I recently had the pleasure of traveling to Lagos, Nigeria to participate in a research project working in HBV and HPV vaccination with the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research and 4 Communities By Communities. It was an honor to be surrounded by so many bright, passionate minds and so many people eager to show me their beautiful city!

For anyone looking to make the same trip, here’s a list of safety suggestions:

1) Road safety is key! Cars drive hectically and seem to squeeze into oncoming traffic without any consistent rules. Wear your seatbelt in any vehicle. Cars will start and stop for no apparent reason. Practice caution when traversing the roads and don’t assume a car will stop for you. In the NIMR compound, there was a often person with a stick who would stop traffic for pedestrians, but never assume that will be the case and be careful wherever you walk.

As of 2024, Ubers are readily available. If you are traveling with a government organization, a driver may also be available. There are also yellow buses available but I’d recommend other options if possible—these are notoriously flimsy and we saw multiple broken down in the street.

2) In terms of medical safety, you should meet with your program’s travel clinic beforehand. I had to take a oral typhoid vaccine, a yellow fever vaccine, and anti-malarial medication (2 days before travel, during the trip, and a week after). Carry bug spray with you. If in a hotel, you can ask them to spray the room while you aren’t present. I also wore pants or long dresses everywhere.

3) Don’t drink the tap water or use it to brush your teeth! I purchased a case of bottled water as soon as I got off the plane and was done with it in a week.

I’d also recommend bringing a pack of portable tissues and hand sanitizer. Some bathrooms do not have toilet paper or soap and it’s difficult to find hand sanitizer outside of pharmacies. This can be especially important in places with high cholera levels.

4) Try to travel with a local and seek information about a place before you go. While much of the city is safe, there are areas I would not go to alone. If you look like a foreigner you should be on guard, especially if you’re a woman.