FAQ: Everything You Need To Know About Taking a Nigeria – Ghana Road Trip

Last updated on April 16th, 2021; Published on March 22nd, 2018

Over time, I have collated several questions people have asked about a Nigeria Ghana road trip. Articles in my Ghana Archives already answer most of these questions but I guess it’s not a bad idea to have them all on one single page. Therefore, without further ado, let’s jump right to the FAQs.

Thinking about taking a road trip to Ghana from Lagos, Nigeria? Here's everything you need to know! Click To Tweet

How Do I get to Accra from Lagos?

There are several options available to you. One option is to go with standard transport services. Most of the buses that ply this route have bus parks in Ajah, Yaba, Festac, etc. Another is to rent a car and a driver to take you down. You can find cars driving to Accra at Mile 2. I asked Toun about costs and she said that drivers usually charge N10,000 per head. So you would have to buy out the seats to have the car to yourself.

The last option is to rough it up and travel with regular public transport. I have a detailed breakdown of how to that in this article.

Which Bus Service Should I Travel With?

This is entirely up to you. I’m not recommending anyone who isn’t paying me. hehe… Just kidding. I have tried out only ABC and wrote a review about them here. I intend to go with another bus service when I get the chance but at the moment, I can’t recommend one.

PS: If you have travelled to Ghana using one of the standard buses, please feel free to share your experience and recommendation.

Can I travel in my Car?

Technically, yes. I reached out to the good people of Twitter for more information on how to do this and got several responses. I am collating them and currently working on an article that would elaborate on this question. January 2019 Edit – Read: Driving to Ghana in your vehicle – what you need to know

What Documents Do I Need for a Nigeria Ghana Road Trip?

You need a valid International Passport and a Yellow Card to travel from Nigeria to Ghana. On rare occasions, immigration officers may ask for your accommodation details. It’s good to have that handy as well. Lastly, based on my personal experience, an extra ID may be useful. This could include your work or student ID or something that has your company credential on it (like a business card).

Can I Travel with an ECOWAS passport?

Yes, you can either travel with an ECOWAS passport or your international passport. This can be gotten from the immigration office closest to you.

Can I travel to Ghana without my International Passport?

You shouldn’t but I have seen people who constantly travel without one. I don’t think it’s worth the hassle. It’s just better to have the right documents.

Where can I get a Yellow Card? Can I travel without One?

Yellow Fever Cards can be gotten from the Port Health office close to the international airport. At the time of this writing (July 2020), this costs N2,000. This card is as important as your international passport and like the latter, you can (illegally) travel without it. But is it worth it? No. Sometimes, you end up paying more than what this card costs – this apart from the extortion charges you get.

An updated process of getting a yellow card in Nigeria (July 2020)

The process of getting a yellow card has been updated as follows;

• Visit https://yellowcardnigeria.com/
• Click on the ‘Register’
• Fill in your personal information
• Click “Pay Now” and generate a receipt
• Make a payment of N2,000 on the same page (or go to the bank) and print the payment confirmation
• Go to the Port Health office with the printed documents and a copy of your passport biodata page
• Payment will be confirmed and the vaccine and card will be given.

How Much Does a Nigeria Ghana Road Trip Cost?

I have written a comprehensive breakdown of what it would cost you to travel from Lagos to Ghana in this article. A few things may differ and since this trip was taken in 2017, there’s bound to be some changes. The article would give you a general idea of what to budget for and what to expect when crossing the different borders.

Should I Travel with Naira or USD? 

Travelling with USD is always a good idea. It is universally accepted and you can easily find a BDC to get local currency. Some hotels would also accept payments in USD. Most won’t accept Naira. However, if you choose to travel with Naira, you can change money at the Aflao border. (Border between Togo and Ghana)

Would my Cards work in Ghana?

Sadly, this isn’t guaranteed. If you must travel with your cards alone, make sure you have a dollar MasterCard as well. Card policies in Nigeria change like the weather. You could even get caught up in a policy change while abroad.

Where Can I change my Money?

You can change Naira at any of the borders between Seme and Aflao.

How Long is the Journey from Lagos to Accra?

Prepare for an entire day’s trip. Most buses make stops Benin Republic and Togo. If you’re lucky, these stops will be short and won’t prolong your trip. My return journey from Accra to Lagos took about 17 hours. I broke down my onward journey, so the trip was bearable. I would recommend that you do the same if you have a bit more time. It’s just less stressful that way.

PS: Aflao border to Accra is another 4 hours – just thought to add this because I was so excited about getting into Ghana and I thought Accra would be 30 minutes away. Imagine my disappointment! If you’re travelling on your own, there’s an STC park close to the border gate. You can get a bus to Accra from there.

What Should I Expect?

Expect to see gazillion checkpoints from Badagry to Seme. Expect the worst from the Seme border. You might be lucky (or skilled) to get a stress free pass but prepare mentally, physically and financially for the worst. (Read about my latest border crossing experience here.)

At the time of this writing, road conditions are fairly good. There isn’t much to write home about regarding views. Therefore, if you plan to travel by road solely because you want to enjoy the views, you might as well just fly. You won’t be missing anything.

Edit: As of 2019, road conditions from Lagos down to Seme have deteriorated badly. The border crossing seems better with the opening of the new border control office.

I hope this article answers all the questions you might have regarding a Lagos-Ghana road trip. If you have any more questions for me, please leave them down in the comment section below. You can also search through my Ghana Archives. You’ll probably find answers there as well.

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