Abuja - Post Report Question and Answers
Are local buses, trams, trains or taxis safe and affordable?
Use of any local public transport, taxis, or Uber is strongly discouraged. Local staff from our compound got mugged in a taxi on the way to work recently. Use carpool or hire a driver who was vetted by the embassy. The CLO or the social sponsor are good POCs for that. - Sep 2019
No. Get a car only from one of the major hotels if you have to hire a vehicle. The Embassy may have suggestions for other types of transport. - Feb 2019
This is a self-drive post, but recently the RSO approved a couple taxi services to use. You will have to set them up a day or so prior though. - Apr 2018
This is a self-drive or motorpool-only post. - Apr 2017
First, be aware that the RSO does not permit official USG employees to use public transport. Second, there is a real issue with the driving -- none of the vehicles have seat belts, and traffic accidents are very frequent. So, while it is affordable (200 naira for one US Dollar) to go from one zone to another, the cost and risk are both high. And by the way, your hired domestic will say it costs five dollars to travel to your housing, but that is the "foreigner price, which is higher than what the locals pay. - Jun 2016
USG personnel aren't allowed to use them due to safety and security concerns. - Aug 2015
There is a public bus system, but is not approved for Mission employees. There are both licensed and private (read pirate) taxis. None of which are ok'd for use by Mission personnel. Legal taxi cabs are painted green or blue and yellow. The pirates are any color. A way to make a little money is to pick up someone in a private car and give them a lift, in exchange for some money. As is the case in most countries, the taxi drivers are a major reason for the bad traffic. Most of them are not licensed, have little or no driver training, come in from the villages and rent a taxi for the day to make some money. If you have driven before in a Third World country, this is nothing new. But, if it is your first time, good luck and be careful. Driving here is one step away from a full contact sport. Nigerians drive very aggressively and think they have lost "face" if they allow another car to merge into traffic. Drivers will drive bumper to bumper to prevent someone from entering the traffic lane from a side road. There is a mind set, that the driver has, that they are the only ones on the road and it is all about them. There is little to no respect for any kind of traffic law, law enforcement, common sense or courtesy. The higher in status a driver thinks s/he is, the worse his driving is. Because Abuja is the Federal capital city, there are lot of convoys of high ranking military and elected officals who believe they have right of way everywhere and all the time. - Jun 2015
No, not allowed to use public transport. - Nov 2014
Nope - don't! - Aug 2014
Not safe. USG employees and families prohibited from using. - May 2014
No and yes, respectively. Some expats use taxis and are fine, though. There really aren't other options, it is a driving-only city. - May 2013
Not safe. RSO prohibits embassy staff from using these local transport options. - Jun 2009
Not available or safe. - Mar 2009
They may be affordable, but they are absolutely not allowed by RSO and are considered a dangerous mode of transport. A few expats from other Embassies have been robbed after taking a taxi. - Sep 2008
There are no buses or trains, but taxis abound -- most of them some guy who happens to have wheels and a motor. Embassy personnel are forbidden from using them, but I know a lot of private Westerners who do use them. - Aug 2008
The RSO strictly prohibits the use of local transportation. - Jul 2008
