NigeriaTravelling with ADHD medication: rules, permits and documents
AfricaLast checked 20 Jul 2026Low confidence: check with the embassyHow we rate a record
Nigeria treats these medications differently. Of the 7 we track, 4 have no published rule we could find and 3 need only your prescription.
Serious penalties: Nigeria's only published process for narcotic and psychotropic medicines is a commercial import-and-clearance permit restricted to companies holding a NAFDAC Certificate of Registration; NAFDAC states a consignment 'must not be shipped without obtaining a Permit to import' and that failure to present that permit and the permit to clear 'will be considered an offence' — but no equivalent process, and no exemption, is published for an individual traveller carrying their own prescribed opioid or stimulant, so a traveller questioned at the border has no official route to point to.
We could not find strong recent official guidance for this country. Contact the embassy or consulate directly before you travel.
By medication
Brand names first, generic in brackets. Each line resolves the drug class rule below, plus anything Nigeria records specifically for that medication.
- Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine)Unclear
Carry your prescription and original packaging and contact NAFDAC's Narcotics & Controlled Substances Directorate before travelling. No official Nigerian source states what an individual traveller carrying a prescribed ADHD stimulant should expect at the border.
- Ritalin, Concerta (methylphenidate)Unclear
The same rule as Vyvanse above.
- Dexamphetamine (dexamfetamine)Unclear
The same rule as Vyvanse above.
- Strattera (atomoxetine)Prescription
Atomoxetine, guanfacine and viloxazine are not internationally controlled; carry a prescription for personal-use import.
- Adderall (mixed amphetamine salts)Unclear
The same rule as Vyvanse above.
- Intuniv (guanfacine)Prescription
The same rule as Strattera above.
- Qelbree (viloxazine)Prescription
The same rule as Strattera above.
Rules by drug class
Narcotic (opioids)
Unclear- Quantity
- No traveller or personal-use quantity is published for any opioid. All published quantities are commercial consignment sizes in kilograms, governed by an import-permit regime restricted to companies holding a NAFDAC Certificate of Registration.
- Permit
- Not published. NAFDAC's only published permit and clearance process for narcotic drugs is commercial: the applicant must be a company holding a NAFDAC Certificate of Registration, applying via the Federal Government of Nigeria Single Window for Trade Portal, on letterhead signed by its Superintendent Pharmacist. 'No third-party importation is allowed.' No personal-use route for an individual traveller carrying their own prescribed opioid is published by NAFDAC, NDLEA or (as far as could be read) Nigeria Customs Service.
Psychotropic (ADHD stimulants, benzodiazepines, sleep)
Unclear- Quantity
- No traveller or personal-use quantity is published for any ADHD stimulant. NAFDAC's guidelines cover narcotics and psychotropics under the same commercial-only permit process, with quantities specified only in kilograms for company consignments.
- Permit
- Not published. Identical position to the narcotic class: NAFDAC's published import and clearance permits for psychotropic substances are restricted to companies holding a Certificate of Registration, applying through the Single Window for Trade Portal. No personal-use or traveller route for methylphenidate, dexamfetamine, mixed amphetamine salts or lisdexamfetamine is published.
Not internationally controlled
PrescriptionAtomoxetine, guanfacine and viloxazine are not internationally controlled; carry a prescription for personal-use import.
Responsible authority
National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC); Nigeria Customs Service
Sources
The source behind everything above, so you can check it yourself rather than take our word for it. Always confirm the current rule with the source before you travel.
Your trip pack
A doctor's letter for Nigeria, filled in with your medications and your stops, ready to sign.
The rules above are free and stay free. The pack is the paperwork that goes with them: a checklist for each stop in travel order, a printable PDF, and the letter to take to your GP.
Build your trip packThis page organises publicly available government information and links. It is not legal or medical advice. Rules change and enforcement varies, so always confirm with the official sources above or the Nigeria embassy or consulate before travelling.