Lagos

West Africa's largest metropolis and the home of Nollywood, with the Lekki Conservation Centre canopy walkway, Nike Art Gallery and the slave trade sites of Badagry.

Lagos is Nigeria's largest city and economic hub, set on the Gulf of Guinea coast and spread across lagoons and islands. With a metropolitan population of over 20 million, it is West Africa's most dynamic metropolis and the birthplace of the "Nollywood" film industry and Afrobeats music. The city roughly divides into Lagos Island, the old town (the cathedral, Central Mosque, Balogun Market, Freedom Park and the National Museum); upscale Ikoyi and Victoria Island (galleries, restaurants and nightlife); and the ever-expanding Lekki Peninsula to the east (the Lekki Conservation Centre, Nike Art Gallery, a craft market and beaches). On the mainland, Ikeja is home to Fela Kuti's New Afrika Shrine and the Kalakuta Museum. About 60 km west, Badagry was a major port of the transatlantic slave trade, and its Point of No Return site and Heritage Museum make a good day trip. The climate is hot and humid; the November–March dry season is the best time to visit (with Harmattan dust in December–February), while the April–October rainy season brings frequent downpours and flooding. Getting there: Murtala Muhammed International Airport has direct flights to major cities in Europe, the Middle East and Africa; traffic in the city is heavy, so ride-hailing (Bolt/Uber) is the main way to get around, and ferries run between the islands. For safety, go with a local guide or hired driver, avoid walking at night, and keep cash and documents separate. Plan on 3–4 days.

Top sights

• Lekki Conservation Centre – A wetland rainforest reserve in the middle of the city, featuring one of Africa's longest canopy walkways, at about 401 meters.
• Nike Art Gallery – One of West Africa's largest private galleries, with some 8,000 contemporary and traditional Nigerian artworks across four floors.
• Freedom Park Lagos – A cultural park converted from a former colonial-era prison, with a memorial, open-air amphitheatre and live music on weekends.
• Point of No Return, Badagry – The departure beach of the transatlantic slave trade, with a walk of about 1 km along the 'Slave Route' toward the Atlantic.
• Badagry Heritage Museum – A museum housed in a colonial district administration building dating from 1863, using objects and images to tell the history of the slave…
• Tarkwa Bay Beach – A breakwater-enclosed bay that can only be reached by boat. With calm waves and clean sand, it is cleaner than the city beaches, and it is…
• New Afrika Shrine – A legendary open-air music venue run by Fela Kuti's children, where you can hear live African beats on Thursday and weekend nights.
• Kalakuta Republic Museum – A memorial museum converted from Fela Kuti's former home, preserving his bedroom, stage costumes, instruments and album covers.
• National Museum Lagos – Nigeria's National Museum, with Nok terracotta figures, Ife bronze heads and Benin bronzes.
• John Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History – A modern museum opened in 2024, presenting Yoruba culture, religion and art through multimedia displays.
• Terra Kulture – An arts and culture centre on Victoria Island that combines a theatre, gallery, bookshop and Nigerian restaurant.
• Lekki Arts and Crafts Market – A large craft market in Lekki, with wood carvings, masks, bronze figures, Adire indigo-dyed cloth and beadwork.
• Lekki–Ikoyi Link Bridge – The first cable-stayed bridge in West Africa spans a lagoon. It is a city landmark for morning jogs, fitness and night-time photography.
• Cathedral Church of Christ, Lagos – A Gothic Revival Anglican cathedral on Marina Street on Lagos Island, the mother church of the Anglican Church in Nigeria.
• Lagos Central Mosque – A large mosque on Lagos Island, whose four minarets and golden dome define the skyline of the old city.
• Balogun Market – One of West Africa's largest open-air markets, with fabric streets selling Ankara wax prints, aso-oke and lace.
• Tafawa Balewa Square – A historic square where Nigeria declared independence in 1960. The large sculptures of white horses and eagles at the entrance are hard to…
• Elegushi Royal Beach – A privately run royal beach in Lekki Phase 1, lively with weekend music parties, horse riding and seaside suya grills.
• Landmark Beach – A well-managed paid beach on Victoria Island, clean and safe, with beach bars and water sports.
• Makoko Floating Community – A stilt-house fishing village on Lagos Lagoon, where you can glide by dugout canoe with a community-approved guide to learn about life on t…

Where to eat

• Terra Kulture Restaurant – A restaurant in the long-established Terra Kulture arts centre on Victoria Island, where you can take in exhibitions an…
• Yellow Chilli Restaurant (Victoria Island) – One of Lagos's best-known contemporary Nigerian restaurants, with seafood okra soup and oxtail pepper soup highly recom…
• Jevinik Restaurant (Victoria Island) – A local favourite known for generous portions, quick service and affordable prices, serving Yoruba, Igbo and Niger Delt…
• Glover Court Suya Stall – One of the most highly regarded suya stalls in the Ikoyi–Victoria Island area, serving tender, spicy grilled beef skewe…

Itineraries

• Lagos & Badagry – A 3-day short itinerary covering Lagos Island museums, the Badagry Slave Route, and Lekki nature and art.
• Southwest Nigeria Yoruba Heritage Loop – Head north from Lagos to Abeokuta, Ile-Ife, and Osogbo, exploring ancient Yoruba cities and the Sacred Grove.
• Idanre Hills & Warm Springs – Explore the southwestern inland highlands: climb the ancient Idanre Hills, soak in the Ikogosi Warm Springs, and see wa…
• West African Coast: Lagos to Accra – Traverse four countries along the Gulf of Guinea, connecting slave trade heritage sites, Voodoo culture, and coastal ca…