Before you travel
Health preparation for Nigeria
Nigeria is a significant VFR destination for our patients, and trips are often longer and more varied than typical tourist travel.
Nigeria sits within the African meningitis belt, so meningitis vaccination is often worth discussing alongside the standard travel vaccines.
Final vaccine and medicine recommendations always depend on your medical history, previous vaccinations, current travel health guidance, trip duration and planned activities. This page is general information, not a personal clinical recommendation — book a consultation so our pharmacist can assess your individual trip.
Personalised recommendations
Vaccines commonly discussed
Yellow fever certificate required for entry
No single list applies to everyone. Recommendations depend on your route, trip length, activities, health and previous vaccinations.
View the Africa regional travel-health guide
TyphoidMost travellers
Widely recommended
£38 per dose
Hepatitis A&B CombinedMost travellers
Widely recommended
£85 per dose (adult & junior)
Meningitis ACWYSome travellers
Considered given meningitis belt location, especially in dry season
£57 per dose
DTPAll travellers
Booster if it's been over 10 years. For stays of 4 weeks or more, a polio-containing dose within the 12 months before you leave Nigeria may be required on exit
£38 per dose
Mosquito-borne illness
Malaria risk and bite prevention
Present throughout the country, including in Lagos and Abuja, all year round.
Risk can differ within a country and can change over time. A consultation assesses your exact itinerary and whether antimalarial medicine should be considered.
Read the malaria prevention guideBeyond vaccination
Practical advice for your trip
- Malaria prevention nationwide, including in cities
- Meningitis risk, particularly in the dry season (roughly December to June)
- Food and water hygiene
- Access to healthcare can vary significantly by region
Food, water and traveller's diarrhoea
Follow careful food and water hygiene where standards are uncertain. Vaccination does not replace these everyday precautions.
Climate planning
November to February is generally drier across much of the country.
Entry requirements
A visa is required in advance for UK travellers, and a yellow fever vaccination certificate is required for entry and exit. If you stay 4 weeks or more, proof of a polio vaccination given 4 weeks to 12 months before departure, recorded on an International Certificate of Vaccination, may be required when you leave. Check current entry requirements before booking.
Yellow fever
Since August 2025 Nigeria requires a yellow fever vaccination certificate from all travellers entering or leaving the country, including those arriving directly from the UK. Infants under 9 months and adults over 60 are exempt from the certificate, but vaccination is still recommended for everyone aged 9 months and older because there is a risk of transmission throughout Nigeria.
Entry and certificate rules can change. Check the latest official foreign travel advice on GOV.UK before departure, and see TravelHealthPro for country-specific health guidance. Yellow Fever vaccination is not currently administered at this clinic; where a requirement is relevant, the pharmacist can discuss your itinerary and explain that an authorised Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre may be needed.
Common questions
Nigeria travel health FAQs
Three things. A yellow fever certificate, which is now required to enter and leave Nigeria and must come from an authorised centre because we do not give it. Malaria prevention, which is essential for almost every trip. And, for stays of 4 weeks or more, a polio booster within the 12 months before you fly home, recorded on a certificate. We also discuss typhoid, hepatitis A and B and meningitis based on your season and region.
If you feel seriously unwell
- If you are seriously unwell abroad, seek local emergency medical care immediately.
- If you are seriously unwell after returning to the UK, call 999 or go to A&E — always mention any recent travel.
- For urgent but non-emergency advice in the UK, call NHS 111 or contact your GP.