On 20 July 2026 Finland escalated its travel advice for Nigeria to “Avoid non-essential travel”, reflecting mounting security threats ahead of the country’s 2027 general elections. The revised bulletin cites a cocktail of Islamist extremism in the north-east, banditry and kidnapping in the north-west, and an uptick in demonstrations in major cities such as Abuja and Lagos. For Finnish companies with operations in West Africa’s largest economy, the message is clear: review duty-of-care frameworks immediately. Energy-sector contractors working in the Niger Delta are reminded that large swathes of river-delta states (Delta, Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom and Cross River) are now classified “no-go” zones where the ministry advises avoiding all travel. Firms that still deem travel essential must arrange secure ground transport, 24-hour tracking and kidnap-and-ransom insurance. Local partners should be vetted for compliance with Finland’s new 2025 Corporate Global Responsibility Act, which obliges employers to document mitigation of security and corruption risks. The advisory also flags widespread credit-card skimming and the limited usability of foreign cards – a point that caught many first-time travellers off-guard during last quarter’s fintech conference in Lagos. Travellers are counselled to carry enough hard currency to cover essentials, store passports in hotel safes and refrain from public display of corporate logos. The Finnish embassy warns that protest flash-points can materialise with little notice following fuel-price hikes or electricity cuts. Employers sending consultants to Abuja’s government district have been told to arrange flexible appointments, use armoured vehicles after dark and maintain daily check-ins with security providers. The ministry further recommends that all Finns in Nigeria enrol in the online travel notification system and prepare personal evacuation plans that do not rely solely on commercial airlines, which are prone to last-minute cancellations. Although bilateral trade – dominated by machinery exports and Finnish telco solutions – has grown 14 % year-on-year, the updated advisory underlines that market entry should not outpace risk appetite. Companies are advised to explore remote-work models and to stage regional meetings in Accra or Dakar until the post-election landscape stabilises.
