Road transport in Nigeria
The primary means of transportation in Nigeria, roads convey more than 80% of all traffic in the country. Expressways connect the major cities and the southern seaports, and smaller arteries stretch from the densely-connected south to the less populated northern areas.
Rolled out in the 1970s and 1980s, the national road system has been under-maintained ever since and is now in such a state of dereliction it has become dangerous to use. As a consequence, traffic accidents are quite common, especially around the busy city of Lagos. Driving on Nigerian roads demands extreme caution.
Besides, Nigeria offers a full range of road public transport options, but most expats recommend avoiding them, if possible.
Many inter-city buses (including the famous Molue yellow buses) run across the country, but more often than not the vehicles are not roadworthy and the drivers tend to be on the reckless side. This also applies to local city buses and shared minibuses. Overall, a number of expats in Nigeria will tell you that taking the bus is not an option.
As for private road transport, Nigerian cities offer numerous taxis, which are much safer. The same cannot be said of okadas (motorbike taxis), infamous for their breakneck driving style. In any case, you can either hail a taxi or okada from the street, or order one by telephone (which prevents scams). Taxis can either be metered or require you to negotiate the fare with the driver.
