The first weeks in Nigeria: residence, numbers, bank and a safe address
The first weeks in Nigeria revolve around three things: completing your residence at the immigration service, arranging your numbers (NIN, BVN, Tax ID) and finding a safe address. The order matters, because the bank asks for the numbers and the immigration service for a home. And follow the travel advice from day one.
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Written and checked by Auke on , against the sources at the bottom. Is something no longer right? Report it below and I'll fix it.
The first weeks in Nigeria are about three things: completing your residence, arranging your numbers and finding a safe address. Anyone who isn't Nigerian has their fingerprints and photo taken at an immigration office for the CERPAC, the residence card. Everyone living in Nigeria enrols for the NIN, the national number, and that is free. Then comes the bank, with the BVN. The order matters: the bank asks for your numbers, and for some permits the immigration service wants to see proof of a home.
What do you arrange when?
| What | When | Where | According to the source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landing card | before arrival | online at the NIS | for foreigners entering |
| Health declaration | before departure | online at the Ministry of Health | NederlandWereldwijd |
| Information Service | before departure | NederlandWereldwijd | email on new travel advice or a crisis |
| CERPAC | after arrival, or in advance as an e-CERPAC | NIS office | biometrics; free if married to a Nigerian |
| NIN | in the first weeks | NIMC office or partner | free; mandatory for people living in Nigeria |
| BVN and bank account | after the NIN | bank branch | BVN within 24 hours |
| Home in Lagos | as soon as possible | landlord | new tenant at most 1 year in advance |
| Contact with the Netherlands | in an emergency | consulate-general in Lagos, or +31 247 247 247 | reachable day and night |
What do you do before you land?
You apply online for a landing card at the Nigeria Immigration Service, with your passport or visa number. According to NederlandWereldwijd, also fill in the online health declaration before departure. Sign up for NederlandWereldwijd's Information Service: you then get an email when the travel advice changes or a crisis looms. And share a copy of your passport with family in the Netherlands.
How do you complete your residence?
That depends on your route. A Nigerian has nothing to arrange at the immigration service. A foreigner completes their residence with the CERPAC: apply online, upload documents, pay, and then have your fingerprints and photo taken at an NIS office. For an employee with an STR visa that happens after arrival; the newer e-CERPAC is issued before arrival. Anyone married to a Nigerian pays nothing for the CERPAC, and for the residence permit needs among other things proof of a stable residence. See the residence routes.
Which numbers do you arrange, and in what order?
First the NIN, at the National Identity Management Commission. According to the NIMC, enrolment is mandatory for everyone living in Nigeria, diplomats excepted, and it is free. Then the bank: there you have your fingerprints taken for the BVN, which you receive by text message within 24 hours. Since December 2023 the bank asks for the BVN and the NIN for most accounts. You also need a Tax ID. Everything in one place in registration and numbers and banking and payments.
How do you find a safe address?
With the travel advice next to the tenancy law. NederlandWereldwijd rates large parts of the north and the south-east red, and the rest of Nigeria orange. Of the Federal Capital Territory around Abuja it writes that there were no attacks in the past year. In Lagos a landlord may ask a new tenant for at most one year's rent in advance, except in Apapa, Ikeja GRA, Ikoyi and Victoria Island: the tenancy law doesn't apply there. See renting in Nigeria.
In the red areas the Dutch embassy cannot help you, according to NederlandWereldwijd, in the orange areas it can help less well. So don't travel "just briefly" to family in a red state without reading the page again, and let your family in the Netherlands know where you are and how you are insured.
Who do you call if things go wrong?
The general emergency number in Nigeria is 112. The Dutch embassies and consulates are reachable day and night through NederlandWereldwijd's contact centre, +31 247 247 247, or by WhatsApp on +31 857 737 400. Note: the embassy in Abuja has no consular section. For a passport, a declaration or other consular matters you go to the consulate-general in Lagos.
Then everyday life begins: health insurance through your employer or your state (see healthcare in Nigeria), school for the children, and after three months a Nigerian driving licence. The whole order is in the plan for Nigeria.
In Vertrekklaar this is phase 1 of 5 of the journey, step 1.4: the same steps, but for your situation — in your order, tickable, and with the deadlines watched. See the whole journey to Nigeria or go straight to step 1.4 in the open plan.
What this rests on
The facts in this article come from these official pages. Rules change. When in doubt, go by the source, not this article.
- NederlandWereldwijd — travel advice for Nigeria, red and orange, emergency numbers and preparation (changed 6 July 2026) — nederlandwereldwijd.nl
- NederlandWereldwijd — the Information Service, a message on new travel advice or a looming crisis — informatieservice.nederlandwereldwijd.nl
- Nigeria Immigration Service — the landing card, to apply for online before arrival — lecard.immigration.gov.ng
- Nigeria Immigration Service — the CERPAC, with fingerprints at an NIS office — immigration.gov.ng
- NIMC — Diaspora Services Fact Sheet, the NIN mandatory for foreigners living in Nigeria — nimc.gov.ng
- Central Bank of Nigeria — the BVN and the BVN-and-NIN requirement — cbn.gov.ng
- Lagos State Tenancy Law 2011, section 4 — at most one year's rent in advance for a new tenant — lagosstatemoj.org
- NederlandWereldwijd — the embassy in Abuja, without a consular section — nederlandwereldwijd.nl
- NederlandWereldwijd — the consulate-general in Lagos, for consular matters — nederlandwereldwijd.nl
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