For non-citizens, is there a basic travel allowance required to have before you leave West Africa?

The lady stated she is a UK citizen working as a model in West Africa. After paying for the ticket, she said she needed US$950 before she would be allowed to leave for "basic travel allowance." This was supposedly required by West Africa in order to leave. Was this for real?
The country was Nigeria

Please be more specific about the country in question. Before issuing visas, most countries, even the UK, require individuals to show that they can support themselves, and will not be a burden to the system.