Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged travelers with pre-existing conditions to seek medical guidance before journeys through Addis Ababa, after its mission recorded 16 deaths involving Nigerians in transit this year.
BusinessDay reported that the ministry’s diplomatic mission in Addis Ababa recorded the deaths among Nigerians passing through the city in 2026. The outlet said the cases were reportedly connected to health complications associated with the altitude.
The ministry put Addis Ababa’s elevation at about 2,355 meters (7,726 feet). The city’s thinner air means less oxygen is available, and the ministry said travelers with cardiovascular or respiratory conditions may face greater risks. Healthy travelers typically adjust over several days.
The reported effects can range from headaches, fatigue and difficulty breathing to severe illness involving swelling of the brain, BusinessDay reported.
The ministry described its notice as health guidance rather than a restriction on travel to or through Addis Ababa. The city is a major aviation hub linking West Africa with Asia, the Middle East and Europe. The ministry urged medically vulnerable passengers to consult a clinician and plan precautions before travel.
