Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Benin
The main border crossing is on the Lagos to Cotonou (Benin) highway. Expect requests
for bribes. There's a good direct Cotonou-Lagos bus service run by Nigerian bus com-
crossing is further north at Kétou on the Benin side.
Cameroon
There are two main border crossings. The northern border post is at Bama, 2½ hours from
Maiduguri, across to Banki in Cameroon. A remote alternative crossing is at Ngala (Ni-
geria), which is used mainly for transiting to Chad.
The southern border crossing is at Mfum (Nigeria), near Ikom. The road infrastructure
collapses pretty much as soon as you cross to Ekok (Cameroon), making this border prob-
lematic during the rainy season, so consider taking the Calabar-Limbe ferry instead dur-
ing the wettest months.
Chad
Although there are no official border crossings between the two countries, it's possible to
make a quick transit across Cameroon. In Nigeria, the border crossing into Cameroon is at
Ngala. On the Cameroon side ask for a
laissez-passer
to allow you to make the two-hour
traverse to the Chad border point at Kousséri.
Niger
There are four main entry points into Niger. The busiest is the Sokoto route, which crosses
at Ilela (Nigeria). Minibuses and bush taxis run daily to the border, just past Ilela. Cross-
ing to Birni N'Konni, you can get on a bus straight for Niamey. Travelling between Kano
(Nigeria) and Zinder (Niger) is equally straightforward. The final option is between
Katsina and Maradi.
From Niger, it's easiest to cross at Gaya. You'll probably have to hire a bush taxi to
take you from the Nigerian side at Kamba on to Sokoto. Beware the potholes.
Note that there is heavy presence of security and more scrutiny because of Boko
Haram, as it is believed that they have operations in Niger.
SEA
A ferry sails from Calabar to Limbe every Tuesday and Friday evening (N6000, five
hours), returning on Monday and Thursday. It's an overnight trip in each direction. Your
passport is collected on boarding and returned at immigration. Try to keep hold of your
luggage - if it gets stowed in the hold, you'll be waiting hours to get it back.
Getting Around
