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 TweetWhat's Covered in this Post
Nigeria Ghana Road Trip: How do I travel from Lagos to Accra?
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.
The last option is to rough it up and travel with regular public transport. I have a detailed breakdown of how to do that in this article.
Which bus service should I use to travel from Nigeria to Ghana?
This is entirely up to you. I’m not recommending anyone who isn’t paying me. hehe… Just kidding. I have tried out ABC and wrote a review about them here. I also attempted to travel with GUO transport but it did not end well. So I can’t recommend them in good faith. You just have to choose the lesser of two evils and pray for luck!
Nigeria Ghana Road Trip: Can I travel to Ghana in my personal vehicle?
Technically, yes. I reached out to the good people on Twitter for more information on how to do this and got several responses. I have collated them in this post.
Nigeria Ghana Road Trip: What documents do I need to travel from Nigeria to Ghana?
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 to Ghana 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 from Nigeria 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. Also, getting stamps on your passport is a good way to start building your travel history.
Where can I get a Yellow Card in Nigeria?
Yellow Fever Cards can be gotten from the Port Health office close to the International Airport. At the time of this writing, this costs N2,000. This card is as important as your International Passport and like the latter, you can travel without it. But is it worth it? No. Sometimes, you end up paying even more than what this card costs apart from other extortion charges at the borders.
You can find out to get the new Yellow Card required for travel in this post.
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 are bound to be some changes. The article would give you a general idea of what to budget for and what to expect when crossing different borders.
Should I do a Nigeria Ghana Road Trip 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)
Will my Nigerian Naira Card 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.
Road Trip to Ghana: 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 in the 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.
Nigeria Ghana Road Trip: 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, roads are not optimal. The border crossing seems better with the opening of the new border control office. 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.
I hope this article answers all the questions you might have regarding taking a Nigeria Ghana road trip. If you have any more questions for me, please leave them 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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Hi Amarachi,
Thank you for your post.
I am organizing a group trip to Ghana this August and I need to know the following things please –
1) How much extra do we have to pay individually for each stamp we get on our passport while travelling by road to Ghana? is this fee included in the bus fare?
2) Can I be the one to give the passports to the authorities at the border for stamping? I have heard several stories of louts tearing off a visa page on one’s passport and I really don’t want that to happen to us. Most of us have visas on our passport and I am scared that these pages containing the visas will get torn out if we do a massive stamping without me having to look through the process.
3) What are the places you’d advise us to go to in Accra, Ghana that can give us a really good time in Ghana? We intend to spend 4 days.
4) Will the bus pass through Portnovo?
Thank you again.
Hey..
If you’re travelling with a standard bus, they’ll handle immigration on your behalf and the extra costs are included in the bus fares. If you are hiring a driver you haven’t used before, then you can accompany him to make sure everyone’s documents remain intact.
The bus doesn’t go through Porto Novo. If it’s a direct one, it will pass through Cotonou (stop there for passengers to get on/off), Ouidah, Grand Popo (no stops, except requested) and to Accra.
As for things to do, you can check out details of my trip and tailor it to suit your group. I didn’t see a lot of Accra, so feel free to research some more and include places of interest in your itinerary.
Hello Mz shioze. I have an august trip coming up too. whats dates do you plan to travel?
We mapped out August 9th to August 12th and we’re hoping there will be a public holiday that will make the date work out, if not we’d have to shift it.
im considering going to ghana, but from the comment here, my passport needs to have 6 month validity, im planning to go by august which will mean i just have 5 months validity.. what do i do?
If you’re travelling by road, you can probably get away with it. But if you’re flying, you need to get a new passport.
If we are traveling as a group from a university for academic purposes, do we all require a passport? The school would provide a support letter
Ideally, you do. I have seen people travel with their national or student ID cards. I don’t know if this is valid for everyone. You should confirm from your school and immigration representative you’re dealing with.
Please how can I get a yellow card to travel to Nigeria
Hello Atteh, you need to go to an approved health center, hospital or airport in your country to apply for one.
Hi – If you go by road/bus do they stamp your passport between ghana and togo. they only point is to get the stamps on passport. What bus company do you recommend that will endure ghana passport is stamped.
Hi. Yes, your passport gets stamped in and out across all borders from Nigeria to Ghana. My response on bus recommendation is detailed in the post.
Hi please i want to travel to ghana for hustling but I have not been there before, please can I go with ecowas and can I live there or I will need staying permit?
Hi Samuel, I am not sure what documents are required to live and work in Ghana. This article covers requirements for a short (tourist) visit. I would advice that you contact the appropriate immigration personnel to find more information about permits and documents needed for a long time stay.
Kindly explain the part about Yellow Cards being invalid by April 2019.
I intend travelling to Ghana for my annual leave this year.
Thank you for the insightful write-up.
Hi.. If you got your yellow card before August or September 2018 (if you didn’t register online to get it), that card will be invalid by next month. You have to get a new one.
Hi Amarachi I’m a Cameroonian refugee living in Nigeria and I want to travel to Ghana. Can I use my refugee ID card? And is it possible to change cedis to naira easily?
Because my eyes are on the exchange rate from cedis to naira
Hi Felix, you can easily change money to cedis at the Aflao border. As for travelling with a refugee ID, it might be possible but you need to confirm with bus operators or any immigration officer.
Hello Amarachi can I travel to Ghana with my national ID card
My recommendation is detailed in the post.
Hi, everyone I’m Sammy, can I travel to Ghana without visa or passport?? But I have my voters card with me?
Hi Sammy, you don’t need a visa to travel to Ghana. It is an ECOWAS country. As for the question of whether to travel without an international passport, my recommendation and response is detailed in the post.
Will the border from Nigeria to Ghana be closed this month ?
To the best of my knowledge, no. Is there any reason to expect that it would be?
Hello Amarachi
Can I travel to Ghana by air?
Do I need a yellow card for it?
How much will it cost traveling by air?
Thank u
Hi Chichi, yes, you can travel to Ghana by air and a yellow card certificate is mandatory. You can check for cost of flight tickets using portals like Travelstart or Travelwings.
Hi amarachi, I’m traveling solely to get stamps on my passport .. how many stamps do I get traveling by road to Ghana from Lagos …! Thanks
Hi Gideon, you get stamps for each side of the different borders (in and out). That’s about 12 stamps in total (to and fro) if I’m not mistaken.
Amarachi!
Thank you for the well explained info. Considering the fact of getting international passport and yellow card.
Can I travel without an international passport and live there also does business there?
Hi Ifex, I already answered the first part of your question in the post. This article does not cover living in Ghana. But I would definitely recommend that you have the right documents to enable you do so.
Hi Amarachi, lovely breakdown
Plz I will love to travel to Ghana next month
Plz you said something about using your site to book hotel online with the discount of $15
Plz how do I go about it
Tho I have booked but I intend to cancel and use yours
Plz if you don’t mind, can I have your number in my mail
Thanks Linda. If you click on the link and book through it, you’ll get the discount. Here it is again: https://www.booking.com/s/34_6/c3915252 and I have also included it in the post.
I think email communications would be better to help me keep track. You can send me a message using the contact form on my ‘About Me’ page and I’ll be sure to get back to you.