Arriving in Lagos from another country is much easier when your transportation is already sorted before you board the plane.
If you are travelling to Nigeria for business, visiting family, attending an event, or simply spending a few days in Lagos, you can arrange an airport pickup in Lagos from abroad without waiting until you land.
The process is straightforward: provide your flight and hotel details to a reliable transport provider, confirm the vehicle and pickup arrangement, and keep the driver’s contact information available on your phone.
At Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), international arrivals go through immigration, baggage collection and customs before exiting the terminal. FAAN also provides passenger service desks within the airport for assistance.
The easiest option is to book before your flight
If you are coming from London, Dubai, Johannesburg, New York or another international destination, the simplest approach is to arrange your Lagos airport transfer before leaving your departure country.
You should not need to land first and then start searching for a driver.
A proper booking should cover:
- Your full name
- Flight number
- Arrival date
- Scheduled arrival time
- Airport and terminal
- Hotel or destination address
- Number of passengers
- Number of luggage pieces
- Vehicle preference
- Nigerian phone number, if available
- International contact number or WhatsApp number
Give the provider your flight number, not just the arrival time. This makes it easier to coordinate the pickup if the flight schedule changes.
What happens after you land at Lagos airport?
International arrival at Lagos airport can take some time because you still have to clear immigration, collect your luggage and complete customs procedures.
That means your driver should not necessarily expect you to walk out of the terminal exactly at the scheduled landing time.
A good airport pickup arrangement should account for the time between touchdown and the point when you are actually ready to leave the terminal.
FAAN’s airport protocol service specifically offers arrival assistance, including receiving arriving clients and helping with immigration, baggage collection and customs formalities.
For ordinary airport transfers, however, your main concern is making sure the driver knows your flight details and where you will meet.
Give the driver your exact hotel address
Do not send only:
“I’m staying at a hotel in Lekki.”
That is not enough.
Lagos has a large number of hotels, apartments and serviced residences, and similar names can easily cause confusion.
Send:
- Hotel name
- Full address
- Area
- Google Maps location if available
- Your Nigerian contact number, if you have one
For example, if you are staying in Victoria Island, provide the exact hotel rather than simply saying “Victoria Island.”
The same applies to Ikoyi, Lekki, Ikeja, Yaba or anywhere else in Lagos.
Tell the transport company where you are flying from
Your departure country and flight route can help with planning.
For example:
London → Lagos
You provide the airline, flight number and expected arrival time. The transport provider can then use those details to organise the pickup around your flight.
If your airline changes the schedule, communicate the update rather than assuming the original booking details are still sufficient.
Choose the right vehicle before you pay
One of the easiest mistakes to make from abroad is booking a vehicle without considering luggage.
A solo traveller with one suitcase may be comfortable in a standard car.
A family arriving with four large suitcases may need an SUV or larger vehicle.
A group of six or eight people may require a minibus.
When booking, tell the provider approximately how much luggage you are bringing. The cheapest available vehicle is not necessarily the most practical one.
Should you arrange a taxi, Uber or Bolt from abroad?
You can use ride-hailing services after arriving in Lagos. Both Bolt and Uber currently provide airport pickup options at Lagos airport. Bolt instructs passengers to follow the app’s designated airport pickup directions, while Uber provides a dedicated Lagos airport pickup service.
However, there is a difference between having the option to request a ride after landing and having your airport transfer already organised.
If you are familiar with Lagos and have mobile data, ride-hailing can be convenient.
If you are a first-time visitor, arriving late, travelling with children, carrying several bags or simply want someone already assigned to collect you, pre-booking is usually less stressful.
What if your flight is delayed?
This is one of the most important things to clarify before paying for an airport transfer.
Ask the transport provider:
“What happens if my flight is delayed?”
Ideally, the booking should be tied to your flight details rather than treated as a simple fixed-time taxi booking.
If your aircraft is scheduled to land at 4:00 p.m. but arrives at 6:00 p.m., the driver needs to know.
You should also notify the transport provider if the airline changes the flight substantially before departure.
Where should you meet the driver?
Do not leave this unclear.
Before flying, ask for precise pickup instructions.
For example:
- Which arrival terminal?
- Inside or outside the terminal?
- What part of the arrivals area?
- Will the driver have a name board?
- What number should you call if you cannot find the driver?
- What happens if you cannot access your usual messaging app?
These questions become important when you have just landed and are dealing with luggage, immigration and airport crowds.
Some private Lagos transfer providers offer meet-and-greet arrangements where the driver waits with a name board and coordinates the pickup around the passenger’s arrival.
What if you do not have a Nigerian phone number?
You can still arrange the transfer before travelling.
Give the transport company the international number you will have access to, preferably one that can receive WhatsApp messages if that is how the provider communicates.
Also ask for the driver’s Nigerian number before departure where possible.
If you will purchase a Nigerian SIM after landing, do not depend entirely on that SIM for the initial pickup. You need a way to contact the driver immediately after exiting the arrivals process.
How much should you budget for a Lagos airport pickup?
The price depends on your destination, vehicle type, number of passengers, luggage and whether you want a dedicated transfer.
For example, an airport transfer to a nearby Ikeja hotel will normally have different requirements from a private vehicle taking a family from MMIA to Lekki.
Traffic can also affect the overall cost and travel time, particularly when the vehicle is being hired for longer periods.
For that reason, it is better to request a quote using your actual:
Airport + flight + hotel + passengers + luggage + date
rather than relying on a generic “Lagos airport transfer” price.
Be careful with people approaching you at the airport
This is particularly important for someone visiting Lagos for the first time.
If you have already booked a driver, you should know who you are expecting.
Confirm:
- Driver’s name
- Vehicle registration
- Vehicle description
- Provider’s contact number
- Meeting point
Do not simply enter a vehicle because someone approaches you and says they are your driver.
If the details do not match your booking, contact the transport company before getting into the vehicle.
What if you are travelling to Victoria Island or Lekki?
This is where planning becomes particularly important.
Murtala Muhammed International Airport is in Ikeja, while Victoria Island, Ikoyi and Lekki are much farther away. Current airport-transfer guidance puts Victoria Island at roughly 22 km from the airport, but the actual journey can vary substantially with Lagos traffic.
A journey that looks short on a map can take much longer during busy periods.
If you have a dinner reservation, business meeting or event immediately after landing, give yourself plenty of time.
It is better to arrive at your hotel earlier than to build your entire evening around an optimistic traffic estimate.
Can your hotel arrange the pickup?
Yes, this is another option worth checking.
Some hotels offer airport transfers or can arrange transportation through their preferred providers.
If you are staying at a hotel that provides this service, ask for:
- Transfer price
- Vehicle type
- Pickup instructions
- Whether the service operates at your arrival time
- What happens if the flight is delayed
Compare the arrangement with an independent airport transfer provider before deciding.
How Travo.ng can arrange your Lagos airport pickup
If you are arranging your Nigerian trip from abroad, Travo.ng can coordinate the airport transportation as part of your travel plans.
You can provide your flight details, hotel information, passenger count and preferred vehicle, allowing the transportation arrangement to be made before you arrive in Lagos.
This can also be useful if you need more than just the first airport journey.
For example, Travo.ng can help coordinate:
- Lagos airport pickup
- Hotel transportation
- Vehicle hire
- Return airport transfer
- Business transportation
- Group transportation
- Hotel reservations
- Other travel and logistics arrangements
That means someone travelling to Lagos for a conference, business trip or family visit can arrange several parts of the trip instead of trying to organise everything after landing.
A simple checklist before you board your flight
Before leaving for Nigeria, make sure you have:
- Your airport transfer confirmation
- Flight number
- Hotel address
- Driver/provider contact
- Pickup instructions
- Vehicle details
- Agreed price
- Passenger count
- Luggage details
- Backup contact method
Take screenshots of the important information as well. If your internet connection is poor after landing, you can still access the booking details.
The best time to arrange your pickup
Do not wait until you are sitting on the plane.
Ideally, arrange your Lagos airport transfer before your trip, especially if you are visiting Nigeria for the first time.
This gives you time to confirm the price, vehicle, meeting point and cancellation or delay arrangements.
It also means your first decision after landing is simply to collect your luggage, meet the driver and continue to your destination.
Make your Lagos arrival part of the travel plan
Arranging airport transportation from abroad is not complicated, but the details matter.
Provide the correct flight information, use the exact hotel address, choose a vehicle that can accommodate your passengers and luggage, and confirm exactly where you will meet the driver.
For a first-time visitor, family, business traveller or anyone arriving late at night, a pre-arranged airport pickup can remove a lot of unnecessary uncertainty.
Travo.ng can help organise the airport pickup before you travel, giving you a practical transportation plan from Murtala Muhammed International Airport to your hotel or other destination in Lagos.
