas including Eti-Osa, Ikeja, Lagos Island and Surulere, and extended the ban to Kosofe, Oshodi-Isolo, Somolu and Mushin in September 2022. The state says okada crashes and deaths fell 63.7% where the first phase was enforced.

The Blue Line rail, run by the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority, has carried more than nine million passengers between Mile 2 and Marina since September 2023 and runs about every 10 minutes at peak times. It is a useful way to skip the worst road congestion between the mainland and Lagos Island in daylight.

Road safety data are weak. WHO estimatedWHO road-death estimateThe World Health Organization's estimate of road traffic deaths per 100,000 people in a country, adjusted for deaths that police statistics miss.More in the glossary 17.2 road deaths per 100,000 people in Nigeria in 2021. The Federal Road Safety Corps counted 3,915 deaths from January to September 2025, but it records only a fraction of crashes.

Protests and terrorism

Large-scale terrorist attacks are rare in the south-west; the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary notes two attacks claimed by Islamic State West Africa in the region in 2022, neither aimed at foreigners. Protests are a more frequent disruption. The FCDO says past demonstrations in Lagos and Abuja turned violent, with security forces using tear gas, rubber bullets and sometimes live fire. Curfews can be imposed at short notice. Stay away from crowds and follow local news.

Health, air and floods

Health care is the other weak point. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says there is no national ambulance service and hospital ambulances are extremely limited, so you may need to arrange your own transport to a hospital. The US says hospitals often want cash before treatment, counterfeit medicines are common and all visitors should take malaria tablets. Buy insurance with medical evacuation and bring enough of your own medicines. The FCDO also warns of deaths from methanol in unlicensed gin; drink only sealed, branded alcohol.

Air quality is unknown more than it is good. IQAir left Lagos out of its 2024 report because there were too few monitors; Abuja measured 42.2 µg/m³ of PM2.5PM2.5Tiny airborne particles 2.5 micrometres across or smaller. They reach deep into the lungs and are the air pollutant most linked to early death.More in the glossary and Nigeria averaged 40.1, about eight times the WHO guideline.

Flooding is the main natural hazard. Nigeria's 2026 Annual Flood Outlook lists Lagos as a high-risk state for flash and urban flooding, blamed on heavy rain and poor drainage, and for coastal flooding from rising sea levels and tidal surges. The FCDO also says rip tides off the coast cause drownings every year, so swim only where locals say it is safe.

How we scored it

Health and environment (30) and theft and scams (35) are the weakest factors. Natural hazards (60) is the strongest, because Lagos has no earthquake or cyclone risk. Violent crime (42), walking at night (42) and traffic safety (42) rest on national data and FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary advice, as Lagos publishes no crime or road death figures, so confidence is low. Nigeria's conflict score of 18 caps Lagos at 53, but the weighted average of 41 is already below it.