Rules for overlanding in Nigeria

Our summary of the country advice published by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Viaggiare Sicuri) on 14 June 2026.

Which licence you need

All vehicles — An International Driving Permit on the 1926 Paris and 1949 Geneva Convention models is recognised. Check what applies to the licence you hold.

An International Driving Permit states the categories it covers: check yours covers what you will actually drive. A car licence does not cover a motorcycle, and a heavy camper or a truck can need a higher category.

At the wheel

Insurance — Third-party liability cover is compulsory: to drive you need the local "Certificate of Insurance".
Temporary import — A carnet de passages en douane is recommended for a vehicle brought in temporarily.
Driving yourself — The ministry advises against driving your own vehicle anywhere in the country: heavy city traffic, frequent police checkpoints, deep potholes, vehicles stopped or abandoned in the middle of the carriageway, and livestock and people crossing even fast roads without warning. Vehicles coming the wrong way and disregard for the few traffic lights demand constant attention from driver and passenger alike.
4x4 needed outside towns — Almost everywhere outside urban areas a real four-wheel-drive is indispensable, not just an SUV. The surface is poor with many cracks and holes, rural roads normally have no street lighting, and there are no usable shoulders or emergency areas along the routes.
Two vehicles minimum — Any trip into remote areas must be made with at least two vehicles and preferably with adequate radio or satellite phone coverage, since mobile coverage is partial and the signal often poor. In areas with security risks armoured vehicles are advisable. Carry a minimum stock of essentials, drinks above all, and emergency medicines.
Fuel — There are few filling stations outside urban areas. Serious petrol and diesel supply problems recur periodically, with long queues that push people onto the black market, at a higher price and with no guarantee of quality.
Roads and journey times — The road and motorway network is in very poor condition overall through lack of maintenance, low build quality and hard weather, and is often difficult and dangerous to drive. Even the main routes between the big cities are in a bad state from heavy overloaded traffic: Abuja to Lagos, 750 km, takes around 15 hours.
Breakdowns and night travel — In town keep the doors locked and do not stop at the roadside; if you break down at night, stay in the vehicle and call people you trust for assistance. Avoid movements in the evening, at night and at dawn, and in daylight prefer the car with windows closed, locks down and nothing visible on the seats.

What catches travellers out

Drugs — Penalties are very severe: up to ten years in prison for marijuana users, up to life for users of hard drugs, and the death penalty for traffickers in either case.
Photography — Do not photograph places or people without asking the people concerned. Photographing public buildings is prohibited outright.
Sharia and LGBTI law — In twelve northern states the Islamic penal code applies and the ministry advises adapting to local and Muslim custom. The 2014 Same Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act criminalises same-sex marriage and homosexual orientation: 14 years for marrying or cohabiting with a same-sex partner, 10 years for witnesses at such a ceremony, and a strict ban on any direct or indirect public display of affection between people of the same sex.
Currency declaration — Any amount over USD 10,000, or the equivalent in another currency including the local one, must be declared both on entry and on exit. Forms are handed out on the flight and must be given in at document control after landing.

Before you rely on this

This is our summary of advice written by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Italian travellers, published on 14 June 2026. We summarise in good faith, but we cannot guarantee it is accurate, current or complete, and we take no responsibility for decisions made on the basis of it. Rules change without notice and are applied by officials at the border, not by websites. Always read the original source and the travel advice your own government publishes for Nigeria before you travel. GuideMeet has no way of checking whether an individual guide meets any standard mentioned here — ask them directly.

Source: Viaggiare Sicuri — Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, updated 14 June 2026. Last checked by GuideMeet on 2026-09-20.