Nigeria cautions against travel via Ethiopia’s main airport due to altitude

Nigeria has cautioned citizens, especially those with existing health conditions, about travelling through Addis Ababa’s Bole International Airport because of the city’s high altitude. The warning follows the foreign ministry’s report that 16 Nigerians with underlying health problems died while transiting there this year, though it did not identify them or state the causes of death.

Addis Ababa is 2,334 metres above sea level, and its airport is a major hub linking Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Nigeria highlighted risks for people with cardiovascular or respiratory conditions and advised them to seek medical guidance before travelling; it said it was not seeking to discourage travel through the city. At altitude, thinner air means less oxygen enters the bloodstream, which can strain the heart and cause symptoms such as dizziness, fatigue and breathlessness.