It kinda feels like the migration gates have been thrown open, and folks are jumping on flights like it鈥檚 the last bus to Owerri Main Market on a rainy Friday.
If you鈥檙e also planning (or just hoping) to leave the country, you should have these in mind.
The passport office is a scam, and airport staff will tax you
Timilehin, 19
My passport expired while I was in secondary school, so I needed to get a new one for university abroad. I got to know from my mum that the passport office had this system where people were divided into two 鈥 priority list, and those they don鈥檛 give a fuck about.
Luckily, my parents knew someone at the office, so we were bumped up. I know so many people who had to turn down admissions because they couldn鈥檛 get their passports. It鈥檚 crazy.
Also, please don鈥檛 be seen carrying money up and down at the airport. I left in 2021 but was naive and held dollars openly while trying to check in, and all the customs guys were like, 鈥淒rop something for us nau.鈥 Guy, I鈥檓 literally your child鈥檚 age mate.
Be well informed ahead of your flight
Lara, 25
I left Nigeria in 2021, and this was around the time when COVID-19 was still serious-ish. I had gotten a negative test one week before my departure and assumed I was good to go.
Imagine my shock when I got to the airport and learnt the negative test had to be done 48 hours before my flight. To cut the story short, immigration delayed me for a while, and I had to pay (almost double what I paid for my previous test) to get tested again, plus the tips I had to give the airport guys to help me make sure I didn鈥檛 miss my flight. I still had to quarantine when I arrived at my destination.
Always ask questions while planning; don鈥檛 let the fear of village people make you keep everything to yourself, only to end up spending extra like I did.
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Prepare to be delayed
Wole, 24
Especially if you鈥檙e carrying loads of foodstuff and luggage. I moved to the US in 2019 for my master鈥檚 degree. Trust Nigerian mothers, my mum loaded me with foodstuffs sufficient to open a mini Walmart in Texas.
Although we correctly labelled everything and packed everything like our folks abroad had advised us to, these immigration guys delayed us by checking every single thing. Thankfully, my mum made sure I arrived the airport four hours before my flight. If not, I would have cried.
If you鈥檙e carrying a lot, make sure to make ample time for any kind of delay.
Corruption is very alive
Chichi, 28
I left the country in 2021, and listen, while I鈥檓 all for not pushing certain stereotypes, please still hold cash when dealing with immigration.
I had done the whole passport application process myself online. I remember it was 鈧17,500, and all I needed to do afterwards was go to a passport office for my interview and other biometrics. It was supposed to be really straightforward.
Spoiler alert, it wasn鈥檛. I had to pay an officer 鈧12,000 extra to 鈥渞elease鈥 the passport. That鈥檚 not all. On the day I was leaving, the immigration guys at the airport kept asking me to 鈥渂less them鈥. Be ready to drop something small, so you don鈥檛 get delayed unnecessarily.
Start processing your passport six months ahead
Imelda, 30
In a sane world, getting your passport shouldn’t take more than two weeks after completing biometrics and other requirements. But when my mum had to visit me in New Jersey around 2021 to help with my newborn, we saw hell. We had foreseen a delay, so we started the process when I was seven months pregnant. It didn鈥檛 change anything.
My mum and siblings kept going back and forth the passport office for about five months before the passport was ready. If it wasn鈥檛 an issue with finding her details on the system, it was some information suddenly becoming incorrect. We eventually overcame, and she got here when my baby was three months old.
The passport situation may have improved now, but always start the process early.
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