Lagos Murtala Muhammed Airport (LOS) Flights & Information

Murtala Muhammed International Airport (LOS), named after a military ruler of Nigeria, is located just about 12 miles from downtown Lagos. LOS comprises a new and old terminal and you can walk between them easily inside a walkway. These are known as MMA1, which is the old terminal and mainly serves domestic flights, and MMA2, which is the new terminal serving international air traffic and the one you’re most likely to experience.

I have traveled through LOS to get to various locations in Africa, but Nigeria is wonderful, fascinating and worth visiting itself. LOS is a small airport with not many facilities, so consider it a work in progress. Bring your patience (your passport will be checked twice in two back-to-back lines, for instance) and keep your expectations minimal. This guide to LOS will help you make the most of your experience.

Getting to the airport

The traffic in Lagos can be chaotic. Even though the distance from downtown to the airport is not very far, it can take up to 45 minutes. There are buses that run a few times every hour but they are less reliable. The best way to get around, by far, is to either use a rideshare or grab a taxi. They are available right outside both terminals and are very inexpensive.

If you plan to rent a car, SIXT has an office at LOS and there is a free shuttle service that runs all day and will take you to the car rental office nearby. If you have someone picking you up, like a hotel shuttle or local connection, they can now pick you up right in front of the terminal building as you walk out.

Be sure to note that you may be asked for money or tips from people outside the airport, but you are not required to pay any of this – it’s best to just ignore or smile and say, “no, thank you” while not stopping.

One thing this airport does have plenty of is parking options. There is a multi-story parking garage near the domestic terminal where you can park for the short term, and then there are shuttles to take you to the long-term parking lots. These are easy to find and you just need to follow the signs.

Facilities in the international terminal

When you initially enter the airport there is a first security area where you will have to put your bag through a scanner. This is additional security, and normal in many African countries. On the new terminal side, there are ATMs from Zenith Bank that are available 24 hours and there are also a number of full-service banks where you can exchange currency, among other transactions.

If you’re traveling with a child, there is a baby care facility after security. If you need a pharmacy, HealthPlus Pharmacy is before security on your right as you come into the terminal building. There is a post office if you want to pop a postcard in the mail. Both terminals have free Wi-Fi that you can join easily, and there are prayer rooms in both terminals also available after security.

On the new side of the airport there are 2 lounges – the VIP Lounge and the Platinum Lounge – and I recommend them both. They are nothing fancy, but offer a quiet place to get some work done and have a bite of local flavor.

There are often forms to fill out at LOS – like a health declaration – so be prepared and have a pen with you. You can also wrap your bags before check-in and before going through security.

Shopping at the airport

On the older side of this airport there are a few stores where you can purchase snacks and drinks along with a few souvenir items. But note that the options are rather sparse. There is a duty-free section where you can buy everything from the international brands in perfume, cosmetics, tobacco, jewelry, electronics, booze and watches. There is also a little section where they sell souvenirs that include local snacks and some gorgeous hand-crafted items in wood and beautiful fabrics – absolutely worth perusing.

On the new side, the shopping is much better and more abundant. NMA Clothing has some local fashion worth checking out plus OUCH Couture might just surprise you with their fashion. Nigeria is known for its fashion week and incredible designers so this is a spot to try to take advantage of some of that – I like Divine Endowments and David Wej.

Miniso is my favorite store here. It’s a Chinese retailer but styled as a Japanese brand and it has a wide variety of items from water bottles to fanny packs. There are also places where you can buy local sim cards with loadable credits if you want to make use of local cell service.

Eating at the airport

On the domestic side there is an array of interesting places to feast – Indomie Cafe for noodles, Eric Kayser for coffee and pastries, Bukka Hut for local food (including fufu and akara) and Barcelos for flame grilled chicken (a local hit).

But the real treat is on the international side, before security – an entire food court filled with fabulous local cuisine. It is on the right side when you walk into the terminal building. Naja Cafe, Kilimanjaro or Home Touch all have similar full meal options like fish, meat pies, fried chicken, Jollof rice and more. All three of them sell cold beers also, and I highly recommended this with all these meal options.

Airport hotels

If you need to spend more time here at the airport in Lagos, there is a very good airport hotel right at the terminal: Legend Hotel Lagos Airport, Curio Collection by Hilton. You can very easily just walk there from the hotel terminal, but you can also arrange for the hotel to send a representative who will be able to collect you as you arrive post-customs with your bags.

The hotel is fantastic with an indoor pool, a gym and newly renovated spaces. If you come on a private jet they even have a special immigration service. But what I loved the most is the restaurant, De Bull. It serves all the local classics like fufu, akara and traditional soups.

There is a business lounge at the hotel that is especially handy if you need to spend the day working here. Airport hotels can often be not so good, but this one is superb and the service is friendly, so I highly recommend it.

Departing from LOS

This airport is slightly tricky to navigate, so it will help to pay attention to these tips to assist you through the process. First check to be sure which terminal your flight is flying from. When you get to the airport, you will probably want Terminal 2 for international departures (United Airlines, Qatar Airways and Turkish airlines all fly from here).

First you will go through a security bag check with scanners and a boarding pass check. Next it is customs. They are strict with carrying food at this airport. If you carry small quantities of food, you won’t have any problems, but the quarantine section as you enter the airport will be checking your bags for anything food related. It comes just after the first bag security check.

Next you will walk through to the arrivals section, so you have to go upstairs to get to your airline check-in counter and the departures area. Before heading up, know that this is where the currency exchange is located, so take care of any transactions you need before going up to departures.

As you come upstairs there is a customer service area for any additional assistance. Finally, you can go through the security gates here using the new scanners and passport control, and venture to the post-security areas.