The Nigerian experience is physical, emotional, and sometimes international. No one knows it better than our features on #TheAbroadLife, a series where we detail and explore Nigerian experiences while living abroad.
Nigeria’s economy may be hard, but you don’t need to abandon your travel dreams. In this week’s Abroad Life, we gave you the cheat code for five cheap countries you can visit on a budget.
The life of a Nigerian ‘9-5er’ is not an easy one. From hustling in traffic to meeting up with crazy deliverables and KPIs, it could be a stressful life.
Hence the need to sometimes spoil yourself with some elements of a “soft life”. And how else can you do that but by travelling?
For today’s Abroad Life, we have curated a list of affordable countries to consider for vacations, so you don’t have to.
But first, you need to know the following:
Factors Considered in Choosing Travel Destinations
When analysing the cheapest countries to travel to from Nigeria, many analogies must be considered.
1. The country concerned’s standard of living.
2. Ease of transportation to and within the country.
3. Possibility or opportunity to get a job
4. Ease of setting up a business as a startup.
5. Easiest way of getting a visa to the country, better still, if it is a visa-free country
Now, let’s dive into the list:
Benin Republic
Grand Mosquee de Porto Novo, Benin Republic [Guardian Newspapers]
A cheat code to getting cheap travel destinations is to look out for any of Nigeria’s neighbours, especially the Benin Republic. If you use Lagos as your taking-off point, getting to most of the Benin Republic’s towns is easy and cheap. It has some downsides, however, and you can learn more about this through the lens of this Nigerian living in Benin here.
Because you’re living in an Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) member country, you can enter and stay for 90 days visa-free. Afterwards, you can apply for a residence permit if you continue your stay. However, if you’re smart enough, just move across the border and get an entry stamp, and you will have another 90 days visa-free.
Morocco
The Le Jardin Secret, a botanical garden in Marrakech, Morocco
According to the World Bank, Morocco’s standard of living is comparatively European. The cost of living here is much lower than in almost all European countries. Morocco is one of the cheapest countries with good facilities in the world.
By African standards, Morocco is not a poor country, and it’s on record that it enjoys a stable economy and government. Morocco is one of the few northern African countries you can travel to by road from Nigeria with little-known fears.
The beautiful aspect of travelling to Morocco is that getting an entry visa as a Nigerian is not difficult. When you enter and intend to stay, you have the freedom to extend your stay by applying for a residence permit.
Rwanda
King’s Palace Museum, Rwanda
If you love wildlife, you’d love Rwanda. It is popular for its volcanoes, waterfalls, and rainforests, home to wildlife animals such as mountain gorillas and hippos.
An all-expense paid trip from Nigeria to Rwanda costs nothing less than N600k online.
Turkey
Mount Nemrut, Turkeyo
Turkey is gradually becoming a preferred destination for many Nigerians, and if you’re looking for the cheapest country to travel from Nigeria, Turkey, a gateway country to Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, is a place to go.
The country is immigration friendly, with many budget flight providers you can approach to do it for you, depending on your needs.
In most Turkish cities, goods and consumable items are relatively cheap and readily available.
