Key facts
- Nigeria's foreign ministry said 16 Nigerians with underlying health problems died this year while transiting Addis Ababa.
- The ministry said travelers with cardiovascular and respiratory conditions face increased risk at the city's altitude.
- Addis Ababa sits at 2,334m (7,657ft) above sea level, one of the highest capitals in the world.
- The ministry did not disclose the identities of the travelers it said died, nor the cause of death.
- The ministry said it did not want to discourage Nigerians from traveling through the Ethiopian capital.
Nigeria's foreign ministry cautioned Nigerians, particularly those with medical conditions, against traveling via Ethiopia's main airport because of the altitude of Addis Ababa, in a statement published on November 14, 2026. The ministry in Abuja said 16 Nigerians with underlying health problems had died this year while transiting through the Ethiopian capital.
Addis Ababa sits at an altitude of 2,334m (7,657ft) above sea level, making it one of the highest capitals in the world. Bole International Airport is a hub for travel between Africa, the Middle East and Asia, serving millions of passengers a year.
The ministry said those with cardiovascular and respiratory conditions were at increased risk. It did not disclose the identities of the travelers it said had died, nor the cause of death. It urged anyone with a health condition worsened by high altitudes to "exercise caution" when planning a journey via Addis Ababa and to "obtain appropriate medical guidance" before doing so, while stressing that it did not want to discourage Nigerians from traveling through the Ethiopian capital.
Visiting an area at a high altitude can be dangerous for people with heart and lung diseases because the air is thinner and less oxygen reaches the bloodstream, experts say. The heart has to work harder to get enough oxygen to different parts of the body, which can sometimes lead to heart failure among those with existing conditions, according to the American Heart Association. The lack of oxygen at high altitudes can cause dizziness, fatigue and shortness of breath among healthy people, which can cause complications for people with lung disease, studies show.