Private jet to Nigeria

Nigeria is the largest economy of West Africa, and most private flights from Europe land in one of three cities. Lagos is the commercial centre with the banks, the port and the head offices; Abuja is the federal capital with the ministries and embassies; Port Harcourt is the base of the oil and gas industry in the Niger Delta. Murtala Muhammed International in Lagos is the main arrival point for business jets and has three private aviation handlers on its own apron.

We are a broker and find the aircraft among operators in Europe and the region. A super midsize jet such as the Praetor 600 flies from most European hubs to Lagos without a stop in five to seven hours. What takes time on this route is the paperwork: a landing permit for the aircraft, a visa for every passenger and a yellow fever certificate. Below are prices, airports, entry rules, seasons and the points that decide a Nigerian trip.

Send the route, the dates and the number of passengers, and say whether the jet should wait in Lagos or Abuja; a consultant replies with aircraft, prices and a plan for the permit.

What a private jet changes on a Nigerian trip

Flight times from Europe and the region

Times without a stop, in a Praetor 600 from Europe and a Pilatus PC-12 within the region:

• Lisbon 5:14 h, Madrid 5:17 h, Rome 5:32 h, Nice 5:41 h, Milan Linate 5:57 h to Lagos
• Larnaca 6:01 h, Zurich 6:13 h, Paris Le Bourget 6:24 h, Munich 6:24 h, London Farnborough 6:44 h to Lagos
• Geneva 5:41 h, Istanbul 5:42 h, Vienna 6:03 h, Frankfurt 6:12 h, Brussels 6:20 h to Abuja
• Amsterdam 7:05 h and Hamburg 7:16 h to Port Harcourt
• Accra 1:19 h, Lomé 0:59 h, Cotonou 0:43 h to Lagos in a turboprop

A Praetor 600, a Challenger 650 and the larger jets fly every European sector in the tables non-stop. A light or midsize jet, such as a Phenom 300 or a Citation XLS+, has to stop for fuel, for example in Morocco or the Canary Islands, which lengthens the day and rarely saves money on a sector this long. Nigeria keeps West Africa Time, one hour ahead of London in winter and equal to CET; in the European summer the clock in Lagos is the same as in London and one hour behind Paris.

Private jet prices to Nigeria

All prices are for the whole aircraft, one way, plus landing permit, handling, parking, airport charges and passenger taxes. The flight time is for the first aircraft in the row.

From the European hubs to Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt

From southern Europe the Praetor 600 is the cheapest non-stop option: Lisbon and Madrid to Lagos cost EUR 37,000, Rome EUR 39,000. From London the same aircraft costs EUR 46,000, and the Falcon 7X EUR 79,000 with a larger cabin and a little more speed. Abuja is slightly closer to central Europe than Lagos, so Geneva - Abuja comes to EUR 40,000. Port Harcourt is the furthest of the three: a Praetor 600 from Amsterdam costs EUR 48,000.

From West and Central Africa

Cotonou - Lagos takes 0:43 h in a Pilatus PC-12 for EUR 6,000, and Accra - Lagos 1:19 h for EUR 7,500. From Dakar the turboprop is slow and the Challenger 350 at EUR 29,000 is the usual choice. From Douala in Cameroon, Port Harcourt is 0:55 h away in a Citation XLS+ for EUR 11,000. Every row is an international flight with its own permit on both sides.

From the Gulf, Southern Africa and the United States

New York - Lagos is a non-stop sector of 10:14 h for the Falcon 7X at EUR 125,000; the Challenger 650 needs one stop on the way. From Dubai and Johannesburg every column flies without a stop.

Passenger taxes depend on the departure country. France charges a solidarity tax per passenger that rises with distance, about EUR 1,015 on a jet to Nigeria and about EUR 420 within Europe; Italy charges EUR 200 per passenger on sectors beyond 1,500 km to or from the country. Germany and the United Kingdom charge departure taxes, listed in the quote; in the UK aircraft under 5.7 t pay no APD, and the higher private jet rate applies from 20 t with fewer than 19 seats. Nigerian passenger and security charges are listed in the quote.

Business jet price per flight hour

Heavy Jets from EUR 8,300 / hour

Light Jets from EUR 3,200 / hour

Ultra Long Range Jets from EUR 12,000 / hour

Super Midsize Jets from EUR 6,300 / hour

Very Light Jets from EUR 2,500 / hour

Long Range Jets from EUR 9,800 / hour

Midsize Jets from EUR 4,500 / hour

Turboprops from EUR 2,000 / hour

Three trips with real figures

Price per person

The aircraft is chartered as a whole, so the share per person falls with every seat filled:

Calculator

The calculator gives a first estimate for any airport pair; for Nigeria add the city and the number of nights on the ground in the comment.

Airports and business aviation terminals

The main airports of entry for private flights are Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kano, all with customs. Lagos has the most developed private aviation area; the other three are used with a handler arranged for each flight.

Permit, fuel and domestic legs

A private flight receives a permit for non-commercial operations; a charter needs an operator with an air operator certificate and a permit issued for that category. The request goes in at least 48 hours ahead, and the permit office works on working days, so a Friday request for a Monday arrival is risky. The permit is issued for the aircraft, the schedule and the route filed; a change of date, aircraft or crew is notified before departure. Fuel is usually paid in advance or through a fuel release accepted by the supplier.

A European aircraft does not carry passengers between two Nigerian airports. Lagos - Abuja or Lagos - Port Harcourt is flown by a Nigerian operator, and we name it in the quote. Scheduled airlines also connect the large cities several times a day.

Which aircraft for Nigeria

Light jets are seldom the cheaper choice from Europe: with a fuel stop, the extra landing fees and a longer crew day, the price comes close to that of a super midsize jet flying straight through. To compare a non-stop flight with a smaller aircraft and a stop, leave your number and a consultant will call back.

Where private flyers go in Nigeria

Most visiting parties book a chauffeured car to wait at the aircraft, and the handlers can arrange secure transport when asked. Helicopter operators that serve the oil and gas industry also take charters; like any flight between two Nigerian points, these are flown by local operators.

When to fly: the Nigerian year

The best months for a trip are November to March, the dry season, with December as the busiest month of the year in Lagos. Empty Legs are most frequent around the December holidays and in early January, when aircraft that brought families and guests to Lagos fly back to Europe.

Ramadan and the two Eid holidays move about eleven days earlier each year; in the north offices work shorter hours during Ramadan.

Empty Legs to and from Nigeria

The operator sets the date and time, and a leg disappears if the original booking changes. The permit and the visas are still needed, so an Empty Leg works for travellers whose papers are ready. Send your route and a range of dates to empty-legs@jets.flights.

Flying with a dog or cat

A pet travels in the cabin beside you once the operator approves it. Nigeria asks for:

• Import permit issued in advance by the Nigerian veterinary authorities; start with the permit, not the flight.
• ISO microchip fitted before the rabies vaccination, with the number on every certificate.
• Rabies vaccination between 30 days and 12 months before entry.
• Veterinary health certificate issued shortly before departure and endorsed by the government veterinary service of the departure country; the window is stated in the permit.
• Treatment against internal and external parasites before travel; arrival through an airport named in the permit, usually Lagos or Abuja.

Entry rules, documents and travel advice

The UK Foreign Office advises against all travel to several states in the north and north-east and to the riverine areas of the Niger Delta states, and against all but essential travel to a further group of states, among them Kano, Kaduna and the non-riverine parts of Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers, the state of Port Harcourt. Lagos State and the Federal Capital Territory with Abuja are in neither list. The advice changes over time, so we read it again on the day of booking; other European governments publish advice of their own. Travel insurance can be invalid for trips against such advice, so we ask clients to check with their insurer, and we plan with the published advice in front of us.

Before departure: checklist

• Visas approved and printed for every passenger; passports valid for six more months.
• Yellow fever certificates in the travel folder.
• Landing permit number confirmed by the operator; schedule and passenger list unchanged since filing.
• Handler, parking and fuel arrangement confirmed in writing for Lagos, Abuja or Port Harcourt.
• Car and hotel booked together with the permit, especially in December.
• For a pet: import permit, health certificate and the antibody test for the return.

How to book a private jet to Nigeria

1. Send the cities, dates, number of passengers and whether the aircraft waits or returns empty.
2. We compare a non-stop super midsize jet with heavy and long-range options and name the Nigerian operator for any domestic leg.
3. You confirm the aircraft; passport copies and the manifest go to the operator for the permit.
4. The operator files the landing permit; you apply for the visas in parallel.
5. Before departure we confirm the permit, the FBO, the fuel and the car; the handler meets you at the aircraft.

Questions about private flights to Nigeria

• • How much does a private jet to Nigeria cost?

  • From EUR 37,000 one way for the whole aircraft from Europe, Lisbon or Madrid - Lagos in a Praetor 600. From London the same jet costs EUR 46,000, from Paris EUR 44,000, plus permit, handling and taxes.

• • How long is the flight from London to Lagos?

  • About 6:44 h non-stop in a Praetor 600 and 6:14 h in a Falcon 7X. Light and midsize jets need a fuel stop.

• • Which airport is best for business aviation?

  • Lagos Murtala Muhammed, with three handlers in the general aviation area: ExecuJet, EAN Jet Centre and Nestav. Abuja and Port Harcourt also have customs around the clock.

• • Can the jet from Europe fly us on from Lagos to Abuja?

  • No. Domestic legs in Nigeria are flown by a Nigerian operator, which we arrange and name in the quote.

• • Do EU and UK citizens need a visa?

  • Yes, obtained online before travel; there is no visa on arrival. The passport must be valid for six months after arrival.

• • Is a yellow fever vaccination required?

  • Yes, the certificate is checked on entry. Have it in the travel folder with the passport.

• • How far ahead should we book?

  • As soon as the dates are known. The permit needs at least 48 hours on working days and the visa its own processing time, so two weeks is a comfortable minimum; in December book earlier.

• • Can our dog fly with us?

  • Yes, in the cabin with the operator's approval and a Nigerian import permit, microchip, rabies vaccination and health certificate. The return to the EU needs a rabies antibody test.

• • Is a same-day return from Europe possible?

  • Rarely. The flight takes six to seven hours each way, so the crew's duty day normally ends in Lagos and the aircraft stays overnight.

• • Are there Empty Legs to Lagos?

  • Yes, mostly from Lagos back to Europe and around the December holidays. Write to empty-legs@jets.flights with your route and dates.

• • What does the government travel advice say?

  • The UK Foreign Office advises against all travel to several northern states and the riverine Niger Delta, and against all but essential travel to further states, including Kano and the non-riverine parts of Rivers State; Lagos State and Abuja are in neither list. Check your insurer's terms before booking.