Today’s guide is all about the seven best apps that every traveler to Nigeria needs to know about.
If you’re visiting Nigeria anytime soon, or you plan to visit next year or in the coming years, this post is for you.
Even if you’re based in Nigeria and you think, “Am I missing out on some apps? Are there some things that Sassy knows that I should know?” this post is also for you.
Airbnb: Your Seamless Accommodation Solution
You’re thinking, “I want to go to Lagos. I don’t want to stay with my family or friends. I actually want to find an accommodation that is just seamless, no wahala, no drama”. You might consider a popular hotel chain, but I would advise that you actually use Airbnb. Airbnb allows you to book vacation rentals.
Seamless accommodation here in Lagos
The quality of accommodations that people are putting up onto the platform is absolutely stunning now, though it is more expensive and very expensive. You’ll find that accommodation prices are comparable to something you would even find in New York or in London.
Airbnb is probably the safest method for booking accommodation here in Lagos. Everything is very transparent; you can see exactly what you’re getting for your money. It also helps you try out different areas of the city, like Lekki or VI. Experience Luxury like never before
Bolt (or Uber): Navigating the City
The second app I would recommend for you to use is Bolt. When it comes to getting around in Lagos, I would not advise you to hire a car in advance unless it’s a personal recommendation and you have experience of driving in Lagos. Driving in Lagos is not a joke; it is a Formula 1, you know, track.
If you don’t have experience, definitely stick to an app like Bolt. Bolt allows you to book your ride on demand. It’s very seamless to use. Uber does operate in Nigeria too, so if you want to use Uber, you can also use Uber.
Jumia Food: Food on Demand
Jumia Food is a food app that allows you to basically buy food on demand. It’s pretty much the same thing as Deliveroo or Just Eat. Jumia Food is probably the most popular app right now. If you’re buying a meal on the app, I would suggest that you try and order from places that are close to your location. Try and order from restaurants that are actually close to your building.
A VPN (e.g., NordVPN): Accessing Websites
A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, like NordVPN, is essential. Some apps and websites will prevent you from accessing them simply because your IP address states that you’re in Nigeria. A VPN basically reroutes and changes your IP to somewhere else, like maybe Portugal, so that you can easily access that app or that website. Get one of those VPNs on your phone or on your laptop.
Aboki FX: Live Exchange Rates
Aboki FX says that they’re the most trusted platform to get live exchange rates. If you are planning to visit Nigeria, you plan on bringing your dollars or your pounds and actually changing local currency here, because the rates are better locally and your money goes much, much further. Aboki FX updates what the parallel rates are, so you can check and be like, “Okay, you know what, today pound is 6.75, dollar is four something, something”. Key to note: you should never ever try an exchange at the bank rate because you will lose money.
Google Map: Navigation and Traffic
I don’t think I have used an app more than I have used Google Map when I first arrived in Nigeria. Google Maps helps you navigate where exactly you’re going.
Safety: Whenever I’m in a taxi and I’m going to an unknown area, I like to pull up my Google Maps so I can actually see exactly where we’re going.
- Safety: Whenever I’m in a taxi and I’m going to an unknown area, I like to pull up my Google Maps so I can actually see exactly where we’re going.
- Time Management: Google Maps helps give me a sense of where everything is. If someone invites you for an event in Maryland and you check your map and you see that the traffic is for five hours, you might just say, “Thank you for the invite, I can’t make it”.
- Location Check: Google Maps just helps you double check to understand like, “Okay, where exactly is this place?”.
I personally love Google Maps; I think it’s an amazing app to have here in Nigeria.
A Local Banking App: Seamless Transactions
I would suggest that you get a banking app, a local banking app. If you’re Nigerian and you don’t have a Nigerian bank account, I would advise you to get one as soon as possible. Get the associated banking app for that bank. This really makes doing transactions easier.
Many times, this is how even local traders trade money. When you buy something, they can say, “Oh, just use, you know, transfer me some money,” which means go on your app and just, “I’ll give you my bank account and you can just transfer me the money”. The great thing is that once money transfers, you actually get a notification saying that the money has been received by text message.
I remember once I actually bought plantain from a guy that was hawking in traffic, and I had no cash. The guy was like, “Oh, do you have a bank account? I can give you my bank account to transfer”. I transferred it, he got his money right away, and that was the end of that
I really hope this was very useful in terms of helping you understand a little bit of how to navigate Nigeria. If you have other suggestions of other apps that you particularly found useful in Lagos, Nigeria, drop them in the comments section below.
