Planning a SCOAN visit? Here is what you really need to know about visiting The Synagogue, Church of all Nations, Lagos – Nigeria.
How to Visit SCOAN
There are two ways you can visit the SCOAN: official visit and non-official visit. To visit SCOAN officially, you must be invited by the church. Official visitors to the SCOAN stay in the church’s accommodation facility.
If, however, you can’t get an official invite from the SCOAN, you can still make a visit to Nigeria and attend the SCOAN church service. This means you will have to plan the visit on your own and sort out accommodation and airport pick-up and drop-off, etc.
This guide applies to those who want to make the trip to the SCOAN on their own without the church invitation.
1. The SCOAN has mainly Sunday services at the moment
Unlike years ago when there used to be mid-week services at the SCOAN, there are only Sunday services at the moment. What this means is don’t expect to attend any weekday services, instead schedule your visit to cover up to two Sundays just in case you are not ‘lucky’ the first Sunday. Here’s how a typical Sunday service at the SCOAN pans out.
2. You need a reliable travel agency to arrange your visit
Planning a visit to Nigeria, especially as a non-ECOWAS passport holder can be tough unless you consult a good travel company. Here is why you need a trusted travel agency when visiting Nigeria. We are the most recommended booking/travel agency for SCOAN if you are planning a visit to Nigeria and the SCOAN.
So, to easily and effectively plan your visit to Nigeria as soon as possible, get in touch with us here.
3. You will need a visa to enter Nigeria
Unless you are from the West African sub-region, you will need a visa to enter Nigeria. While Nigerian visa requirements are about the same for all countries, the duration for visa processing and fees vary. Here are the Nigerian visa requirements and fees for all countries.
4. You require an invitation letter
To be able to visit Nigeria and attend The SCOAN, you’ll need an invitation letter to Nigeria. The letter of invitation can be from a company/organisation in Nigeria or a Nigerian individual with valid passport.
The invitation letter is part of the visa application requirements. Here is how to get a Nigerian invitation letter if you’re planning a visit to The Synagogue, Church of All Nations, Lagos – Nigeria.
5. You must get a hotel room/accommodation close to the SCOAN
Getting a hotel room/accommodation near SCOAN will help you arrive church in time and save you extra costs on transportation. Even though SCOAN gives priority to international visitors, it is still essential to get to church in time as entry into the main church auditorium is on first-come-first-in basis.
People begin to queue up in the church from 3am where they are checked and ushered to sit at the tents before being ushered again into the main church auditorium from 6am. Arriving church in time will make sure you get a pass into the main auditorium.
To get affordable hotel rooms close to the SCOAN, check out available rooms here and proceed with reservation.
6. You can get a Nigerian visa on arrival
If for any reasons you can’t get a visa in your country of residence, you can apply for a Nigerian visa on arrival. You need to get the approval documents before you travel, else you will be sent back from the airport. Here is how to get a Nigerian visa on arrival approval and why many people prefer the visa on arrival option.
You may want to contact us in time to get the visa on arrival (VoA) processed for you. If you get in touch with us, you will get your visa on arrival approval letter processed and sent to you in two days after submitting the required documents and payment of the processing fee.
7. Be very well dressed
Yes, that’s right. You have to be very well dressed to be allowed in to the church auditorium, or you might have to settle for the overflow crowd. The SCOAN ushers do a lot of profiling; how dressed you are may determine where you sit in the church.
No need to over emphasize the importance of dressing, but do know that they take dressing very seriously.
8. Be properly guided
It is not enough to just book a room and fly to Nigeria to attend SCOAN. You will need to be well guided because the SCOAN is not a conventional church. They are very strict on their procedures. You will need proper guide in order to succeed with entering the church and be attended to.
If you work with us, we will very definitely give you the guide and all info you need to make your trip a success. With us, you’re sure to be fine both while in church and throughout your stay in Lagos, Nigeria.
Here are lots of reasons why you’ll need proper tour guide while in Nigeria.
9. The best days to arrive are Thursdays and Fridays
While you can arrive earlier or later, it is best to schedule to arrive in Lagos, Nigeria on a Thursday or Friday. If you arrive Monday-Wednesday, you might get bored and just waste your money on accommodation, as there are likely no activities in the church on those days. Unless of course you are cool with just being in the hotel room for those days or you plan to tour the area a bit.
While it is not bad to arrive on Saturdays, it can be a bit risky should there be a flight delay forcing you to land on Sunday instead. We’ve seen a few instances like this which means the visitors either missed the Sunday service entirely or had to settle for the overflow crowd, though some were lucky enough to still get to the church auditorium.
Arriving on Thursdays or Fridays is best because it will save you some cost, allow you enough time to rest/settle down and go for every necessary inquiries at the church before Sunday service.
10. Be sure to compare flights
Though this might not be much of a problem for many, still we want you to save on costs. Don’t overpay on flights; always get the cheapest flight deals to Nigeria.
To do that, you need to search here and compare flight prices from multiple airlines all at once and select the cheapest rates only.
11. Don’t break your sweat
Don’t worry, no need to sweat too much about visiting Lagos – Nigeria. Don’t get tensed over anything. Don’t get stressed or overly worked up. It is not that difficult as you think if you plan your visit with us.