Yes, you can smoke at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (ABV) in the Pearl Lounge’s own smoking room, past the last security check in the New International Terminal, and in the designated zones outside the terminal buildings landside. The lounge charges for entry; any passenger on an international or transit departure can pay it.
Abuja’s airport is operated by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and serves the Nigerian capital, with the New International Terminal now in service for international flights.
The Pearl Lounge Smoking Room — After Security
The Pearl Lounge sits at Module F, Level 0, after the last security check before the boarding gates, and is open around the clock. It has a separate smoking room among its facilities, alongside the quiet area, the children’s play area and the prayer room. The room is for lounge guests, so entry is the condition rather than a boarding pass alone.
Entry is open to anyone who pays for it. The lounge operator, Pearl Assist (National Aviation Services), sells access on its own site at $30 per adult and $15 per child, booked 24 hours ahead; holders of lounge-membership cards enter on the card instead. Access is limited to international and in-transit departures from the New International Terminal, and the maximum stay is three hours. The other Abuja lounges list no smoking room in their published conditions: the SDS Lounge on the third floor of the same terminal, and Lounge One on the domestic side.
One thing to know before you rely on it: FAAN’s own passenger FAQ says smoking at its airports happens in the designated zones outside the terminal buildings and that there is no smoking once you have passed through security. The Pearl Lounge’s smoking room is the exception the lounge itself advertises, so treat the lounge as the place it works and the concourse as smoke-free.
Outside the Terminal
Landside, the designated smoking zones sit outside the terminal buildings — the option FAAN points passengers to. Step away from the entrances to the marked outdoor space before lighting up. If you have already cleared security and do not want to pay for the lounge, going outside means re-clearing the checkpoint on the way back.
Vaping
Vaping goes where smoking goes at Abuja. FAAN’s passenger FAQ puts e-cigarettes under the same restrictions as cigarettes at its airports and confines them to the designated zones outside the terminal buildings, so the terminal interior is vape-free and the gates are not the place for it. Never vape onboard the aircraft.
Summary table
| Area | Smoking | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pearl Lounge smoking room (airside) | Yes | Module F, Level 0, past the last security check; paid lounge entry, international and transit departures |
| Terminal interior / concourse | No | Smoke-free; FAAN’s FAQ puts smoking outside the buildings |
| SDS Lounge, Lounge One | No | Neither lists a smoking room in its published conditions |
| Designated outdoor zones (landside) | Yes | Outside the terminal buildings, clear of the entrances |
| Vaping / e-cigarettes | Outdoor zones | Same restrictions as cigarettes under FAAN’s FAQ |
For Nigeria’s airport smoking rules and vaping law, see our Nigeria airport smoking guide.