If you’re planning a trip to Nigeria in 2025, there’s more to consider than just booking your flight and hotel. The Nigerian government has recently introduced a range of new travel policies that affect everything from visa applications to health declarations and overstay penalties.
Whether you’re visiting for business, family, or tourism, it’s crucial to get your paperwork sorted before you arrive. Here’s what you need to know and do before you land.
Major Entry Changes in 2025 You Should Know About
In a sweeping move to modernize and tighten immigration controls, the Nigerian government made several changes this year, and they affect all international travelers.
As of May 1, 2025, Nigeria fully transitioned to an e-visa system, meaning you must apply for your visa online before travel. The previously available Visa-on-Arrival (VoA) option has been discontinued. So if you were hoping to just show up and sort out your visa at the airport, don’t: Airlines are under strict instructions to deny boarding to passengers without valid e-visas.
That’s not all: the traditional paper-based landing and exit cards are also gone. Now, all non-Nigerian travelers must fill out digital landing and exit forms online before arriving or departing. These changes are part of a larger effort to digitize border controls, enhance security, and improve processing efficiency at Nigerian airports.
The Nigeria entry form application has become a must-do step in your pre-travel process. This digital form covers not just entry declarations but also important health information, especially when public health threats are flagged.
Visa First: No Entry Without It
The first item on your checklist should be securing your visa. All travelers, except citizens of ECOWAS member states and a few exempt countries, must apply online for a Nigerian visa.
The process is straightforward:
- Visit the Nigeria Immigration Service portal.
- Fill out the required e-visa form.
- Upload supporting documents (such as your passport bio-data page and a passport-style photo).
- Pay the applicable fee.
- Wait for your approval email with a QR code, which you’ll need to show at immigration.
Visa categories include tourist, business, and family visit visas, among others. Most visas are processed within 2 to 5 working days, but it’s always safer to apply well in advance.
Once your visa is approved, your next task is to complete the Nigeria Entry and Exit System forms. Introduced in May 2025, these digital documents have replaced the paper forms that were previously filled out on the plane or at the airport.
The landing form, required for all non-Nigerians arriving in the country, asks for your personal and travel information,such as passport details, accommodation address, and contact info while in Nigeria. The exit form, required before leaving the country, is similarly straightforward.
What’s important is when you do it: you’ll need to complete these forms before boarding your flight, and present proof of completion at check-in. Many travelers who ignored this step have found themselves unable to board.
Health Declarations Are Still a Thing
Even though COVID-19 is no longer the focus of global travel restrictions, Nigeria has kept parts of its health surveillance infrastructure in place, and it’s now being used to manage other public health risks like mpox.
Since mid-2024, travelers entering Nigeria from high-risk countries have been required to fill out a health declaration form. This form captures details like your travel history, vaccination status, and possible exposure to communicable diseases. It’s a simple but essential requirement, and again, it’s done online.
You should also travel with your Yellow Fever vaccination card, as it remains mandatory for passengers arriving from countries where the disease is endemic. Without it, you may be denied entry or forced to get vaccinated on arrival.
New Overstay Rules, Don’t Get Caught Out
Another major change: Nigeria now enforces strict overstay penalties. Starting September 2025, any foreign national who overstays their visa will be fined $15 per day. If you overstay by more than 90 days, you risk being banned from re-entering Nigeria for five years: overstay by a year or more, and you could be blacklisted permanently. In other words: make sure your travel dates line up with your visa validity. Don’t assume you can extend once you’re in-country; those days are over.
Airlines Are Under Pressure Too
Airlines flying into Nigeria have been placed on notice: as of August 2025, they face penalties if they board passengers who haven’t completed their digital landing/exit cards or who don’t hold a valid visa. Nigeria’s Minister of Interior has publicly warned that repeated violations could result in sanctions against offending carriers. That means you won’t just be dealing with immigration; your airline might block you from even getting on the plane if your entry form application and visa documents aren’t in order.
Checklist Before You Depart
Here’s what you should do before heading to the airport:
- Apply for and receive your Nigerian e-visa.
- Complete the Nigeria digital landing form before travel.
- Fill out the exit form before your return journey.
- Submit a health declaration, especially if arriving from a region flagged by Nigerian health authorities.
- Bring a printed or digital copy of your Yellow Fever certificate.
- Print all confirmations, including visa, form submissions, accommodation booking, and return tickets.
- Know the overstay rules, and don’t break them.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
One last but important thing to include on your Nigeria entry checklist is comprehensive travel insurance: it’s not mandatory for entry, but it’s strongly recommended. Good coverage can protect you against unexpected medical expenses, flight disruptions, or lost luggage—issues that can be costly and stressful to deal with abroad. Make sure you arrange this before departure so you can travel with peace of mind.
Nigeria is embracing a more modern, digital-first approach to immigration and public health. But with that, modernization comes responsibility for travelers. The bottom line: don’t leave any of this to chance. Start your paperwork early, stay informed about the latest updates, and arrive in Nigeria confident that you’ve done everything right.
Safe travels!
Lived in England since 1998 and travelled the world since 2005, visiting over 100 countries on 5 continents. Writer, blogger, photographer with a passion for adventure and travel, discovering those off beat places not yet on the tourist trail. Marco contributes the very best in independent travel tips and lifestyle articles.
