A First-Timer’s Guide to Lagos: Where to Eat, Walk and Listen

Lagos does not ease you in. The traffic is real, the energy is constant and the city never seems to sleep. Give it a few days and it opens up.

Eat

Start with a plate of amala and ewedu at a local buka, then move on to suya at dusk. For something different, look for fresh seafood and grilled fish along the lagoon-side spots.

Walk

Spend a morning on Lagos Island and look at the old buildings and the markets. Leave the afternoon for the beaches and the calmer parts of the mainland. Go early; the roads are far kinder before 8 a.m.

Listen

Music is everywhere: Afrobeats from taxis, highlife in older bars, live bands in the clubs. Ask a local where they go; you will usually get a better answer than any guidebook gives.

Practical tips

• Plan around traffic, not distance.
• Use a trusted ride-hailing app or a driver recommended by your host.
• Carry some cash in small notes for markets and street food.