Nigeria travelers must file 2 forms for health and immigration clearance

Every traveler landing in Nigeria has to file an online health declaration with the NCDC before they clear immigration and it's been the rule since mid-2024.

The form at the border

Nigeria requires all international arrivals to submit the NCDC Health Declaration Form at healthapp.ncdc.gov.ng before boarding or, at the latest, upon arrival at any port of entry. The form is free, mandated by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and the Federal Ministry of Health and applies to tourists, business travelers, expats, returning Nigerian citizens and diplomats alike. Parents submit on behalf of minors.

The requirement was formalized into the current online system in August 2024 after Mpox outbreaks in the region and NCDC guidance updated in June 2026 confirms it remains in force with no end date.

Two forms, not one

The health declaration sits alongside a separate immigration requirement. Since May 1, 2025, the Nigeria Immigration Service has run a Digital Landing and Exit Card that every arriving passenger must also complete. The two systems don't talk to each other, so travelers file both: the NCDC form for public health, the NIS card for immigration.

Paper versions of the health form are available at Lagos and Abuja airports for anyone who couldn't complete it online, but airlines have been turning passengers away at check-in when the declaration isn't done, so the online route is safer. Airline notices from June 2026 explicitly instruct passengers to file before boarding.

What to do before you fly

NCDC recommends filing at least 24 hours before departure to avoid slower processing at immigration. Do it on the same sitting as the NIS landing card, save the confirmation to your phone and have both ready with your passport at the arrival desk. Transit passengers who clear immigration are covered by the rule; airside-only transits generally aren't.

Anyone planning a longer stay should factor these entry mechanics into the broader paperwork trail covered in the Nigeria guide, since the health form is an entry step, not a substitute for a valid visa.