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! Share on XNigeria 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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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.
Thank you so much for the details, I have in mind of traveling to Ghana but none of my people is there. Plz how will I secure accommodation?
Hi Blessing, you can book for your accommodation through Booking.com. If you book using my referral link, (https://www.booking.com/s/34_6/c3915252) we’ll both get $15 off.
Hello dear Please I am looking to travel to Ghana from Nigeria but my passport expires on may 2019, will that be a limitation as it is not up to 6months? Also I might not be able to get a yellow card from Nigeria due to time constrain is it something I can do when I get to Ghana borders? I will be travelling by air, is there any other documents I would need for a successful crossover? How long can I stay in Ghana for without a visa? Thank you
Hi Ima, as a standard, you should have a passport with at least 6 months validity and a minimum of 2 free leaflets whenever you travel. I have no idea whether or not you will be refused entry in Ghana if you don’t have this. You may be lucky – but personally, I wouldn’t risk it, especially since you’re flying in.
As for your yellow card, I won’t be shocked if the Nigerian Immigration officers prevent you from boarding if you do not have this. So you may not even get the option to take the shot in Ghana. I’m sure there are ways around these things but do you really want to subject yourself to all of that? Just save yourself the hassle and try to get it before you leave.
You need your passport, yellow card, and in some cases, hotel reservation and I’m not sure that there is a limit. When I visited through the land border, I was allowed 30 days in. Please confirm from appropriate authorities before you leave.
Thanks for the information but I have 200000 naira can I comfortably rent a room apartment and startup life over there or maybe leave permanently in Ghana please reply thank you
Like I mean including my transport fee wood 200000 naira be enough for my accommodation I want to reside in Ghana and startup work
Hi.. I’m sorry I don’t have any advice on emigrating to Ghana. I have no knowledge of the process or the costs.
hi dear, i’m so glad there is a blog with this kind of information, kudos to you and the work you are putting in. I plan to travel solo to Ghana this month and i’m having doubts since i have not been there before and i’m going by road…do you think its something i can pull off or is it better i join a tour group but? i’m also checking my budget. awaiting your response, thanks
Hello Nenye, thanks for your comment.
As someone who loves to travel solo, I would say, yes -of course, it is a place you can visit on your own and you should! But at the end of the day, the decision on whether or not you can pull it off is up to you.
Have you traveled solo before? What are your concerns apart from the budget?
Re Budget: The main reason I choose solo travel above group trips is the flexibility it offers me. Sometimes, that may help to reduce my budget, other times, it’s more expensive. You just have to weigh the pros and cons.
Thats nice …I wana go to ghana for a french course at a franchise school at ghana.But I would be going alone and by bus also I dont know how much I would need to survive three months over there cause theres no accomodation given to us by the franchise imstituition .please I need your ideas or experience and am 18
Hello Esther, thanks for your message.
Unfortunately, I am not in the best position to respond to it as I have no idea how much the school costs or accommodation in Ghana. I have never lived there. You may need to contact the school to give you an estimate and what to budget for 3 months.
Good evening My name is Blessing, I want to travel to Ghana next month and I was thinking whether using road is safe or not but after going through all this conversation am satisfied and would like to use road… Thanks, Amarach you’re really the best please How can I get ur contact or u can add me on WhatsApp. Thanks. 😍
Hi Blessing, thanks for your comment. You can send me an email using the contact form on my ‘About Me’ page. I’ll try to respond to your inquiries via that medium. I hope your road trip goes well!