N500,000 can take you to Benin, Togo or Ghana by road
By Aboki Forex —
A Nigerian travelling from Lagos can complete a three-night trip to Benin Republic, Togo or Ghana for about N500,000 without boarding a flight. The three countries are ECOWAS members, and the bloc's free-movement protocol lets citizens of member states enter without a visa for stays of up to 90 days, provided they carry valid travel documents and an international health certificate.
The estimates below are based on bus fares and hotel listings checked in September 2026, using the September 25 exchange rate of about N1,328 to the dollar.
Cotonou, Benin Republic
Cotonou is the closest of the three for Lagos travellers and can be reached by road through the Seme-Krake border. Bus listings show Lagos-Cotonou fares from about N73,000 one way, with services from Jibowu and other Lagos locations priced between N73,000 and N99,750. A return trip works out at roughly N146,000 to N200,000, depending on the operator and service selected.
Hotel listings for Cotonou start at about $38 per night, which is about N50,500 at N1,328/$, or about N152,000 for three nights. Add N150,000 for return transport, N152,000 for accommodation and N100,000 for food and local transport, and the trip stays below the N500,000 mark. Estimated total: N398,000 to N452,000.
Lome, Togo
The cheapest Lagos-Lome bus fare came in at about $70 one way, roughly N93,000, putting a return journey at about N186,000 before any fare changes. Lome hotel listings start at about $52 per night, or about N69,000, with three nights at about N207,000.
That leaves roughly N107,000 from a N500,000 budget for food, local transport and other expenses, so travellers would need cheaper accommodation or transport deals to build a more comfortable spending buffer. Estimated total: about N493,000. Nigerians travelling in the sub-region can use an ECOWAS Travel Certificate issued by the Nigeria Immigration Service. Togo requires proof of yellow-fever vaccination at entry.
Accra, Ghana
Lagos-Accra bus fares start at about $78 one way, or approximately N104,000, so a return journey starts at roughly N207,000. Accra hotel listings start at about $59 per night, but budget properties priced below $50 are widely listed. A $45 to $50 accommodation target puts three nights at about N180,000 to N200,000.
Adding N70,000 to N90,000 for food and local transport keeps a carefully planned four-day road trip around the N500,000 mark. Estimated total: N457,000 to N497,000. Ghana's Immigration Service lists Nigeria among ECOWAS visa-exempt countries, and its visa information was last updated on September 8, 2026. Travellers should carry a valid passport or recognised ECOWAS travel document and a yellow-fever vaccination certificate.
What it means for the naira
Every dollar-priced bus ticket and hotel room on these routes moves with the exchange rate. At above N1,300 to the dollar, the same trip costs more in naira than it did a year ago, so travellers should track the rate and book early. These are budget estimates, not fixed packages, and fares, hotel prices and exchange rates can change.