Travel · Nigeria · Type D / G · 230V
Nigeria: two socket shapes, one adapter set.
Nigeria runs 230V at 50Hz with two plug standards in service: Type D, the older three-round-pin fitting, and Type G, the British rectangular-pin plug. Buying only the British adapter is the mistake — it is the one most travelers make, because Type G is the shape they have heard of.
The specification
| Spec | Nigeria |
|---|---|
| Plug types | Type D (three round pins in a triangle) and Type G (three rectangular pins) |
| Voltage | 230V |
| Frequency | 50Hz |
| What fits | Type D plugs in Type D sockets, Type G plugs in Type G sockets — the two are not interchangeable |
| What doesn't | US Type A/B, European Type C/F, Israeli Type H, South African Type M |
Two shapes, and how to tell them apart
Type G is unmistakable: three chunky rectangular pins, the same plug used in the UK and Kenya. Type D is three round pins arranged in a triangle, the older standard also seen in India and Nepal. They share nothing — no adapter for one enters a socket for the other — so the safe kit is both, or one universal adapter whose specification sheet explicitly lists Type D. Many do not: the common four-shape universal covers A, C, G and I, and Type D is absent from that list.
What to pack
- Type D
Type D plug adapter (round pin)
The half of the kit people forget. Small, cheap, and the only thing that enters an older Nigerian socket.
- Fits
- Type D sockets
- Pins
- 3 round, triangular
- Also used in
- India, Nepal
- Type G
Fused Type G (UK) plug adapter
For the modern British-standard sockets: full-length earth pin, replaceable fuse.
- Fits
- Type G sockets
- Fuse
- Replaceable
- Also covers
- UK, Kenya, UAE
- 65W
Statik 65W GaN 3-Port
Dual-voltage brick to sit behind whichever adapter the wall demands — one socket runs laptop and phones.
- Output
- 65W shared
- Ports
- 3
- Input
- 100–240V
Two flat adapters plus one GaN charger weigh less than a single universal brick and cover both socket types outright. Sizing on 65W adapters.
Adapter, not converter
Nigeria's 230V is inside the 100–240V ~ 50/60Hz range printed on every USB-C charger and laptop supply sold in the US — read it on the brick itself, in fine text near the prongs. Those devices need a plug adapter, which is a passive change of pin shape and nothing more. A voltage converter is only for single-voltage heating elements and motors: hair dryers, flat irons, curling wands, travel kettles. Full explanation on travel adapter vs converter.
Everything else in a normal bag — phone, laptop, tablet, camera charger, headphones, power bank, shaver — falls on the adapter side of that line and works exactly as it does at home.
Around the region
Kenya is Type G only, South Africa is Type M and N, Egypt and Morocco are round-pin European standards. Nothing about African plugs is regional, which is why the travel hub and plug types by country are worth a minute per destination.
FAQ
What plug adapter do I need for Nigeria?
Both Type D and Type G are in use, so the reliable answer is to carry both. Type G is the British rectangular-pin plug; Type D is the older three-round-pin design also used in India.
Will a universal travel adapter cover Nigeria?
Only if Type D appears in its specification list. The common four-shape universal adapters cover Type A, C, G and I, which leaves Type D sockets unusable.
Do I need a voltage converter in Nigeria?
Not for electronics. Nigeria is 230V and US-sold chargers are rated 100-240V. Converters are only for single-voltage heating and motor appliances.
Is Nigeria's Type D plug the same as South Africa's?
No. South Africa uses Type M, whose three round pins are much larger. Type D and Type M adapters are not interchangeable despite the similar pin layout.