Moving to Nigeria from Zambia

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Zambia to Nigeria. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Abuja averages 91°F vs 80°F in Lusaka, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Zambia and Nigeria stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

per 100,000 people per year

ZM
5.2
NG
21.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

ZM
17.1
NG
17.2

Zambia performs better than Nigeria across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

ZM
$244
NG
$260
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

ZM
2.6
NG
3.9

Zambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Nigeria leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

ZM
50.0
NG
77.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ZM
0.5t
NG
0.6t

Zambia performs 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

ZM
0.4
NG
0.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ZM
2.8%
NG
9.7%

Zambia 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

ZM
5.9%
NG
3.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

ZM
$3,700
NG
$5,700

Nigeria performs significantly better than Zambia across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

ZM
66.3 yrs
NG
61.3 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ZM
37.1
NG
56.7

Zambia performs better than Nigeria across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank, Zambia Revenue Authority

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Lusaka Rain: 31.4 in/yr (798 mm)
80° / 59°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Lusaka Abuja
Jan–Mar 80°/62°F (27°/17°C) 97°/74°F (36°/23°C)
Apr–Jun 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) 91°/69°F (33°/21°C)
Jul–Sep 79°/55°F (26°/13°C) 85°/66°F (29°/19°C)
Oct–Dec 85°/64°F (29°/18°C) 93°/64°F (34°/18°C)
View all months
Month Lusaka Abuja
Jan 80°/63°F (26.6°/17.1°C) 94°/69°F (34.7°/20.4°C)
Feb 80°/62°F (26.5°/16.8°C) 98°/78°F (36.8°/25.5°C)
Mar 81°/62°F (27.0°/16.6°C) 98°/76°F (36.9°/24.3°C)
Apr 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.1°C) 96°/76°F (35.6°/24.7°C)
May 78°/55°F (25.3°/12.7°C) 91°/67°F (32.7°/19.5°C)
Jun 74°/51°F (23.4°/10.6°C) 87°/65°F (30.6°/18.3°C)
Jul 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.2°C) 84°/71°F (29.1°/21.9°C)
Aug 79°/54°F (25.9°/12.3°C) 84°/64°F (28.9°/17.7°C)
Sep 85°/60°F (29.4°/15.3°C) 86°/64°F (30.0°/17.5°C)
Oct 87°/64°F (30.8°/17.5°C) 90°/71°F (32.0°/21.4°C)
Nov 86°/64°F (29.9°/17.9°C) 94°/60°F (34.4°/15.7°C)
Dec 81°/63°F (27.2°/17.3°C) 94°/60°F (34.6°/15.5°C)

Data: Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD) Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD), Nigerian Meteorological Agency Nigerian Meteorological Agency

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Zambia passport

Zambia passport holder visiting Nigeria

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

Nigeria passport holder visiting Zambia

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Nigeria?

With 0.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Nigeria can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Zambia and Nigeria.

Is Nigeria safe for expats?

Zambia performs better than Nigeria across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Nigeria is 21.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 5.2 in Zambia.

How is healthcare in Nigeria compared to Zambia?

Zambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Nigeria leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 3.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Nigeria, compared to 2.6 in Zambia. Nigeria scores 38 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Zambia: 56).

What's the weather like in Nigeria compared to Zambia?

The average high temperature in Abuja is 91°F, compared to 80°F in Lusaka. Abuja receives around 48.1 in of rainfall per year, while Lusaka gets 31.4 in.

What language do they speak in Nigeria?

Both Zambia and Nigeria share the same official language: English.

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At a Glance

ZM NG
Population 19,642,123 225,082,083
Currency Zambian Kwacha (ZMW) Nigerian Naira (NGN)
Languages English English
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +260 +234
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112