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The Federal Government of Nigeria has set a target of processing visas for foreigners within 48 hours.
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Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, announced this while declaring open a training session on E-visa for immigration officers in Abuja.
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The new visa processing timeline aims to ease travel to Nigeria for economic participation, tourism, and other short-stay purposes.
The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced plans to process visas for foreigners within 48 hours.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, while declaring open a training session on E-visa for 162 immigration officers in Abuja.
According to Tunji-Ojo, the government aims to make it easier for people to visit Nigeria for economic participation, tourism, and other short-stay purposes.
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He stated, “We want a scenario where it becomes easier for people to come into Nigeria. We want to be able to open our borders for economic participation, tourism, and all short-stay visas.”
The Minister emphasized the importance of balancing convenience and national security, saying, “Let’s allow people to come, and let’s not do that by compromising national security, and we believe sincerely that we can get a fair mix of both in terms of convenience and national security.”
He also noted that the E-visa solution will enable foreigners to apply and receive their visas electronically within 24 to 48 hours.
US Excludes Nigeria, Other African Countries From 2025 VISA Waiver Programme
The United States has released the list of eligible countries for its 2025 Visa Waiver Programme, excluding Nigeria and other African countries. According to the US Bureau of Consular Affairs website, the programme allows most citizens or nationals of participating countries to travel to the United States for tourism or business for up to 90 days without obtaining a visa.
“Travellers must have a valid Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) approval prior to travel and meet all requirements explained below. If you prefer to have a visa in your passport, you may still apply for a visitor visa,” the agency stated.
