One sure way of having a most enjoyable experience moving around the country, is by driving your own car. If you do not have a personal car, you can always patronize a car rental service. You can follow our fairly detailed guide on how to rent a car in Nigeria for an independent travel experience in his article.
It is understandable that with your own car, you have virtually absolute control on your movements. And you can plan your trip better to suit your budget – albeit within limits of driving regulations, and the state of your car. If you are traveling in a group or with loved ones, having a car is super convenient.
But not all tourists or travelers can afford the luxury of riding their personal cars on a trip. Luckily, there are a good number of licensed car rental companies in Nigeria – both local and international ones. Please read along and glean through the details ahead of our next car rental ride.
Trusted Car Rental Companies in Nigeria
You can enjoy the convenience of renting a car from anywhere across the globe or within the country, right on your smartphone. It is as simple as booking a car on the websites or apps of reputable car rental companies with offices in Nigeria. There you can seamlessly rent a car in Nigeria, depending on your needs and budget. That does not stop anyone from simply walking into their physical offices to do the same, if you so desire.
A quick mention of some renowned and licensed car rental companies in Nigeria would be useful at this point. Any reliable car rental company should provide you a range of well-maintained vehicles of different sizes. They are usually backed with insurance policy and value-added services that can improve your ride.
If you are looking for reliable car rental companies, endeavor to check on the following trusted names. However, the list is not exhaustive. You can still make your own findings to get similar but reliable companies within your area of residence or operation (as the case may be):
- Sixt.com
- Hertz nigeria
- Gatatransport
- Driveboo.com
- Avis Nigeria
- bookaride.com.ng
- ridelify.com
- Jautos Car Rentals
- Kings Car Rental Nigeria
- Kunle Lawal Car Rental Service
- Exploring Tourism
Premium and Other Services You Can Expect From a Trusted Car Rental Company in Nigeria
If you intend to rent a car in Nigeria, look out for companies that offer the following services.
Private Pick-Up Service
You don’t have to be an expert driver to rent a car in Nigeria. You might as well opt for chaffeur service – you can rent both the vehicle and a driver. You can also request for the car rental service to pick you up from an airport or some other key destination (or else take you there).
Vehicles of Different Sizes and Types
To begin with, good car rental companies are willing to give you a choice out of a wide range of well-serviced vehicles. You can choose any type of vehicle that fits into your budget and intended purpose. There are full-size, mid-size and compact vehicles; each category comes at a different cost.
Compact vehicles are suitable for trips around the immediate neighborhood (especially in cities and perhaps suburbs). A good example would be a Ford Focus. For interstate trips, you would need rugged, 4X4 cars to navigate rough roads (such as Land Cruiser or other Jeep-like cars). And if you desire a luxury ride, there are enough options to please you – as long as you can afford it.
Value-Added Upgrades
A good lot of vehicles provided by care rental companies in Nigeria are modern enough, with the additional advantage of having automatic transmission gears. They also come with optional upgrades such as wi-fi, GPS navigation, and special child seats.
Car Insurance Policy
You definitely want to enjoy both comfort and a sense of safety while driving around. Especially in a foreign country or unfamiliar terrain. To safeguard against any possible mishap, most car rental companies in Nigeria normally have insurance included in their rental package.
Such insurance policies include Personal Accident Insurance (PAI), Loss Damage Waiver (LDW), Emergency Sickness Plan, Additional Liability insurance (ALI), and Extended Roadside Assistance. It is advisable that you get your own insurance policy, in case you choose to go with a car rental company without one. You might even choose to obtain additional insurance policies from third-party providers (besides the ones already provided).
Why are these insurance policies important? The PAI for instance, will cover medical bills in the event where you and your co-travelers get involved in an accident. While the LDW will cover the cost of damage to (or theft of) the rented car, without holding you responsible.
Car Rental Costs
The cost of renting a car would depend on a number of factors. They include:
– the type of vehicle you need;
– the size of the car;
– whether you are travelling within the immediate locality or outside the state (and the distance);
– the included insurance policy/policies;
– optional upgrades such as Wi-fi, child seats, or GPS navigation
Each factor above comes with its own cost. Additionally, the car rental company will necessarily pay for the first full tank of fuel. Afterwards, you will be responsible for buying any extra fuel.
In general, the average cost of renting a car in Nigeria falls in the range of (84 to 315) US Dollars per day. And of course the prices are subject to change – depending on the prevailing economic situation and the type of vehicle. The list below gives a near-enough idea of average prices for each type of rental car in Nigeria.
Standard: 84 US Dollars (daily)
Economy: 117 US Dollars (daily)
Passenger Van: 147 US Dollars (daily)
Intermediate SUV: 178 US Dollars (daily)
Full-size SUV: 247 US Dollars (daily)
Premium SUV: 240 US Dollars (daily)
Standard SUV: 262 US Dollars (daily)
Luxury Car: 315 US Dollars (daily)
Requirements to Rent a Car in Nigeria
You can rent a car in Nigeria and self-drive, once you present the required driving documents. And you must be at least 21 years old. Some car rental services charge an exclusive underage fee from any customer who is younger than 25 years old. In that case, there are also a limited range of cars made available for those under 25 years old.
In any case, you must present the following driving documents to the car rental company:
- your local driving license (issued in your country),
- a government-issued identification card (e.g your international passport; highly recommended for a foreigner), and
- your International Driver’s Permit (IDP). This is very necessary if your local driving license is not written in English. The IDP translates your driving license into 12 international languages. You can process and obtain it online within hours; it will be sent to you by email. You can obtain it on the International Drivers Association website.
A foreigner is allowed to self-drive for 30 days following his/her arrival in Nigeria. However, it will be very necessary to keep all the driving documents mentioned above close by while driving. That is a sure way to keep out of trouble with traffic officers, or law enforcement agents.
But in the event that such a foreigner needs to drive for longer than 30 days, then he/she must obtain a Nigerian Driver’s License. To qualify, he/she must be older than 18 years old, and must undergo training at a driving school in Nigeria. Finally, he/she must pass the Vehicle Inspection Officer (VIO) driving test.
