Originally Posted by
IAH-OIL-TRASH
The illegal demanding of payment from travellers exiting Lagos is a decades-old scam. Unfortunately, they do have some leverage being in an official capacity. It is condoned higher up the chain as a portion of the proceeds must be shared w/ supervisors or they lose their jobs. It will never go away. People who do regular business there (and especially who have local representative offices) usually can get out w/o having to put up the money. The main targets are infrequent visitors, non-business transit travellers, and tourists.
One trick that sometimes works is to ask for a receipt. Tell them you will be glad to pay any fees, but need documentation so you can report it and get reimbursed. If you stick to your demand, they usually give up.
Also, depending on why you are traveling (if business) this is reportable under the FCPA.
FWIW
DLM