# West Africa airport arrivals: Lomé, Cotonou, Ouagadougou, Niamey and N'Djamena

> Five francophone West and Central African capitals, five airports with almost identical arrival dynamics. Here is exactly how to leave each one.

- Published: 2026-07-18
- Updated: 2026-07-22
- Author: Airport Exit
- Canonical URL: https://www.airportexit.com/blog/west-africa-airports-lome-cotonou-ouagadougou

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Francophone West and Central Africa share a common airport arrival experience: no ride-hail, cash-only taxis, and a swarm of unofficial "porters" the moment you cross the customs line. The good news is that the fair fares are well known, and every airport here is close to town.

## Lomé (LFW)

[Gnassingbé Eyadéma](/airports/lfw-lome) is 5 km from central Lomé. Official taxis from the rank are XOF 5,000–7,000 (about $8–12) to the city. Zémidjans (moto-taxis) are XOF 1,500 but not recommended with luggage.

## Cotonou (COO)

[Cadjehoun](/airports/coo-cotonou) is 4 km from central Cotonou. Taxi is XOF 3,000–5,000 to the city, XOF 15,000–25,000 to Ouidah. Agree the price at the taxi coordinator's desk before choosing your car.

## Ouagadougou (OUA)

[Thomas Sankara International](/airports/oua-ouagadougou) is right in the middle of the city — 3 km from Place de la Nation. Taxi is XOF 3,000–4,000 during the day, up to XOF 6,000 at night. Green city taxis are the cheapest; yellow "taxi de luxe" are 50% more.

## Niamey (NIM)

[Diori Hamani](/airports/nim-niamey) is 12 km from central Niamey. Taxi is XOF 6,000–10,000 fixed. Confirm in French with the driver: "combien pour aller au centre-ville?"

## N'Djamena (NDJ)

[Hassan Djamous](/airports/ndj-ndjamena) is 7 km from the centre. Taxi is XAF 5,000–10,000. Most hotels of any size will send a car for around XAF 15,000 — worth it for peace of mind on a first arrival.

## The West Africa airport playbook

- Have XOF/XAF cash on you before landing, or use the airport ATM immediately.

- Confirm the fare with the driver AND a witness (porter, coordinator) before loading bags.

- "Porters" who grab your bags expect a $2–3 tip. Firm "non merci" works if you don't want the service.

- Avoid arriving after dark on a first visit if you can — daytime arrivals are simpler.

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