Moving to Papua New Guinea from Nigeria

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Nigeria to Papua New Guinea — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Nigeria to Papua New Guinea. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Nigeria and Papua New Guinea stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

per 100,000 people per year

NG
21.7
PG
9.4
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

NG
17.2
PG
14.9

Papua New Guinea performs significantly better than Nigeria across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

NG
$260
PG
$133
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

NG
3.9
PG
0.6

Nigeria generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Papua New Guinea leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

NG
77.0
PG
38.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

NG
0.6t
PG
0.5t

Papua New Guinea performs significantly better than Nigeria across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

NG
0.0
PG
0.2
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

NG
9.7%
PG
0.1%

Papua New Guinea generally does better on infrastructure, though Nigeria leads in internet access.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

NG
3.1%
PG
2.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

NG
$5,700
PG
$4,200

Nigeria generally does better on employment & economy, though Papua New Guinea leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

NG
61.3 yrs
PG
69.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

NG
56.7
PG
33.6

Papua New Guinea performs significantly better than Nigeria across all family life metrics.

Data: Federal Inland Revenue Service, Nigeria, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Abuja Rain: 48.1 in/yr (1221 mm)
91° / 68°F

Avg. annual high / low

Port Moresby Rain: 35.4 in/yr (899 mm)
88° / 74°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Abuja Port Moresby
Jan–Mar 97°/74°F (36°/23°C) 89°/74°F (32°/24°C)
Apr–Jun 91°/69°F (33°/21°C) 88°/74°F (31°/23°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/66°F (29°/19°C) 87°/73°F (30°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 93°/64°F (34°/18°C) 90°/74°F (32°/24°C)
View all months
Month Abuja Port Moresby
Jan 94°/69°F (34.7°/20.4°C) 90°/75°F (32.1°/23.7°C)
Feb 98°/78°F (36.8°/25.5°C) 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.5°C)
Mar 98°/76°F (36.9°/24.3°C) 89°/74°F (31.4°/23.4°C)
Apr 96°/76°F (35.6°/24.7°C) 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C)
May 91°/67°F (32.7°/19.5°C) 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.5°C)
Jun 87°/65°F (30.6°/18.3°C) 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.1°C)
Jul 84°/71°F (29.1°/21.9°C) 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C)
Aug 84°/64°F (28.9°/17.7°C) 87°/73°F (30.3°/22.6°C)
Sep 86°/64°F (30.0°/17.5°C) 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.2°C)
Oct 90°/71°F (32.0°/21.4°C) 90°/74°F (32.0°/23.5°C)
Nov 94°/60°F (34.4°/15.7°C) 90°/74°F (32.5°/23.6°C)
Dec 94°/60°F (34.6°/15.5°C) 90°/75°F (32.4°/23.7°C)

Data: Nigerian Meteorological Agency Nigerian Meteorological Agency, Papua New Guinea Meteorological Service Papua New Guinea Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Nigeria and Papua New Guinea. To live, work, or study long-term in Papua New Guinea, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Papua New Guinea's immigration authority.

Nigeria passport

Nigeria passport holder visiting Papua New Guinea

Visa Required
Nigeria passport holders need a visa to enter Papua New Guinea.
Papua New Guinea passport

Papua New Guinea passport holder visiting Nigeria

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Papua New Guinea passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Nigeria.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Papua New Guinea?

With 0.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Papua New Guinea can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Nigeria and Papua New Guinea.

Is Papua New Guinea safe for expats?

Papua New Guinea performs significantly better than Nigeria across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Papua New Guinea is 9.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 21.7 in Nigeria.

How is healthcare in Papua New Guinea compared to Nigeria?

Nigeria generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Papua New Guinea leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 0.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Papua New Guinea, compared to 3.9 in Nigeria. Papua New Guinea scores 30 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Nigeria: 38).

What's the weather like in Papua New Guinea compared to Nigeria?

The average high temperature in Port Moresby is 88°F, compared to 91°F in Abuja. Port Moresby receives around 35.4 in of rainfall per year, while Abuja gets 48.1 in.

What language do they speak in Papua New Guinea?

The official languages in Papua New Guinea are English, Hiri Motu and Tok Pisin. In Nigeria, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

NG PG
Population 225,082,083 9,593,498
Currency Nigerian Naira (NGN) Papua New Guinean Kina (PGK)
Languages English English, Hiri Motu, Tok Pisin
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +234 +675
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 000