Ireland has one main international airport handling long-haul routes, Dublin Airport (DUB). If you’re based in Cork, Galway, Limerick, or anywhere outside Dublin, you’ll almost certainly be routing through Dublin unless you’re connecting via London or Amsterdam first.
The good news is that Dublin is reasonably well connected to West and East Africa, with several airlines operating routes or easy connections.
Main Routes from Dublin for the African Diaspora
Dublin to Lagos (LOS)
This is the most travelled route for the Nigerian diaspora in Ireland. There are no direct flights — you’ll always connect, most commonly through London Heathrow, Amsterdam, Paris or Addis Ababa.
The most popular airlines on this route are
British Airways via London Heathrow, Ethiopian Airlines via Addis Ababa, KLM via Amsterdam, and Air France via Paris. Ethiopian Airlines tends to offer competitive pricing and a good onboard experience for the Lagos route, while KLM via Amsterdam is often the smoothest transit for those coming from outside Dublin city.
Typical flight time with one stop is between 10 and 14 hours depending on your layover.
Best time to book: For Christmas travel, start looking in September at the latest. Prices on Dublin to Lagos spike sharply from mid-October onward and can easily double. Easter and summer routes start rising from January/February.
Dublin to Abuja (ABV)
Abuja is served by similar carriers and connections as Lagos. If your final destination is Abuja, it is often worth comparing prices for both Lagos and Abuja arrivals, as occasionally flying into Lagos and taking a domestic connection is cheaper than flying directly into Abuja.
Air Peace now operates a Lagos to London Heathrow route which has introduced some competition on the UK leg, so keep an eye on pricing there as options continue to develop.
Dublin to Accra (ACC)
For the Ghanaian community in Ireland, Accra routes are typically through London, Amsterdam, or Brussels. Ethiopian Airlines also flies Addis Ababa to Accra, making it a competitive option for price-conscious travellers.
Ghana’s Kotoka International Airport has improved significantly in recent years and handles connections smoothly.
Dublin to Nairobi (NBO)
Kenya Airways offers a popular route via Nairobi that also serves as a hub for travellers connecting to East and Southern Africa. Ethiopian Airlines is again a strong competitor here. Both offer reasonable pricing when booked well in advance.
Dublin to Other West African Destinations
For those traveling to Benin, Senegal, Cameroon, or elsewhere in West Africa, your best bet is to route through Lagos, Accra, or Paris, depending on your final destination. Use a flight comparison tool to check which hub gives you the best connection and overall price.
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How to Get the Best Flight Price from Ireland
A few things consistently make a difference when booking from Ireland:
Book early for peak travel. Christmas, Easter and August are the three peak periods for diaspora travel. Anyone booking these trips within 6 weeks of travel is typically paying significantly more.
Be flexible with your connection city. Sometimes routing through Paris instead of London, or through Addis Ababa instead of Amsterdam, saves €100 to €200 on the same journey. Always check a few routing options.
Check prices for nearby UK airports. If you’re in Mullingar, Athlone, or anywhere in the Midlands, it is sometimes worth checking if flying from Dublin versus taking a bus to Dublin is cheaper than routing via Belfast, although this is route and date dependent.
Set up price alerts. Most booking platforms allow you to track a route and notify you when prices change. Set these up as early as possible for your target travel dates.
Travel mid-week where possible. Tuesday and Wednesday departures are almost always cheaper than Friday and Sunday.
Where to Stay When You Arrive — Hotels Sorted
Finding good accommodation when you arrive is something a lot of diaspora travellers leave until the last minute. Whether you’re staying with family in Lagos and need a hotel for a few nights in Abuja, or you want your own space throughout the trip, here are your best options by city.
Hotels in Lagos
Lagos is a city of extremes; you can find extremely good value and extremely poor value sitting side by side. For comfortable, reliable options, Victoria Island and Lekki are the two areas that deliver consistently good quality for diaspora visitors. The Lagos Continental Hotel and Radisson Blu Anchorage are both solid business-class options on Victoria Island. For mid-range, Protea Hotels by Marriott has a reliable Lagos presence.
If you are visiting family in areas like Ikeja or Surulere, there are quality mid-range options in those areas too use the search widget below to compare prices by check-in date.
Hotels in Abuja
Abuja tends to offer better hotel value than Lagos for the same quality level. The Transcorp Hilton remains the landmark hotel in the city and is worth considering for a special occasion. For everyday business-level comfort, the Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham and Sheraton Abuja both offer reliable quality in the city centre. We have a full Abuja hotel guide on the site that goes into more detail on every budget range.
Hotels in Accra
Accra’s hotel scene has developed well in recent years. Cantonments and Airport Residential Area are the two neighbourhoods that offer the most reliable hotel quality. The Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City is the premium option, while Movenpick Ambassador Hotel offers excellent quality in the upper mid-range bracket.
Hotels in Nairobi
Nairobi has a wide range of hotel options. Westlands and Upper Hill are the two business-focused areas with the most consistent quality. The Villa Rosa Kempinski and Radisson Blu Nairobi are both strong choices if you want reliability without surprise.
Best Booking Platforms for Diaspora Travellers from Ireland
Not all booking platforms are created equal when it comes to Africa routes. Here is what works best for the specific needs of diaspora travellers.
For flights: Aviasales is one of the most comprehensive flight search tools for African routes, pulling in prices from a wide range of airlines including regional carriers that other platforms sometimes miss. It is the tool we use and recommend on this site.
For hotels: Hotellook aggregates hotel prices across multiple booking platforms simultaneously, which means you get a genuine comparison rather than prices from one source. For Nigerian and Ghanaian hotel bookings especially, this makes a real difference because pricing varies a lot depending on which platform you book through.
For activities and things to do: Klook covers a growing number of African destinations and is worth checking for experiences and transfers once you arrive.
For travel insurance: If you are travelling on an Irish passport or an Irish residence permit, make sure your travel insurance covers the full trip including the African leg. Many standard EU policies have limitations on African coverage. Check the small print carefully.
Practical Tips for Diaspora Travellers Heading Home from Ireland
Visa requirements: Irish passport holders generally have visa-on-arrival access to Nigeria and Ghana. If you are travelling on a Nigerian or Ghanaian passport with Irish residency, check your visa requirements for your specific destination carefully, especially for East African countries.
Baggage: Most airlines on African routes are reasonable about checked baggage allowances, but always verify your specific fare class. Basic economy fares on some carriers restrict luggage significantly. If you are travelling with goods, electronics or gifts, weigh everything before you leave for the airport.
Money: Naira, Cedis and Kenyan Shillings are best sourced in-country rather than in Ireland. Exchange rates in Nigeria especially are far better on the ground than anything you will find in Dublin. Bring euro or dollars as a backup and exchange on arrival.
Calling home: An Irish SIM will roam in most African countries but at significant cost. A local SIM from a supermarket or phone shop on arrival is far cheaper for any stay longer than a few days.
Health: Check ECOWAS health requirements and yellow fever vaccination documentation well in advance. Yellow fever certificates are routinely checked at many West African airports and the absence of one can cause serious problems.
Start Planning Your Trip
Whether you are heading home for Christmas, booking Easter travel, or planning a summer trip, the earlier you sort flights and accommodation, the better both in terms of price and availability.
Use the search tools on this page to compare flights from Dublin and find the best hotel rates for your destination. And if Abuja is on your itinerary, our dedicated hotel guide has everything you need to find the right place to stay at the right price.
