The Federal Government has warned Nigerians with underlying health conditions about the potential dangers of travelling through Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, after 16 deaths involving Nigerians transiting through the city were reportedly linked to complications associated with its high altitude.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Ethiopian capital’s elevation of approximately 2,355 metres (7,726 feet) above sea level results in lower atmospheric pressure and reduced oxygen availability, a condition that could pose additional risks to people with certain medical conditions.
The warning was contained in a travel advisory issued on Friday, November 13, 2026, and signed by the ministry’s spokesperson, Oluwafemi Adeniyi.
According to the Federal Government, people with pre-existing cardiovascular and respiratory conditions may be particularly vulnerable to the physiological effects of high altitude.
How Addis Ababa’s altitude may affect travellers
At high altitudes, atmospheric pressure is lower, meaning the amount of oxygen available with each breath is reduced. The body must adjust by breathing more and making other physiological changes to maintain adequate oxygen supply.
For people with healthy heart and lung function, the body can generally adapt to these conditions. However, people with underlying heart or respiratory illnesses may have less capacity to cope with reduced oxygen availability.
Medical guidance from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explains that exposure to high altitudes can cause oxygen levels in the blood to fall and may place additional stress on people with compromised lung function.
Altitude-related illnesses can, in more serious cases, affect the lungs or brain. High-altitude pulmonary oedema, for instance, involves fluid accumulating in the lungs and can become life-threatening. <Cite refs={[“turn470022search2″,”turn470022search3”]}/>
However, the Federal Government has not released individual medical reports establishing the precise cause of each of the 16 deaths. Its advisory describes the deaths as reportedly linked to health complications associated with high altitude.
Why the Federal Government is warning Nigerians
The government’s concern is that travellers with existing medical conditions could face complications when exposed to Addis Ababa’s reduced oxygen environment.
In its advisory, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged Nigerians whose medical conditions could be worsened by high altitude to exercise caution when planning journeys involving transit through the city.
It also advised travellers with underlying health conditions to obtain appropriate medical guidance before embarking on such journeys.
The warning is particularly relevant to people with cardiovascular and respiratory ailments, whose ability to cope with reduced oxygen availability may be limited.
The CDC also advises people with heart or lung diseases to consult a doctor familiar with high-altitude medicine before travelling to elevated destinations. <Cite refs={[“turn470022search3”]}/>
FG says it is not discouraging travel to Ethiopia
The Federal Government stressed that its advisory should not be interpreted as a restriction or warning against all travel to Addis Ababa.
Rather, it said the purpose was to ensure that Nigerians who may be medically vulnerable to high-altitude conditions understand the possible risks and take appropriate precautions before travelling.
The ministry reaffirmed the government’s commitment to protecting the health, safety and welfare of Nigerians travelling abroad, adding that it would continue to provide timely information and guidance to citizens.
For now, the advisory raises important questions about the circumstances surrounding the 16 deaths, including the medical conditions of those affected and the extent to which altitude contributed to each case. The government has not provided those individual details.
