If you have ever asked a Lagos printer “how much?” and got the answer “it depends”, this guide is for you. It does depend — but not on anything mysterious. Here is what actually drives the price, and what you should expect to pay.
Quick answer: typical starting prices
These are realistic starting rates in Lagos as of 2026. Your final figure moves up or down based on the factors further down this page.
| Item | Typical starting price |
|---|---|
| Business cards | From ₦15,000 per unit (350gsm, double-sided) |
| Flyers, 500 units | From ₦45,000 (A5 or A4, 130gsm, full colour) |
| Roll-up banner | From ₦50,000 including stand and carry bag |
| Custom t-shirts | From ₦6,000 per unit, minimum 10 |
Anyone quoting dramatically below these numbers is usually cutting something — thinner paper, lower resolution, no lamination, or a banner stand that will not survive its second outing. That is not always wrong, but you should know which corner is being cut before you agree.
What actually changes the price
1. Quantity
This is the big one, and it surprises people. Printing has a large fixed setup cost and a small per-unit cost. Running 100 flyers and running 500 flyers involves nearly the same setup work. So 500 flyers do not cost five times what 100 cost — often it is closer to double.
The practical lesson: if you think you will need more within a few months, order them now. Splitting one order into three small ones is the most common way Lagos businesses overspend on print.
2. Paper weight and stock
Paper is measured in gsm — grams per square metre. Higher gsm means thicker, stiffer, more substantial. A 250gsm business card feels flimsy. A 350gsm card feels like a real card. The material cost difference is small; the perception difference is large. We cover this properly in our business card paper guide.
3. Finishing
Lamination, spot UV, foil, embossing, rounded corners — each is a separate pass through a separate machine. Each adds cost and usually a day. Matte lamination on business cards is the one we recommend most often: modest cost, big difference in how the card feels and how long it survives a wallet.
4. Turnaround
Standard turnaround is priced normally. Express jobs mean rescheduling other work, and that carries a premium. If you can plan a week ahead, you will pay less. See our guide on how long printing takes in Lagos.
5. Design work
If you arrive with a correctly set up print-ready file, you pay for printing only. If we design it, that is a separate line. If you arrive with a low-resolution logo pulled off WhatsApp, someone has to rebuild it — and that is design work whether anyone calls it that or not.
The single cheapest thing you can do: send artwork at 300dpi in CMYK with 3mm bleed. It costs you nothing and removes an entire category of delay and extra charges.
Why two printers quote very different prices
Ask three Lagos printers for the same job and you will get three numbers, sometimes far apart. Usually one of these explains it:
- They are quoting different materials. A “banner” can mean flexible PVC or premium blockout material. Same word, very different product.
- Someone is brokering. Many outfits take your job and send it to an actual press, adding their margin. Nothing wrong with it, but you are paying for a middleman.
- Design is included in one quote and not the other.
- Delivery is included in one and not the other.
When comparing quotes, ask each printer to state gsm, finish, turnaround and whether delivery and design are included. Once you compare like for like, the gap usually shrinks.
Where people waste money
- Reprinting because of a typo. Always ask for a proof. Read it twice. Have someone else read it.
- Ordering too few. As covered above, the per-unit price falls sharply with volume.
- Paying for finishes nobody notices. Spot UV on a flyer that will be handed out at an event and binned that evening is money spent on nothing.
- Under-specifying banners. A cheap stand that wobbles or will not roll back cleanly costs you again at the next event.
Getting an accurate quote quickly
To get a firm number rather than a range, tell your printer these five things up front:
- What the item is
- Exact quantity
- Size
- When you need it
- Whether you have print-ready artwork
With those five, most Lagos printers can quote in minutes rather than going back and forth for a day.
Common questions
Is printing cheaper in Lagos than other Nigerian cities?
Generally yes for volume work, because Lagos has more presses competing and more material suppliers. For very small runs the difference is minimal, since setup cost dominates.
How much should I budget for 500 business cards?
Starting around 15,000 naira per unit for a good 350gsm double-sided card. Adding matte lamination or spot UV increases this. Bulk orders reduce the per-unit rate.
Do printers in Lagos require full payment upfront?
Most ask for a deposit before starting, with the balance on completion. This is standard because materials are bought specifically for your job and cannot be reused.
Can I bring my own paper to reduce cost?
Sometimes, but it rarely saves money. Printers buy paper in bulk at rates individuals cannot access, and using unfamiliar stock carries a risk of the job not running properly.
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