West Africa’s coast road joins Abidjan, Accra, Lomé, Cotonou and Lagos, and coaches run it every day. It is cheaper than flying and, at the borders, much slower. For ECOWAS citizens no visa is needed anywhere on it.
Accra to Lagos
Three countries, four border posts in a row:
| Crossing | Between |
|---|---|
| Aflao / Lomé | Ghana and Togo |
| Hilla Condji | Togo and Benin |
| Seme / Kraké | Benin and Nigeria |
It is a long day, often more, and most of the extra time is spent at the borders, Seme in particular. Several Ghanaian and Nigerian coach companies run the whole route; some leave in the evening and arrive the next day.
Accra to Abidjan
West along the coast road through Takoradi to the border at Elubo, into Côte d’Ivoire at Noé, and on to Abidjan. One crossing, and a shorter day than Lagos.
What to carry
- A passport. An ECOWAS passport takes you the whole way without a visa, and a passport is the document no border post questions. Non-ECOWAS travellers need a visa for each country that requires one, arranged before you leave.
- A yellow fever certificate, checked at Ghana’s borders and others. — Vaccines and the yellow fever card
- Small notes in each currency for food and water. Change only at licensed bureaus.
- Your coach ticket and the company’s phone number. If you are held at a border, the coach may not wait.
The checkpoints
Investigations by Nigerian and West African journalists have documented officials on this route charging travellers money that no law requires, especially those whose papers are incomplete. The best protection is a complete set: a stamped passport and a yellow fever card leave little to charge for. Ask for a receipt for anything you are told to pay; an official charge comes with one.
Is flying better?
Usually, if your time is worth anything. Accra to Lagos and Accra to Abidjan are short flights, flown many times a day. — Flying out of Accra — Countries Ghanaians can visit without a visa — Moving from Nigeria to Ghana