Tipping and Etiquette in Lekki: What's Expected
Waiter presenting a bill at a Lekki restaurant
Tipping is appreciated but not mandatory in Lekki, and 10% on a restaurant bill covers most situations.
Restaurants, bars and hotels
Most sit-down restaurants in Lekki Phase 1 and Victoria Island add a 5-7.5% service charge and 7.5% VAT to the bill. That service charge does not always reach the waiter, so an extra 500-1,000 naira in cash on a 15,000 naira meal is genuinely appreciated. At places like Nok by Alara or Shiro, where bills climb past 40,000 naira for two, round up to 10% if service was attentive.
For hotel staff, tip the porter 500-1,000 naira per bag, housekeeping 1,000 naira per night left on the pillow, and the concierge 2,000-5,000 naira at checkout if they arranged airport pickups or restaurant bookings. Bar staff at beach clubs like Landmark or Ilashe don’t expect tips per drink, but 1,000 naira at the end of a long afternoon goes far.
Drivers, security and everyday interactions
Bolt and Uber drivers don’t expect tips, but rounding up the fare or adding 500 naira for a long airport run is a nice gesture. Private drivers hired for the day (typically 25,000-40,000 naira for 8 hours) get 3,000-5,000 naira on top, more if they handled Lagos traffic without complaint. Car park attendants at malls get 100-200 naira, security guards at estates don’t get tipped at all.
Etiquette-wise: greet before you ask. Walking up to anyone — a shopkeeper, a security guard, a stranger — and launching into a question without saying "good afternoon" first is genuinely considered rude. "How are you?" before "where's the ATM?" changes the entire interaction.
Before you book
What people ask before booking Lekki Phase 1.
Yes, if the service was good. The service charge is often absorbed by the venue, so a small cash tip goes to the actual staff.
Only at markets like Lekki Market (Jakande) or Balogun. Malls, boutiques and supermarkets have fixed prices and haggling will get you an eye-roll.
