Lagos - Post Report Question and Answers
What have been the highlights of your time in this country? Best trips or experiences?
The fashion shows and markets are great! Very welcoming! - Mar 2024
School has been great, kids have been happy, we are saving a lot of money, don't feel the pressure to "see" everything and travel all the time like we would at many other posts, which converts to a lot of relaxed free time to hang out with the family and community members. - Aug 2020
Living in Lagos has been interesting in general. This is going to be the world's largest city within a decade or two. There is a real energy here, its a strange energy that sometimes feels like the edge of chaos, like a small thing may happen that will just lead to everything collapsing. Being in Lagos does make it easier to travel within Africa, though travel isn't that easy. Just getting to the airport can be an odyssey. That said, we've enjoyed the camaraderie of the community here and communal experiences from beach trips, trying new foods and various Nigerian cultural events. - Jul 2020
Unfortunately, there were no CLO trips out of Lagos offered while we were at post. It is possible to drive to Benin, with RSO support, where there are beach resorts--hire a driver to get you to the border. There is tons of fabulous travel to be had outside of the country, particularly within Africa. We had a series of ridiculously amazing experiences that we would never have been able to logistically or financially manage if not posted to Lagos. - Jun 2019
The Yacht Club, the Lekki Conservation Centre, the New Afrika Shrine, the Consulate beach house- opportunities to get outside (both outside the bubble and in nature) are rare and you should take all of them. Affordable gem shopping and tailoring. - Mar 2018
The expatriate community knows how difficult it can be living here. Being able to share this experience with those "in the know" is a highlight. - May 2016
Growing closer to my spouse because we have to keep each other entertained. There's nothing to do in Lagos. - Nov 2015
Shopping for local fabrics and making them into elegant styles, like some of the Yoruba tribes attire, with the help of the local tailors of course. Shopping for arts and crafts at the local markets. Local dishes comes in great varieties. Some of the Beaches are worth visiting, but you have to drive a long way out of the city to get a clean and less crowded ones. The nightlife is mostly clubs and some sleazy bars for ladies of the night with the oil rich expats. The diplomatic community usually sticks together and organizes events and dinners at each-others residences. The locals are very friendly towards Westerners, except the Northern tribes, which tend to be suspicious of people, being majorly Muslims. But you should be mindful of your wallet and cellphones if you are taking a stroll on the street. Get used to being stared at and called 'Oyinbo' meaning white person in the Yoruba Language, which Lagosians speaks. - Dec 2011
