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Pron And Cons Of Living In Nigeria By British Expat by Cybercop2002: 9:41pm On Mar 30, 2021 |
A move to the Nigeria will surely be a
unique experience for expats,
particularly those moving to Lagos.
Nigeria's largest city, Lagos boasts a
variety of fantastic beach resorts,
upmarket boutiques and a lively nightlife.
That said, Lagos, as with any big bustling
city, has plenty of negatives to go with
its positives.
We list a few pros and cons below to
help prepare expats for their relocation
to Lagos.
Lifestyle in Lagos
+ PRO: Diverse options for eating out
Lagos is a melting pot of cultures with
Western, Asian and African influences.
The city's food and eateries are equally
diverse, with a broad selection of
international and local dishes to feast
on.
+ PRO: Friendly locals
Cultural identity is important to
Nigerians, and people from Lagos are
happy to welcome foreigners and share
information, while having a positive
energy about themselves. This is true
even for those who live in poverty but
remain passionate about their work and
creativity.
+ PRO: Vibey atmosphere
With a friendly culture comes a love for
going out, dancing and having a good
time. Lagos is also at the heart of
Nigeria’s film-making industry, also
referred to as Nollywood. All these
factors culminate to produce an
exciting lifestyle and environment to
keep expats and locals entertained.
+ PRO: Cheap shopping and clothes
Although costs in modern malls are
expensive, clothes can be made by local
tailors at a much lower rate. Not only is
this cheaper, but expats can have unique
creations tailored just for them out of
the material of their choice. Nigerians
are fashionable people and expats can fit
right in with locally-designed clothing.
+ PRO: English is widely spoken
Surprisingly, over 500 languages are
spoken in Nigeria, with Hausa, Igbo and
Yoruba being main national languages.
Despite this immense diversity present in
one country, English is the official
language, which eases doing business
and general aspects of life for many
expats.
- CON: Culture shock
There is glaring inequality in Lagos, with
the richest of the rich seemingly worlds
away from the majority of the
population living in informal settlements
and slums. While expats are likely to stay
in gated communities, this puts them in
a bubble and separates them from
reality. They may experience some
internal turmoil and guilt when they
realise the extent of the wealth gap and
their own privilege in the country, but
changing this is not within expats’
control and need not create feelings of
culpability.
Working in Lagos
+ PRO: Attractive salaries and work
packages
While negative media on crime and life in
Nigeria could influence foreigners'
thinking, major companies in Lagos still
manage to lure expats with glamourous
contracts and lucrative salaries. Although
Lagos is not Nigeria’s capital, it is the
business hub of West Africa and, as such,
salaries are high. Additional perks for
expats working in Lagos may include
accommodation expenses, children’s
tuition fees, health insurance, a car and
driver, and flights home.
- CON: High cost of living
Despite major inequality with a large
proportion of the city’s population living
in poverty, the cost of living in Lagos is
on the pricey side. Costs are further
pushed up by a need for health
insurance, private healthcare and high
international school fees.
Accommodation in Lagos
+ PRO: Stress-free accommodation
arrangements
As part of lucrative expat packages,
employers often
arrange accommodation and may go as
far as covering the costs of this.
Otherwise, relocation companies can
also ease the house search. Often,
accommodation is in gated complexes
and communities with glamourous
amenities that include WiFi, gyms, tennis
courts and swimming pools.
- CON: Problematic electricity and
water supply
Unfortunately, power cuts occur quite
often in Lagos regardless of the area
expats live in, and this is something they
will have to adjust to. Generators and
power inverters are a necessity both for
doing business and maintaining one’s
household. On top of this, despite the
city being surrounded by water, access
to clean water is low, especially in
informal areas. Expats often rely on
boreholes for their water supply
Healthcare in Lagos
- CON: Be prepared to look abroad
While private facilities in Lagos provide a
decent level of healthcare, serious
medical procedures and treatment may
require air evacuation abroad, to South
Africa, for instance. Expats should ensure
that their medical insurance covers this.
Weather in Lagos
+ PRO: Year-round warm weather
Temperatures across Nigeria are
consistently warm because of its tropical
climate and geographic location close to
the equator, and make for pleasant
conditions year round, perfect for lazing
on the beach or exploring nature
reserves.
- CON: Flood risk
Not only is Lagos along the coast and
affected by rising sea levels, but its long
rainy season also brings many days of
heavy rainfall, which could lead to
flooding.
Safety in Lagos
+ PRO: Robust security in complexes
Given massive inequality and social
issues, crime is undeniably an issue in
Lagos. However, the complexes and
compounds that expats tend to stay in
will usually have armed guards, security
cameras and access control. This 24-
hour security helps to make expats feel
safe in their homes.
- CON: Violent crime across Nigeria
There are frequent reports of
kidnappings, muggings, car-jackings and
armed robberies in Nigeria. Expats may
stand out as foreign nationals and their
perceived associated wealth may
make them targets for muggings, so it's
best to always be vigilant. Expats should
heed advice from their employers, hosts
and embassies regarding safety
especially at night around the city and if
they plan on travelling outside of Lagos.
Getting around in Lagos
+ PRO: Several options for getting
around
Lagos is home to popular yellow
minibuses called danfo as well as a Bus
Rapid Transit system. For those living
or working on one of the islands – or
wanting an escape to the sheltered
Tarkwa Bay Beach, ferry and boat
transport are developing and a great
way to dodge traffic.
- CON: Nightmarish traffic
For expats averse to traffic, driving in
Lagos will not be fun. Alongside
overpopulation and increased car
ownership, there are many cars on the
road, poor road infrastructure and
undeveloped public transport. Traffic can
often come to a standstill during rush
hour, and we'd recommend expats find
accommodation near their workplace.
Another option is to hire a personal
driver – sometimes companies offer this
as part of a lucrative relocation contract.
Education in Lagos
+ PRO: High-quality international school
education
International schools are perfect for
expats with children who wish to
continue their home curriculum and
meet other expat and local children and
their families. Modern technology and
facilities allow for the best educational
experience while extra-curricular
activities can develop students’ skills and
interests.
- CON: Expensive fees
As is the case worldwide, international
schools typically come with a hefty
pricetag and stiff competition for places.
Expat parents must be willing to put
aside a sizeable amount of their salaries
for their child’s education, though it's
also worthwhile trying to negotiate this
expense with their employer as part
of their relocation package.
Further reading
►To help plan finances, see the Cost of
Living in Lagos |
Re: Pron And Cons Of Living In Nigeria By British Expat by WoundedLamb: 9:56pm On Mar 30, 2021 |
Paragraph... 2 Likes |
Re: Pron And Cons Of Living In Nigeria By British Expat by Cybercop2002: 12:00am On Mar 31, 2021 |
Ok thanks WoundedLamb: |
Re: Pron And Cons Of Living In Nigeria By British Expat by Nobody: 4:52am On Mar 31, 2021 |
OP, even if reading this piece was going to guarantee and earn me a salvation ticket, I still wouldn’t read it! Paragraph?! |
Re: Pron And Cons Of Living In Nigeria By British Expat by Cousin9999: 5:01am On Mar 31, 2021 |
The article neglects one of the most common things an expat in Nigeria, or just about any country, should know: you'll pay more for everything because you're foreign. |
Re: Pron And Cons Of Living In Nigeria By British Expat by Cybercop2002: 7:25am On Mar 31, 2021 |
Cousin9999:Nigerian wash and even lick white as with pleasure |
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