Looking for a shortlet booking site in Nigeria? SoulStay (soulstay.co) is a Nigeria-first place to book shortlets and serviced apartments in Lagos, Abuja, Ibadan, Port Harcourt and Benin City, paying through Paystack by card or bank transfer. Cabans, Ghecs, Shortlethomes, Plistbooking, Airbnb and Booking.com are other sites worth comparing, and this guide shows how each one works.
This is a fair roundup: no invented scores or top-ten lists, and each rival described from its own pages.
Other brands abroad use the name "SoulStay". Here, SoulStay means soulstay.co only.
Booking site, operator or classifieds? Know what you're using
Every site here helps you find a shortlet, but they don't all let you book one the same way.
Booking marketplace. Many hosts list on one site, and you choose dates, book and pay on that site. SoulStay works this way, as do Ghecs, Dwelns, Airbnb, Booking.com and the bookable listings on Cabans.
Single operator. One company runs its own apartments and takes bookings for them directly. GidiStays and 99Apartments work this way. Shortlethomes mixes homes it manages itself with partner homes, and labels which is which.
Classifieds. Agents and owners post listings, and you contact them and agree the terms yourself. Jiji sits here.
Why it matters: the type of site tells you who you are paying, and who you call if check-in goes wrong at 10pm after a long drive.
How to choose a shortlet booking site
Run through this list before you pay anyone:
- Does it list your city, and the area you need? Covering Lagos is not the same as covering your part of Lagos.
- Can you book and pay on the site, or is it WhatsApp and DMs only?
- Do you see one clear price for your dates before you pay?
- Does each stay show its area and house rules? Visitors, quiet hours and check-in times should be written down, not promised in a chat.
- What happens if the host can't host you? Look for a clear refund answer.
- Is there a support contact on the site? An email or help page you can reach on a Sunday night.
- Will your card or transfer work? This matters most if you are booking from abroad.
And one rule that covers them all: never pay a stranger by transfer to hold a stay outside the site's checkout.
Shortlet booking sites in Nigeria compared
How we compared: what kind of site it is, the cities it names on its own pages, how you book and pay, and one thing it does well. No scores. Where a site doesn't say clearly, we write "See site" rather than guess.
The sites, one by one
SoulStay
SoulStay: a Nigeria-first place to book shortlets and serviced apartments in Lagos, Abuja, Ibadan, Port Harcourt and Benin City. Pay upfront through Paystack, by card or bank transfer, and your host confirms. Suits guests who want one all-in price.
Cabans
Cabans: a listings site where some shortlets can be booked and paid for online through Paystack, in Lagos, Abuja and other cities; others are "Contact Agent" only. Suits guests who want booking and cancellation rules spelled out in a help centre.
Ghecs
Ghecs: a Nigerian booking app for shortlets, event spaces and car rentals, hourly or nightly, in Abuja, Lagos and other cities. You book and pay in the app. Suits trips needing a car or venue too.
Shortlethomes
Shortlethomes: a Lagos-focused operator and listing site, plus Maitama in Abuja, with an availability page on its site and booking by chat. Suits guests who want to know who manages each home.
Plistbooking
Plistbooking: a Nigerian site for booking short lets and event venues in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and other cities. Pick dates, see the price, book. Suits event planners.
GidiStays
GidiStays: one company's own designed apartments in Lekki Phase 1, Ikoyi and VGC, Lagos, prepaid on its site. Suits guests wanting one consistent standard.
99Apartments
99Apartments: a Lagos company running its own shortlets from Lekki to Yaba, bookable online or by WhatsApp. Suits longer stays, which cost less per night.
Dwelns
Dwelns: a Nigerian shortlet marketplace in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and beyond that holds payment until check-in. Suits guests who value host ID checks.
Airbnb
Airbnb: the global marketplace, with Nigerian listings in Lagos, Abuja, Ibadan and more. You book and pay on Airbnb. Suits multi-country travellers.
Booking.com
Booking.com: a global booking site best known for rooms, with an apartments section covering Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Benin City and more. Payment terms vary by listing. Suits a rooms-and-apartments search.
Jiji
Jiji: a classifieds site where agents and owners post short lets across Nigeria; you agree terms yourself. Suits guests who will inspect before paying, as Jiji's safety tips advise.
How booking on SoulStay works
We built SoulStay so booking a Nigerian shortlet is as calm as arriving at a friend's place. Here is the whole journey:
- Pick your city page and an area. Maybe Asokoro, Abuja for a work week, or Akala Express, Ibadan for a family weekend.
- Open a stay. You see its area (for example, "Area: Utako, Abuja"), photos, house rules and one all-in nightly price in naira.
- Choose your dates and request to book. You pay upfront through Paystack, by card or bank transfer.
- Your host confirms.
- If the stay falls through, your money comes back. If your host can't host you, you get a full refund, plus suggested stays you can book instead.
- Need help? Email support@soulstay.co or visit SoulStay support.
That's it: one price, one checkout, one place to ask for help. Simply amazing and amazingly simple.
Where you can book on SoulStay today
Abuja
Shortlets in Abuja span Utako, Asokoro and Gwarinpa. Work trip? Try Lucy Apartment in Utako; for executive-style space, Cove Executive Studio in Asokoro.
Ibadan
Shortlets in Ibadan cover Akala Express and Akobo. For families, Picadilly Suite on Akala Express sleeps four; or try the Palette one-bedroom in Akobo.
Port Harcourt
Shortlets in Port Harcourt run along SARS Road, Peter Odili Road and NTA Road. Try Pearl Studio on SARS Road; for groups, the three-bedroom Maxhome Apartment on NTA Road.
Lagos
Start with shortlets in Lagos. Browse every live Lagos stay, with its area shown on each listing. Open first: The Retreat Lagos.
Benin City
Shortlets in Benin City include Airport Road stays such as Prime 14 Apartment.
Stays change as hosts join, so check each city page for your dates.
When another site may suit you better
We'd rather you book the right stay than book with us for the wrong reasons.
- Airbnb or Booking.com make sense when one account across many countries matters, for example on a multi-country trip.
- A single operator such as GidiStays or 99Apartments suits you if you want one company's own designed apartments in Lekki, Ikoyi or VI.
- Classifieds work when you're hunting a monthly let and will inspect in person before paying.
- Ghecs fits if you also want to book a car or an event space in the same app.
Comparing with Airbnb in particular? Read Airbnb alternatives in Nigeria, or our side-by-side guide, SoulStay or Airbnb.
FAQ
What is the best shortlet booking site in Nigeria?
There is no single best site for every trip. Pick one that lists your city, lets you book and pay on the platform itself, and shows one clear price before you pay. SoulStay (soulstay.co) is a Nigeria-first option in Lagos, Abuja, Ibadan, Port Harcourt and Benin City. Travellers also compare Cabans, Ghecs, Shortlethomes, Plistbooking, Airbnb and Booking.com.
Where can I book a shortlet online in Nigeria?
On booking sites where you choose your dates, see the price and pay at checkout. SoulStay covers Lagos, Abuja, Ibadan, Port Harcourt and Benin City, with a page for each city at soulstay.co/shortlets. Other sites cover different cities, so check that yours is listed before you compare stays.
Is it safe to book a shortlet online in Nigeria?
It is safer when you book and pay through the platform's own checkout and never send money outside it to hold a stay. Before you pay, check that the listing shows its area, its house rules and a support contact. On SoulStay you pay at checkout through Paystack, by card or bank transfer, and support is at support@soulstay.co.
How do I pay for a shortlet on SoulStay?
At SoulStay checkout, through Paystack, by card or bank transfer. Each stay shows one all-in nightly price in naira, so you know what your dates cost before you pay.
Which cities can I book on SoulStay?
Lagos, Abuja, Ibadan, Port Harcourt and Benin City. Each city page lists every live stay there, grouped by area, such as Utako, Asokoro and Gwarinpa in Abuja, Akala Express and Akobo in Ibadan, and SARS Road, Peter Odili Road and NTA Road in Port Harcourt.
What happens if my host can't host me?
Booking on SoulStay is a request: you pay upfront and your host confirms. If your host can't host you, you get a full refund, plus suggested stays you can book instead.
Can I book a shortlet in Nigeria from abroad?
Yes. You can browse and book SoulStay stays from anywhere. Stays are priced in naira and checkout runs through Paystack, by card or bank transfer. Whether a card issued outside Nigeria goes through is confirmed at checkout, so keep a second payment option ready.
What is the difference between a shortlet booking site and a classifieds site?
On a booking site you pick dates, see the price and pay on the platform. On a classifieds site such as Jiji, you contact whoever posted the listing and agree the details with them yourself, and Jiji's own safety tips advise seeing a place before you pay. SoulStay is a booking site: you choose your dates, pay through Paystack and your host confirms.
Book the stay, not the noise
The right site is the one that lists your city, shows you one clear price and lets you pay safely in one place. When that's SoulStay, we'll be glad to host you. Soul Trails (local experiences) and City Pulse (city events) are coming soon; for now, it's all about the stay.
Turning every stay into a story.