Lagos - Post Report Question and Answers

What is the typical dress code at work and in public places? Is formal dress ever required?

Nigerians love to dress up! They usually are not casual at a gathering and wear elaborate local dress. - Mar 2024


Events are formal, work is business casual. - Aug 2020


Depends on section, but generally business casual to business at work. Formal dress is seen at fancy events, Nigerians like to dress up. Some will wear bow ties to visa interviews. - Jul 2020


Casual. - Aug 2018


There is no such thing as too fancy here. Nigerian women frequently wear sequined ball gowns during the day. Office wear ranges from traditional Nigerian attire to typical Western business attire to ski jackets, and hats indoors. Most Americans wear business casual or suits depending on their positions/ranks. There are a few representational events that you should have formal attire for, but women could get away wearing cocktail dresses and men could just wear suits. The only time you might really want to have a ball gown or tux would be Marine Ball, and you could easily get those made here. - Mar 2018


Nigerians like to dress up, but their idea of dressing up isn't always what a Westerner would think. For example, tuxedos are worn out and about going shopping. The short sleeve suit is popular. A typical Nigerian will wear jeans and a soccer jersey. At work, it's business casual. Most of the men wear ties without a jacket and the women wear business attire. - May 2016


Casual. Polo/Slacks, coat and tie are common. I can't describe exactly what women wear but it's professional attire. - Nov 2015


Nigerians like to dress up. The men like to wear suits, and the women can look very impressive in their native dress. Friday at the consulate is native dress day, when most Nigerians and many Americans wear traditional Nigerian outfits to work. Every time I try dressing up in a Nigerian outfit, my wife says something like, "Oh, is the circus is in town?" So I usually hang it back up in the closet. Some American men wear shirt and tie to work, but others wear casual dress. The climate is warm and humid year round, and it makes sense to wear light cotton clothes whenever possible, which is always for me. - Dec 2011


Business smart casual; suit not required at Consulate most of the time, but needed for official meetings. Women wear dresses, long skirts, covered shoulders; no shorts in public. - Sep 2008


Work is business casual, I tend to dress very casual, sun dresses and sandals. A meeting you would dress up in heels and a suit. Men wear khakis and polos, cargo pants, suits for dresser events. A lot of people have national costumes/dresses made for when they attend national dinners. - May 2008


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