Nigeria/Cameroon border closed ?
 

The BBC is saying the Nigeria/Cameroon border is closed because of Ebola
BBC News - Ebola crisis: Doctors in Liberia 'recovering after taking ZMapp'

Kenya's ban on people from Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone entering the East African nation comes into force on Wednesday - and Cameroon has closed its land, sea and air borders with Nigeria.


any news on this

Hey Gazza,

I'm also keen to get some more intel on this - we're planning to cross the border in a couple of weeks! Did you manage to find out any more info?

Cheers
Phil

I've read alot of reports saying that Cameroon has closed all sea ports to trade with Nigeria. The spare parts and car dealers in Douala are understandably frustrated. So I think this is confirmed.

I've only read 2 reports so far saying the land borders are closed, though haven't yet read anything official from government sources. Reuters do quote state radio when saying land borders are closed:

Cameroon says closes borders with Nigeria in bid to halt Ebola | Top News | Reuters

There has also been reports, and I emphasise they are reports, than Namibia and South Africa are currently not letting anybody enter their countries who have travelled to ebola affected countries, UNLESS they are a citizen of Namibia or South Africa. Very patchy detail about this.

It also appears Equatorial Guinea has closed it's borders to people who have travelled to ebola affected countries.

Somebody on the Hubb said Diama was closed to travellers coming north the other day.....if so, that would only leave Rosso open between Senegal and Mauri. I presume both would be open if you are going south.

It's obviously a very fluid situation and all can change at very short notice, making a run through West Africa at the moment logistically challenging.

Senegal Closes Border With Guinea (Second Time)
 

This report saying Senegal has closed it's border with Guinea (it did so back in April but opened it again a few weeks later).

Senegal closes its borders with Guinea over Ebola fears: interior ministry | News , World | THE DAILY STAR

With Guinea Bissau also closing it's border with Guinea, it looks like the only way through (with a vehicle at least) is Senegal into Mali...for the moment.

This report saying that Ivory Coast has now closed it's border with both Liberia and Guinea:

Ebola: la Côte d'Ivoire ferme ses frontières terrestres avec la Guinée et le Libéria - Afrique - Actualités - StarAfrica.com

any more news on the cameroon/nigeria border
the bbc has this report which also says the border is closed

BBC News - Nigerian troops cross border after Boko Haram clashes

It seems some people might be getting through, albeit via a very tedious process:

[url=http://globalvoicesonline.org/2014/08/28/ebola-scare-trapped-on-the-cameroonnigeria-border-for-over-40-hours/]Ebola Scare: Trapped on the Cameroon/Nigeria Border for Over 40 Hours

thats posative, but these were mostly returning citizens , im wondering if we can get away with it aswell....possabley with a bit of a "dash"

We've decided to run the gauntlet. Getting nigerian visas in togo at the moment and will probably be at the Mamfe border early next week. Are you heading that way as well?

the plan was next year....lets see, 31 dead in drc now, so im gessing angola may be considering tightening there border

One would hope Gazza that the outbreak in DRC will be handled better, knowing that the country has seen numerous outbreaks over the decades and are more experienced at dealing with it. I repeat the word 'hope'!

yes it is in a more remote area, but who knows,...Angola closed part of the border in 2009 because of ebola...so we will see...i think we will have to do the same as you are dave....ive already been contacting pax

Sorry to hear that Gazza never an easy decision to make. With us our trips would have been starting in just a few weeks time, far too close to risk it given the logistical challenges. I thought your trips didn't start until January?

Are you going on the 70 km Ekok-Mamfe piste?
If you are and it is the rainy season....then....forget Ebola and prepare for battle:rain:

yes the plan was january, but the news is not getting any better, and im not realy expecting the camerron border to open soon...ok there is always ways across, but i cant realy sent a truck down with 3 pax and a 50/50 chance of not making it...especaly as boko haram have taken over a lot of the villages and towns near the camroon north south road ( but on the nigerian side of the border)which was our emergancy detour route.

it was a big disappointment, but our company is just to young to send the truck down losing money....and then giving a half refund in nigeria or whatever, my creditcard does not have a high enouth limit to pay everyone off....it was better to cancel now and try again for next year ( at least sky news will be tired of the story then)

but thats the way the cookie crumbles, i was all go, until DRC announced 31 dead,

Sad news Gazza sorry to hear that. We're in the same boat as you know, and most other overland operators have decided to cancel the upcoming season.

It feels awful to do this at a time when these countries need the support, but the logistics have become so risky there's a huge potential for things to go tits up. Just hoping the powers that be get on top of this outbreak soon and it stops spreading.

Haha yeah I think that's been the case in the past but have heard from a few people including another overlander coming the other way that it's now tarmac.

Reading the original blog about the Cameroon crossing it seems like they were only letting people with residency in, and even then they quarantined 60 of them for 2 weeks.

Are you guys at all familiar with shipping options to bypass Nigeria?

what to do?
 

My fiancee and I have been planning an african overland trip for the last year. Leaving from Ireland Nov.2 in a 2001 Land Cruiser fully fitted. We are getting married in Mauritania Nov.15. From there, our plan was to down to Sierra Leone to do some volunteer work for a NGO we are involved with, then make our way back up to Senegal and ship the Land Cruiser back to UK from Dakar and fly home. Obviously, ebola has impacted our plans, not to mention the lives and livelihoods most of West Africa.

We have a lot of money and energy invested, including non-refundable airfares, so are trying figure out alternatives.

One thought was to travel through Mali, Burkina Faso, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, and Congo, then ship Land Cruiser back from Pointe Noir or Luanda. This looks possible, except now for the border issue at Cameroon. Can anyone confirm that it is not possible for a tourist to cross? Seems like the only other alternative would be to spend time in Ghana, Togo, Benin, and ship back from Tema, hoping that ebola does not close any of those borders.

Any ideas? I guess we could try for the above and if we can't get through, then back to Tema or Lagos to ship back.

Regards, Rick.

Hmm, seems all plans going from north to south are mostly on hold.....I've been planning quite a while and our tour would have started mid of octobre...

Reading all information, we have decided doing north of africa is adventure, but ebola, closed border of cameroun with nigeria, and local panic situation, this is to much to make this an adventure with fun...

Allthough our original route would never bring us in Ebola countries...but we had to cross Nigeria (comming from mali, burkino and benin) and get into cameroun....and this situation is not likely to change in the very near future.

So last week, we have decided to ship our bikes form europe to Cape town, and do a round trip taking us to namibia, botswana, zimbabwe, zambia, malawi, tanzania en return via mozambique and south africa....

We were able to take this decision as we had no visas yet so our options were still open.....I regret I will miss the north but there is simply no "easy" way around giving the current situation.

keeping in mind it can still become worse as more countries close borders....I don't want to be stuck in Benin.

Watch this thread at the german wüstenschiff forum (probably use google translate):

http://www.wuestenschiff.de/phpbb/we...ch-t51686.html

There overlander report their current experiences about bordercrossings of

Burkina Faso, Benin, Togo, Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire.

Where they have to wash once their hands at the border and once they meter the body temperature, or have to fill a form.

One of them too write an blog: jealousyreloaded.bplaced.net

I guess that it is more relaxed, if you are there, as here if you watch the news and some forums...

If you are too afraid, the east route over egypt seems to be easy again: http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...719#post478612 - a new ferry line is up :mchappy:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9_FAB5j0Ox...d-damietta.JPG

Surfy

Cameroon reopens border with Ebola-free Nigeria | STANDARD-TRIBUNE

Looks like after a very tedious wait, the border is open again.

I'm heading back this week to continue with my car from calabar. Lost my copilot so if anyone is also doing the route and you're keen to convoy for a bit please let me know.

Cameroon reopens border with Ebola-free Nigeria | STANDARD-TRIBUNE

Looks like after a very tedious wait, the border is open again.

I'm heading back this week to continue with my car from calabar. Lost my copilot so if anyone is also doing the route and you're keen to convoy for a bit please let me know.

Correction. Border not open. There are rumours and articles flying around saying all sorts of stuff but I'm in Ikom- land borders are not open. All air borders are open, and maritime cargo is open but nothing else. Some bikers have sent their motos and flown separately from Benin successfully however.

Bugger! :(

What alternative are you going for?
Do you happen to know how (plane/ship) the bikers sent their bikes and from where-to!

Cheers and best of luck getting through,

Safe travels,
RN

I think they sent the moto from calabar to limbe, then took a bus to Cotonou where they flew to Douala and went on to meet the bikes.

I am going to wait for either the land border to open or the limbe car and passenger ferry to start operating. It seems every couple of weeks there's some progress with the borders so fingers crossed. Don't really have a choice because I don't want to send my car unaccompanied on the ferry.

Are you planning a trip soon?

By the way it's no longer necessary to fly all the way from Benin- flights from Lagos are apparently operating.

Cheers Roach,

thanks for the "intel"!

I'll be heading your way...on my way to SA, leaving Portugal in January, riding a Yamaha XT600E.
Yeah I know plenty of time before I get there but no harm in checking out the alternatives...or I'm I getting a bit paranoid! :redface::lol2:

The border closing I think was more political than ebola and they can't keep the border closed forever cos it effects Cameroon's economics, so sometime soon it should open!

Hang in there!

Just been checking out African Border monitor looks like the border has opened.
Africa Border Monitor
Roach, I will be hanging out in Morocco now till mid January. So we might run into each other?

Patrick

Hey guys,

don't rely too much on African Border Monitor.
Their source is the Standard Tribune Cameroon reopens border with Ebola-free Nigeria | STANDARD-TRIBUNE which apparently seems to be wrong, according to people on the ground.
I haven't in fact heard from any other source that the border has re-opend but please correct me if am wrong - and I certainly hope that I am!

Cheers,
RN

finngers crossed it will open soon....anyon eles at ikon with recent news

Yep that's right. There are actually a lot of different articles which say the borders are open.. But apparently immigration at the borders didn't get the same memo!

I've just been up to akwaye which is another crossing near obudu. I spoke to a bunch of people who said that it was open last week, and they actually crossed along with a whole lot of other traffic. Now it's been closed again.

When I actually get through I'll be sure to post here. All air travel and maritime cargo are def open and everyone in Cameroon apparently believe it's open.

I'm checking in with local guys at both border crossings daily - so I guess I probably have the best chance for solid info.. Now going from ikom to calabar to keep tabs on the limbe ferry as well.

I did the road from Mamfe to Ekok in early february 2014.
New tared road the first 20 km after Mamfe. Than 20 km very new and very large truck. Was ready to get new tar. All the way they were busy works on the new road which will be tared up to the border (chinese Company)

Roach,

Am in Abuja at the moment, expect to be in Calabar on tuesday the 2nd dec
same problem, cant get either Cameroon visa nor Angola, whilst borders shut
if ur about, like to catch up for a beer
josh

Just a quick update - there's a cargo ferry which goes from Calabar to Tiko port in Cameroon but it's a duopoly and the guys have cottoned on to the overlanders' plight and are quoting stupid prices in the order CFCA700k and up.

Rumour has it that there is a heap of pressure on Cameroon to open the border for the large number of people who want to travel home for Christmas. I'll be passing Ikok again on Sunday (some have said this is the day earmarked for the opening, but that's just one of dozens of rumours I'm hearing so doesn't hold much weight for me).

If it doesn't open in the next week or two I'll be sending the car by ship all the way to Namibia and avoiding the difficult center for the time being, which I'd be pretty gutted about.

Will send PM Josh.

cheers
appreciate
having a mare with visas as well
bloody joke

Hi Roach,

Is the border still closed? I am now in Accra and would be crossing into Cameroon in about 4 weeks time. I plan to apply visa for Cameroon in Nigeria and hope the border is open by then.

How is the traveling situation in Nigeria, any particular place/city to avoid going to and which way is the safest to take to cross from Nigeria into Cameroon?

Thanks in advance.

Borneoman

I need to get moving so I've driven back to Lagos and am organising to ship my car to Namibia. I can't justify forking out for expensive visas only to have them expire without any clue when the border will open. However I'm still keeping in touch with the guys at the border so I can post any updates on here. No change yet, it seems like Boko Haram is the main cause and that stuff isn't settling down any time soon - on the other hand there's a lot of pressure to open the border so that people can return home for Christmas.

For routes - I'm no expert because I only did it twice but I figure the best way is to go through the Ilara border 100km north of Cotonou (near Ketou), then Abeokuta-Ljebu Ode-Ore-Benin City-Onitsha-Abakaliki then if you want to go to the border continue straight to Ikom but if you want to go to Calabar take the South road to Ugep (couple of turns easy to miss there) and then down to Calabar. Suggest don't go the Aba route - roads are horrible and you can get stuck in traffic in Aba and other large towns (made that mistake the first time). You'll tear your hair out at checkpoints until Abeokuta but then it's good highway pretty much all the way to Onitsha, then smaller but reasonable roads from there to Calabar. I just drove from Calabar to Lagos in 12 hours without stopping at a single checkpoint - I think because I waited until Sunday to do it and left at 5am. Sunday's a good day for driving in Nigeria!

Ekok will open thiS weekend
 

Just finished meeting with regional head of health in Cameroon
He assures me overlanders will be able to pass by next monday
Ensure all vacinations are up to date
Cameroon visa in calabar, 1 hour..easy
If emergency pm me for the cameroon health delegates number....but only in emergency....dont abuse please

Safe teavels

Think im owed a few beers

Well done, Josh!!:thumbup1:

Cheers,

Gee

Great News !
 

Hello Josh, great to read your post ! its exaclty the news we have been expecting for days!

I'll be flying to Benin on the 26th where my LandRover is parked, from there I will be driving to cross the border probably on the 29 or 30 Dec. in case anybody will be around would be great travelling toghether !

Border Opened
 

CEMAC business – Cameroun | Commerce Nigeria ré-ouvert | Nigeria trade re-opens

We'll see you around the border, I'll be staying at Drill Ranch for few days, and cross around 29-30.

Josh you really have the keys, thanks a lot ! :-)

Ciao - Stefano

Hi Stefano,
great thanks for the info but had a quick look at the link and the post seems to be from the 04th Nov!
I'm thinking could this be another hoax news or can anyone "on the field" confirm this. :innocent:
Cheers guys,

Borders still closed
But, if you use the ammana to aKwaya route, pretty rough onto bamenda, you can get in, after a day or so wait, at this remote border
Pm me for details of the Cameroon contact
Two of us have got through in last two weeks..so its not a hoax...my friend

great new Josh, and was it all road or was there a ferry crossing ( eg could it take a truck)..im happy you made it.....In Africa there is always a way, well unless there isn't

About 10ks, ammana to akwaya
No ferry, and virtually no road
Its mainly a pedestrian, motorcycle (locals) remote border
Plus side is, once youve been allowed in, youve got another 9 hours of slightly better to bamenda..165 kms.....i think
But its the only route
I crossed solo in defender 300tdi, damaged drag link, when road gave way
There had been bad rains , so you should be fine in a truck, slow is key word
To be honest, ndende to dolisie, after heavy rain was worse
Doing brazza to luvo this week
Safe travels

Really great stuff Josh, and really glad you could make it through!
Now here's a piece of priceless information.
Thanks a million! bier

Safe travels,

Update, Nigeria/Cameroon border
 

In Angola now, so not sure what status with border is currently, but the Cameroon contact, has even allowed a large truck through Ekok border, as Akwaya not suitable.
As before, pm, if your stuck, but bear in mind, that this is an official, bending over backwards (gratis) to help overlanders, so please don't abuse, and ruin it it for genuine travellers.
Safe travels

Was this a tourist truck with about 20passengers by any chance?

Patrick

No idea Pat
Don't think so

Unfortunately the Cameroon contact has now decided not to help any more, as it was abused.
A pity, as he went out his way to help overlanders
Well done guys, you screwed it for real travellers

Cheers for your reply earlier Josh. It's a shame some people just take the piss.
I'll just have to play it by ear. It's Africa there will be a way.

Patrick

Any idea how this helpful chap was pissed off? I was hoping to be crossing into Cameroon in about a month. Would be a shame to have to end my trip in Nigeria because someone has managed to annoy what seems to be the only helpful person with any real sway in the area.

Very true Patrick, there is always a way in Africa.:innocent:

Thanks to all for the info. We are coming through to Cameroon by 4x4 in 3-4 weeks. Has there anyone got through lately? Safe travels to everyone :)

/jasmin & bart

Hi all and sorry for the silence - I had a bunch of problems backtracking in Nigeria including a nasty car accident and all the fun stuff that goes with it.

I couldn't find a way to ship my car from Lagos because the agents there seem to only deal with commercial projects. I would have had to fork out thousands (USD) to make it worth their while. In the end I drove to Togo and shipped from there. $1315 shipping and approx $1,600 agency fees (Lome and Walvis Bay), in a container. If you need contacts let me know.

I also have contacts in Nigeria both at the embassy and at the borders, I'll give them a call tomorrow and post an update here. Sounds like giving out contact details is unwise which is a big shame.

Having relied on "anything is possible in Africa" my car was stuck in Nigeria for three months... I tried every possible option with contacts both sides of the border. Would caution that assumption! This is a directive from the president and border staff were absolutely not willing to entertain an exception under any circumstances. This was at least my experience, although it sounds like things may have loosened up a little now that a precedent has been set.

Thanks for the update.

Hi guys,

I've just been on the phone with the consulate in Calabar and the border is still officially closed. Whether there are other options to test now like Josh did, I'm not sure. But certainly conventional crossing are still not allowed.

The consul had no idea when it will open again. I'd be happy to call him again if you hear rumours of the border opening - will potentially save people from making the same mistake as me and starting the trip based on phony news articles!

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. Such a shame that these days cross-continental African trips are pretty much impossible.

Is the problem with the Nigerians or with Cameroon? I thought it was cameroon that had shut the border because of Ebola but you seem to be having problems with the nigerians?

Cameroon. The Cameroonian Consulate in Calabar.

Thank to Roach for info and effort for calling. We got our Nigerian visas in Burkina, I guesss we will still try the borders. First Ekok and then something else. If things wont work out we will turn back and think of shipping the car. We hope to get through tho. I will update how things are going :)

Hi, here is some new info about the border from few days ago. We got through from ekok. It is stil officiLly closed. We had to call our embassy in Cameroon and they helped us. There have been also other overlanders getting through but only way is to get help from your embassy. We were lucky and got through within 4hours. Most of the people it took few days. I hope this info will help someone :)

Great news - hopefully once the border officials get used to letting people through, the process will get easier.

It has gotten even easier. When I went through Ekok 3 days ago, help from my embassy was not necessary. The guy at the border gate just made a call and 20 minutes later gave me the OK to pass through. After that it was just 5 minutes at Immigration and Customs and I was in. Before that I tried the border at Ekang, but that one is definitely still closed.

Here is the latest input to the saga of the Nigeria-Cameroon border closure. I crossed the border at Ekok on a motorcycle on the 25 of April 2015.

In agreement to the previous post, there seems to be a reasonably easy and reliable process of crossing the border at the present point in time. This can of cause change without warning at the will of decision makers.
I tried to apply for a Cameroon visa at the Cameroon High Commission in Abuja. This application was refused. Abuja is not the place to get a visa right now unless you have an airline ticket to show.
Instead I made the application at the Cameroon Consulate in Calabàr where they were very accommodating and issued a 3 month visa with multiple entries (95 €) while I was waiting. Here they are aware of that tourists are let through the border at Ekok.

The process at the border was actually easier than many other border crossings. I got a Nigerian exit stamp without questions. Once over the border bridge I had to wait for them to make a phone call that approved my passage. At immigrations, up the hill, I got a stamp right away and the whole crossing would have taken only one hour if it hadn’t been for a slight hiccup at customs.

Read the bare facts here at #16: Beyond Borders
or read the story here: Discoverer’s Dispatch

I would like to take the opportunity to reach out a hand to the travelers before me who have done the tedious groundwork and pried the door open. Thank you so much! Your hard work has not been in vain and it is highly appreciated.

yes they are a friendly lot in the calabar embassy, nice guys, and flexable with what currency you pay in

shipping car from Cameroon
 

Hi,

I'm travelling with a Landcruiser through Africa. So far made it from home in the Netherlands to Cameroon via east and south africa, including Angola and the Congo's. But now I'm stuck in Cameroon. Nigerian visa was denied in Libreville, Buea and Yaounde. And my Cameronian visa will expire in a few days and is not extendable.

I'm looking into shipping the car from Douala to west africa (Ghana, benin, Togo). Anyone experience with that?

Any other advice on what to do in this case also welcome...
(leaving the car here, flying home and wait for better times is last, last option...)

Thanks!
Grenouille
(Zo ver en verder | Een reis van Niemand in het Bijzonder)

Hi
i know its probley a bit late...but i rememebr once reading on the forum that there is one small town in the english speaking part of cameroon that has a small conselet for Nigeria and they sometimes issues visas...i think the conselet was set up for students ...possabley its that town in the hills

Gazza,

I think you're referring to Buea in Cameroon. There is indeed a Nigerian consulate there. We did, in recent years, manage to get our groups the tourist visa there.

However, recent reports from overlanders say it is no longer possible for non residents.