A few weeks ago, a friend called me from his hotel room in Ikeja. He had just finished back-to-back meetings, fought through traffic for hours, and was too tired to enjoy dinner. As someone who has never lived in Lagos, his exact words were, “Lagos is mad, and this trip is draining me.”
It got me thinking, how do you find rest when your Lagos trip is supposed to be all about business?
Because let’s be honest: business travel in Lagos is not for the faint-hearted. The traffic is intense, the city is noisy, and if you’re not intentional, you’ll burn out faster than you can say “Oshodi.”
This article is for the traveller who’s not just here to work, but to stay sane. Here’s how you can genuinely find balance while handling business in Lagos.
Stay Where It’s Calm (and Central)
Where you stay sets the tone for your entire trip. If your hotel or short-let apartment is in the wrong part of town, you’ll spend more time in traffic than in meetings.
Zimmr Apartment in Oshodi is a good start. While many people envision the chaotic part of it, it also has its calm places, and Zimmer is right there for you to take a breath, even in your chaotic experiences. It is also not too far from the airport, close to major commercial zones like Ikeja and Ilupeju, and importantly, it gives you a space to breathe. You won’t be stuck in VI traffic if all your work is on the mainland.
Here are some Other options, if Oshodi doesn’t tally with your axis.
- Presken Hotel, Ikeja – works well if you want proximity to the airport
- Lansdown Hotel, Ikoyi – if your business tilts towards the Island elite scene
But again, stay close to where your work is. Lagos isn’t the place to “wing it” regarding distance.
Time is Relative in Lagos, Plan Like a Local
Lagos doesn’t respect clocks. A meeting scheduled for 11 am could become 12:30 pm because someone got stuck on the 3rd Mainland Bridge.
Here’s what works:
- Schedule meetings between 10 am and 2 pm – morning traffic has died down, evening traffic hasn’t started.
- Don’t overload your day. Two quality meetings > five rushed ones.
- Group meetings by location, not by importance. VI today, Ikeja tomorrow.
Practice Rest
Most business travellers treat rest as something optional after the work is done. But in Lagos, rest is part of the work. Without it, you’ll be irritated, distracted, and unproductive.
Here’s what’s helped me (and others like me):
1. Mornings with a ritual – Wake up 30 mins early, not to scroll, but to be still. Journal. Sit in silence. Pray. Breathe.
2. Lunch with intention – Instead of working through lunch, take yourself to a calm place. Café One in Ikoyi, My Coffee Lagos, or even a quiet suya spot. Eat. Don’t talk.
3. Evenings with wind-down rules: Switch off your phone, pick a chill series (I recommend Modern Love on Prime), and drink tea. Not everything has to be “catch-up.”
4. A weekend getaway experience. We wrote an extensive article on it; check it out.
Work From Where You Can Think
If you’re the type who likes to plug in and work between meetings, not every hotel room can give you the space for deep work.
Look for a spot that lets you focus. Many use coworking stations, but if you prefer to work from where you stay, places like Zimmr already include desks, fast WiFi, and backup power, which are the basics of survival in this city.
Also, carry a backup internet solution. Don’t leave your Zoom calls to fate. An Airtel Mifi or MTN 5G router can make or break your day.
Lagos is intense, and yes, it’s a city of opportunities. But that doesn’t mean you must chase every meeting, say yes to every hangout, or try to “maximise” every minute.
Sometimes, the most productive thing you can do is rest. Protect your calm.
When you return from business travel in Lagos, people shouldn’t just ask what you achieved; they should be able to see that you came back whole.
Don’t forget to check out the rooms on Zimmr.
