I’m really excited to interview Sam Adeleke of Travel With Sam about Lagos, Nigeria. Sam’s tips for the best things to do in Lagos are awesome because he is born and raised in Nigeria. He loves the cultural diversity, hospitality, and warmth of the people.
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Lagos, Nigeria
Lagos is the largest city in Nigeria. It has the 4th-highest GDP in Africa and is considered one of the fastest cities in the world. The city sprawls inland from the Gulf of Guinea and runs along the shore of the Lagos Lagoon. Victoria Island is the financial center of the city and is known for its beach resorts, boutiques, and nightlife.
Visitors will find many interesting museums, art galleries, and places of historical significance in Lagos. The Nigerian National Museum Lagos features culture and art from across Nigeria. You’ll find artifacts and cultural items from the 250+ tribes and languages throughout the country. The Badagry Black Heritage Museum documents the slave trade history of Nigeria, while Freedom Park was once a colonial-era prison and is now a museum and major events venue. Nike Center for Art and Culture is a free art installation that houses art from artists who live on site. The Lekki Conservation Centre is one of Africa’s most-diverse urban nature parks and features a 401-meter long canopy walkway that is the longest in Africa.
English is the national language in Nigeria, so you’ll have no trouble communicating with the locals. Home to 20 million people and the financial center of the country, the city is bustling. Most places do accept credit cards, but it is also good to convert some U.S. dollars into Naira, the local currency. As of the date of publication, $1 U.S. is equivalent to approx. 388 Naira.
We share a lot of resources and local suggestions in today’s podcast, but you should also check out the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation, the local visitor’s bureau. They are a wealth of information and can help you plan an itinerary based on your time, budget, and interests.
If you’d like to learn how to travel for free using airline miles and hotel points, check out my free 7-day email course.
Getting around Lagos
The local airport is Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), which is about a 35-minute drive to the city of Lagos. Use our Expedia tool below to find flight, hotel, and rental car options.
Sam says that the best option is to book a tour guide to help you navigate the city. Parking is very tight and can be expensive, so it is best to avoid renting a car.
Uber and Bolt (aka Taxify) are excellent ways to get around using rideshare.
Places we talked about on the podcast
Here is a map of all of the places we talked about on the podcast episode with Sam Adeleke about Lagos, Nigeria. You can zoom into the map and click on each dot to explore the city.
- Red dots = best places to eat in Lagos, Nigeria
- Green dots = best things to do in Lagos, Nigeria
- Yellow dots = best places to stay in Lagos, Nigeria
Who is Sam Adeleke?
Sam Adeleke is everyone’s favorite Tour Guide in Lagos. A business Leader with marketing expertise, Sam runs TravelWithSam Global, a boutique travel solutions company, providing flights, holiday packages, vacation experiences, visa, and immigration advisory services. Over the years, Sam has worked with South African Tourism, Rwanda Tourism, Lagos Tourism, Akwaaba Travel Market, Nigeria Travel Week, UNWTO, Africa Travel Association, and Royal Caribbean International, among others. An industry influencer and community builder, Sam led more than 30 travel and tourism professionals to curate the Travel Africa Day Experience at the 2019 Social Media Week Lagos event.
Due to his volunteer work in travel advocacy at Travel Massive, a global community of travel professionals and insiders, he was honored with the 2020 Royal Leadership Awards by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi. Sam holds a Bachelors from OAU, MBA from UNILAG, IBX from Orange Academy, and an Executive Education Certificate from LBS. He is a speaker, trainer, and destination marketing consultant.
Here are a few articles that he’s written:
- From Switzerland to Lagos, a Backpacker tours West Africa
- How I Took the Plunge from Africa’s Highest Bungee
- How to host Americans visiting and touring Lagos for the first time
You can connect with Sam on his website and on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Big thanks to today’s podcast partner – Bluffworks
This episode is brought to you, in part, by Bluffworks. Whether I’m traveling for business or pleasure, it’s important to have clothes that make me look good AND feel great. I wear Bluffworks jeans, slacks, dress shirts, and blazers because they’re wrinkle-free and are designed for the modern traveler. And if they get dirty, a quick spin in the washing machine and they’re good as new.
Go to WeTravelThere.com/bluffworks and use the promo code from the image below to save 10% off your order. There are many styles to fit your needs so you can stay wrinkle-free when you travel.
Stay tuned for our next episode
Listen to the next episode when Lyn Mettler of Go to Travel Gal shares the best things to do in Indianapolis, Indiana. Lyn and I talk about Hinkle Fieldhouse where Hoosiers was filmed, the Indy 500, and the Soldiers & Sailors Monument. We hope you’ll join us when We Travel There.
What’s your favorite part of Lagos? Send us a Tweet, let us know in the comment section below, or continue the discussion in our Facebook group!
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Related episodes
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