A significant change in Nigeria’s visa policy is on the horizon, as foreign nationals seeking to enter the country for economic opportunities will now face stricter regulations.
Henceforth, foreign individuals arriving in Nigeria to engage in profit-making ventures, but whose home countries do not reciprocate visa-on-arrival privileges for Nigerian business travelers, will be ineligible for the Visa-on-Arrival (VOA) benefit when entering Nigeria.
According to leadership.ng, The minister of interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who revealed that the lopsided practice was not in the public domain, said the country was set to commence the execution of the principle of reciprocity in international relations.
While insisting that equity and reciprocity must be invoked and observed, forthwith, Dr. Tunji-Ojo said, “It is rather irksome, pugnacious and indeed humiliating to an average Nigerian business person to be subjected to the rigorous visa application processes at the same countries whose nationals enjoy Nigeria Visa-on-Arrival Policy ( VOA)
Tunji-Ojo vented out his anger at a news conference in Abuja on Wednesday, stressing that “Nigeria cannot be offering visas on a platter to nationals of some countries who are coming to the country to make money, and yet such countries would not reciprocate the gesture to Nigeria’s travelling public who go to such countries to spend their money.
According to him, past political leaders may have been entirely oblivious of this awesome and enviable status of Nigeria in the comity of nations, but that will be no more.
“Enough is enough. Compare and contrast these attractive qualities that Nigeria possess with other African nations; you will be amazed what clear difference there is,” he added.
