Money, tipping, and prices in Lekki
Lekki is more expensive than most of Lagos and often as pricey as Nairobi or Accra. Here's what things actually cost and what to tip.
Cash and card being exchanged at a Lagos restaurant
Cards, cash and ATMs
Card acceptance is universal at hotels, sit-down restaurants and beach clubs. Foreign Visa and Mastercard work about 80 percent of the time; keep two cards. ATMs at GTBank, Zenith and Access on Admiralty Way work with foreign cards but cap at around $60 per withdrawal and charge $5 in fees. Keep $50 to $80 in small notes for tolls, tips, market stalls and street food.
Tipping
Restaurants: 10 percent is standard, often already added as service charge, check the bill. Bolt: rounding up is enough. Hotel porters $1 to $2 per bag. Beach attendants at Landmark $2 to $3. Drivers hired for the day, add $10 to $15 on top of the rate. Never tip at markets, it's not the culture.
What things cost
Coffee at Cafe Neo $3. Sit-down lunch $12 to $20. Dinner at a mid-range place $25 to $40 with a drink. Beach club entry $5 to $12. Cocktails $8 to $14. Bolt across Lekki $3 to $6. Mid-range hotel $120 to $180 a night. A day trip with driver $80 to $130. Budget $120 to $180 per person per day for mid-range comfort, $250-plus for upscale.
Frequently asked questions
What people ask before they set off on this one.
Yes by Nigerian standards, on par with other African capitals for foreign visitors.
Some. About $50 to $80 in small notes covers tolls, tips and street food. Everything else is card.
10 percent if service charge isn’t already on the bill. Check first.
Visa and Mastercard usually. Amex almost never. Bring two cards and some cash as backup.
Hotels in Lekki
More guides to Lekki
All guides
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48 hours in Lekki
Two days built around beach clubs, lagoon views and the Lagos energy that spills over from Victoria Island every night.
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One week in Lekki
Seven days pacing beach clubs, art, markets and two day trips out of the Lagos heat, with room to actually rest.
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Lekki in 3 days on a budget
Three days under $200 total, using street food, public beach entry and buses where it makes sense.
Same hotel, same price as the big sites — and every booking funds one verified tonne of carbon removal, at no extra cost to you.