Moving house in Nigeria: the 3-week checklist

Three weeks is the minimum comfortable window for a move in Lagos, Abuja, or anywhere in Nigeria. Two weeks is tight and something will fall through the cracks. One week is a scramble that ends with you eating takeaway on the floor of an unfurnished flat at 11 PM on moving day because the movers ran out of daylight.

This is the checklist I run for every move, built from my own Lekki relocation and from watching NoBroker Nigeria tenants navigate their own. It assumes a typical move — one flat to another, same city, within a three-week window. Adjust upwards if you're moving between cities or if you own more than a two-bedroom flat's worth of stuff.

For the rental process itself (finding, inspecting, paying), see the pillar how to rent a house in Nigeria.

Week -3: announce, research, declutter

The goal this week is information. No physical packing yet.

Day -21: Give written notice to your current landlord. Most Nigerian leases require 30-90 days notice; 21 days is a compromise most landlords accept if you've been a good tenant. Send it in writing (email or WhatsApp with read receipt) and keep a copy. Specifically confirm the date of return of your caution deposit.

Day -20: Get quotes from movers. Three quotes from three companies. Lagos moves run ₦50k-₦150k for a 2-bed within-city; Abuja and PH similar; inter-city (Lagos to Abuja, say) is ₦250k-₦600k depending on truck size. Ask each quote to include: loading, transport, unloading, packaging materials, and insurance. The cheapest quote usually excludes at least two of these.

Day -19: Decide what you're not taking. Every move is a chance to lose the furniture you hate. Post unwanted items on Jiji or in local WhatsApp groups — you'll have a taker within 48 hours for most things. What's genuinely broken goes to Olushosho (Lagos) or equivalent bulk-waste service. A kitchen island you can't be bothered to sell goes to your security guard.

Day -18: Order packaging. Jumia sells moving boxes; or buy from markets (₦500-1,500 per box). You need roughly 15-25 boxes for a 2-bed. Add packing tape (₦1,500), bubble wrap for electronics (₦3,000), and black refuse bags (₦2,000).

Day -17: Schedule the final inspection of your new place. You've already inspected it once before signing. The second inspection, 2 weeks before move-in, catches anything the landlord or caretaker might have let slip. Use the property inspection checklist.

Day -16: Confirm PHCN meter status at both addresses. For your current place: check what you owe, plan to settle before move-out. For the new place: find out the meter number, the band (A, B, C), and who currently holds the meter in their name.