Flying is how Nigerians who can afford it cross the country: Lagos to Abuja, Port Harcourt or Kano is an hour in the air against a day or more by road. The flight is the easy part.
Which terminal
Domestic flights leave from Murtala Muhammed Airport in Ikeja, but not from the international terminal. Lagos has more than one domestic terminal, and different airlines use different ones. Your ticket says which; check it before you set off, because moving between them in traffic is slow.
What you need
- Valid ID with the same name as the ticket: a passport, a driver’s licence or your NIN slip. No ID, no flight.
- The booking reference, and the airline’s app if it has one.
Getting there
Ikeja traffic is the main risk to your flight. Leave far earlier than the distance suggests, especially from the Island or on a weekday evening, and allow time for check-in queues, which close earlier than you expect.
Airlines and delays
Several Nigerian airlines fly the main domestic routes. Delays and cancellations are common across all of them, and schedules change at short notice.
- Book early in the day. Delays accumulate; the first flight out is the most likely to leave on time.
- Do not book a tight connection to an international flight on the same day. Fly a day early.
- Know your rights. The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority’s consumer protection rules give passengers rights to care and, for long delays and cancellations, refunds or rebooking. Ask the airline in writing, and complain to the NCAA if it will not answer.
Baggage
Allowances on domestic flights are smaller than on international ones and differ by airline and fare. Check before you pack, and expect to pay at the counter for excess weight.