Best Time to Visit Lagos

December to February: the dry spell

This is the best stretch for most trips. December and January are the driest months, with only four rainy days each, and the sun shows up for over eight hours a day. Afternoons are hot and humid, but you can plan a beach day at Elegushi or Tarkwa Bay without watching the sky. February is still pleasant, though it gets a little wetter and cloudier.

Harmattan (a dry, dusty wind from the Sahara) can drift in around this time. It brings hazy skies, and some days the air feels a bit scratchy. The data doesn't track it, so don't expect it every year.

December is also the busiest and priciest time. Many Nigerians living abroad fly home for the holidays, so flights fill up and traffic on the Third Mainland Bridge gets slow. Parties run late, and Detty December, the city's end-of-year party season, fills clubs, concerts and beach events in Lekki and Victoria Island. If you love nightlife, this is your month. If you hate crowds, come in January instead.

March to August: the long wet season

Rain arrives in March and builds fast. By June you're looking at rain on almost every day, and it's the wettest month with 258 mm. Downpours are heavy. They can flood roads in low areas like parts of Lekki and Victoria Island, and a short trip across town can take hours.

Still, this is the quietest time for visitors. Rooms are easier to find, and mornings are often clearer than afternoons. Museum days suit it well. Try the Nike Art Gallery or the National Museum in Onikan. Plan around the rain, and leave extra time for every trip by road.

August brings a small break. It has fewer rainy days than its neighbours and feels a touch cooler, so it's the easiest wet month if you can't travel in the dry season.

September to November: wet, then clearing

September is almost as wet as June, with 255 mm, and October isn't much better. Expect grey skies and thick, sticky air. Humidity peaks at 90% in September.

November is the turning point. Rain drops sharply and the sun returns for about six hours a day. It's a good pick if you want some dry days before the December rush, with lower prices and lighter crowds. Travelling with kids? This is a calmer time to go than December.