The International Schools Review Forum

Does anyone have any insight on working in Nigeria? In regards to personal safety, health care, expat community?

Dont work in Nigeria. There isnt safety, there isnt health care and the expat community may as well not be there. Its Nigeria.

According to Numbeo, Lagos is still safer than Johannesburg on all parameters: bit.ly/2R7QRb2
And Lagos is safer than Cape Town on 11 out of 13 parameters: bit.ly/2R8qWQu

I wouldn't consider any of these three, since I don't like being limited to the (safer but still not very safe) expat bubble, but Lagos has a worse reputation than Cape Town, which according to these numbers is definitely undeserved.

What happened to you in your childhood that you would even consider it?

I worked in Nigeria. Health care was hit and miss. It depended on the illness, doctor, hospital, etc. While I was there a couple of expats died from malaria complications. Many people I worked with contracted malaria and typhoid. I was lucky not to have these issues.

Safety was also hit and miss. We we always warned to be careful. I never had serious issues, but other expats did (robberies, kidnappings, etc.). My biggest problem was being pulled over by the police and asked for bribes on a routine basis. They station themselves at roundabouts and flag you over. We had to keep all car doors locked and windows rolled up but for a crack otherwise police officers had been known to hop in the backseat and refuse to leave until money was given.

I did have wonderful times there too. The food and local people's zest for life is second to none. There's a real sense of being alive there (probably enhanced by the fact that you've successfully not died that day!)

I had friends at AIS Lagos for quite a few years. They liked it in many ways, disliked it in others. Disease was never brought up - traffic and hassle of getting around was a constant - but it is a constant in ANY large African city...