About Nigeria
Travelling to Nigeria? Whether you’re visiting family, working, or heading for city or rural travel, it’s worth checking a few health precautions first. North London Travel Clinics is a private, pharmacist-led clinic serving North London (Wembley, Harrow, Brent, Neasden and nearby). We offer destination-specific advice, vaccinations and malaria prevention so you can travel with confidence and sort most requirements from our pharmacy clinics on Brent Street and Neasden.
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Why travellers go to Nigeria — and what that means for your health
Nigeria is a large, diverse country with busy cities such as Lagos and Abuja, coastal areas and rural regions. People travel for business, family visits, humanitarian work and tourism. Different trip types carry different health risks — for example, short city breaks have different concerns to long stays or trips involving outdoor activities. Knowing where you’ll go and what you’ll do helps focus which vaccines, medicines and practical measures you need.
Main health risks and the vaccines or precautions to consider
Key health issues for Nigeria include:
Yellow fever: Transmission occurs across the country and vaccination is advised for most travellers. Many travellers are required to carry a valid yellow fever certificate — check entry and exit rules for your itinerary.
Malaria: Nigeria is a high-risk area. Effective antimalarial tablets are recommended (common options are atovaquone/proguanil, doxycycline or mefloquine); choice depends on age, medical history and travel plans.
Food and water-borne infections: Hepatitis A and typhoid vaccines are commonly advised because of risks from contaminated food and water in some areas.
Polio: Nigeria has reported vaccine-derived polio; ensure your polio course is up to date — extra exit requirements may apply for long stays.
Rabies: A risk from animal bites in some regions; pre-exposure vaccination is recommended for long-stay travellers or those likely to have animal contact.
Mosquito-borne viruses: Dengue, chikungunya and Zika are present. Mosquito bite prevention is important, and women planning pregnancy should discuss Zika risk with a clinician.
Other risks: Schistosomiasis (from freshwater), Lassa fever outbreaks and seasonal cholera or influenza outbreaks have been reported; take sensible local precautions.
We’ll assess which of these apply to your itinerary and health history and advise appropriate vaccinations or measures.
How to prepare before you travel
Aim to see a travel health professional 4–6 weeks before departure — earlier if you have medical conditions. If time is short, an appointment is still worthwhile. What to do:
Bring your NHS vaccination record or any previous travel health certificates.
Consider vaccinations: yellow fever, hepatitis A, typhoid, hepatitis B, meningococcal and others as relevant to your plans.
Choose an antimalarial: atovaquone/proguanil is started 1–2 days before travel and continued for 7 days after return; doxycycline starts 1–2 days before and continues for 4 weeks after; mefloquine is started 2–3 weeks before travel and taken weekly. We’ll recommend the right option.
Pack insect bite protection: DEET or picaridin repellent, long sleeves, permethrin-treated clothing and a good mosquito net for rural stays.
Take practical steps for food and water safety, travel insurance and basic first aid.
If pregnant, breastfeeding or planning pregnancy, we’ll discuss which vaccines and precautions are suitable. We also provide advice on what to do after an animal bite and where to get urgent care overseas.
Book your travel health check in North London
If you’re travelling to Nigeria, we can review your itinerary, update vaccinations and provide antimalarial advice at our pharmacist-led clinics in North London. We serve Wembley, Harrow, Brent, Neasden, Cricklewood, Finchley, Edgware, Ealing and Acton. Call 020 8450 7873 to discuss needs and arrange a convenient appointment at Zaxgate Pharmacy (Brent St) or Frank Wreford Pharmacy (Neasden). Our team focuses on clear, practical advice so you can travel prepared and minimise health surprises.
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