An Indian in Lagos

Nigeria's largest and fastest-growing cities is home to many Global Indians. Besides its reputation as a major financial centre and being known as the commercial capital of Nigeria, Lagos also has the distinction of being a historic and lively city. Top 5 Business Hotels in Lagos Federal Palace Hotel www.suninternational.com/federal-palace Address: 6 - 8 Ahmadu Bello Way; Victoria Island; Lagos; Nigeria Email: reservations@ng.suninternational.com Telephone: +234 1 277 9000 Lagos Oriental Hotel www.lagosoriental.com Address: 3, Lekki Road, Victoria Island Lagos Email: info@lagosoriental.com Telephone: +234 1 280 6600 Fax: +234 1 280 6609 The George www.thegeorgelagos.com Address: 30 Lugard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, Nigeria Email: reservations@thegeorgelagos.com Telephone: +234 809 020 3848 The Wheatbaker www.legacyhotels.co.za/en/hotels/wheatbaker Address: 4 Onitolo Road (Lawrence Road), Ikoyi, Lagos, Nigeria Email: wheatbaker@legacyhotels.com Telephone: + 234 277 3560 Fax: + 234 277 3563 InterContinental Lagos www.ihg.com/intercontinental/hotels/us/en/lagos/losha/hoteldetail Address: Kofo Abayomi Street - plot 52 , Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria Telephone: +234 1 236 6666 Best Times to Visit

• December to February are the best times to visit Lagos.
• It is hot, dry and humid throughout the year, and these are generally the coolest times.

• English is the official and main language.
• When travelling to Nigeria, an international vaccination certificate against yellow fever is required. A Cholera vaccination certificate is also required if coming from an infected area.
• In restaurants, a 10% tip is adequate if a service charge hasn′t already been added.
• Hotel expenses/bills must be paid for in foreign currency
• There are a number of Bureaux de Change and banks at each International airport where the visitor can convert from local to foreign currency, and vice versa.
• Major banks with international branches operate electronic money transfer services.
• There are no restrictions on importation of foreign currency. A currency declaration is, however required both on arrival and departure, for large sums of money in excess of US$5,000.00
• Import or export of Nigerian currency is strictly limited to NGN 5,000 (five thousand Naira only).

• A number of buses are in operation in Lagos, including Danfo buses, Molue buses and a Bus Rapid Transit system (BRT).
• Danfo buses are yellow minibuses that travel set routes around the Lagos mainland and on the islands.
• Molue are larger commercial buses, also painted yellow. These buses are also usually overcrowded. Due to numerous issues, Molue buses have been banned from operating in certain parts of Lagos, including the city′s central business district.
• The BRT is a relatively new system that has somewhat improved the transport and eased traffic congestion in Lagos. BRT vehicles, painted red or blue, operate on segregated or priority lanes between the mainland and the islands of Lagos.

• There are a number of taxi companies that operate in Lagos; these are either metered or have fixed fares.
• It is possible to hail a cab from the street, although a safer option is to phone and order one ahead of time.
• Expats should negotiate the fare before entering the taxi, or make sure that the meter is working.

• Despite the abundance of waterways in Lagos, ferries are not as popular as road transport to get around the city.
• There are a few regular ferry routes between Lagos and Victoria islands and the mainland.
• Private boats also operate some passenger services on the lagoon and on some creeks.

• Okadas are motorbike taxis that can carry one passenger, although it's not unusual to see several squashed on with the driver at one time.
• They are generally cheaper than regular taxis and are the fastest way of getting around Lagos.
• However, travelling on an okada can be a hair-raising experience as they weave through the congested roads at high speeds, often ignoring the rules of the road.

• The primary airport for Nigeria, Murtala Muhammed International Airport is located 14 miles (22.5km) northwest of central Lagos.
• Major flight operators include: Air India, Jet Airways, SpiceJet Airline, Qatar Airways, Lufthansa Airline, Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Kenya Airways, Air France
• No airlines fly direct from India to Lagos

• The National Museum
• Lekki Conservation Centre
• Badagry Black Heritage Museum
• Terra Kulture
• Nike Art Centre
• Freedom Park
• Eleko Beach
• National Arts Theatre
• The Cathedral Church of Christ
• Ikeja City Mall

• Known to be one of the busiest commercial hubs and a centre of excellence in Nigeria, Lagos claims to be among the best cities for investing in a business.
• Located on the Southwest beach line of Nigeria, Lagos port is responsible for processing 80% imports in Nigeria. This port of Lagos is also in the list of top 10 in Africa.
• Lagos state has many millionaires than any other state in Nigeria. The state only plays third to Johannesburg and Cairo to the number of millionaires in it.
• With GDP in 2014 pegged at $90 billion, Lagos' economy stands as the 7th largest in Africa- bigger than Cote d'Ivoire and Kenya.
• Lagos state is home to Nigeria's largest concentration of money and capital markets.
• Nigeria's largest ICT market.
• The office of Overseas Affairs and Investment (Lagos Global) serves as a one-stop shop for investors to help navigate the regulatory environment and promote investment linkages and information exchange networks.