The African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa) has expressed serious concerns over Nigeria’s restrictive visa policies, arguing that they hinder foreign direct investment (FDI) and stall economic progress.
In an open letter to the Minister of Interior, Mr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, ITUC-Africa’s General Secretary, Akhator Joel Odigie, stressed that Nigeria’s visa practices are costing the country billions in potential investment and eroding its role as a regional leader in fostering economic integration across Africa.
Odigie highlighted that Nigeria’s complex and costly visa system, which includes high fees and mandatory biometric data collection, makes it difficult for African citizens to travel within the continent. ITUC-Africa, representing 18 million workers in 52 African nations, urged Nigeria to eliminate biometric fees for African travelers, citing these costs as a significant barrier to intra-continental movement for individuals and businesses alike.
The restrictive policies impact more than just investment, Odigie noted; they also discourage international organizations from holding conferences in Nigeria, thereby limiting opportunities for global engagement. Data from the National Bureau of Statistics, he said, indicates that Nigeria has lost 22% of its FDI in recent years, partly due to immigration hurdles.
Odigie suggested that Nigeria follow the lead of Rwanda and Mauritius, both of which have visa-on-arrival policies for African citizens. Such policies, he argued, have boosted these countries’ tourism, business travel, and skilled labor movement and could do the same for Nigeria. He further called on the government to reassume control of biometric data collection from private vendors to enhance data security, transparency, and affordability.
Additionally, Odigie pointed to challenges within Nigeria’s digitalized visa-on-arrival system, where hidden fees and opaque payment practices create inefficiencies. He argued that these issues make travel to Nigeria needlessly complex, deterring potential visitors and investors.
“Nigeria’s current immigration model, which charges African visitors separate fees for biometric data collection, is burdensome and reduces access to essential immigration services,” Odigie stated, noting that biometric fees are often prohibitively high for African citizens.
Charging separate fees for biometric services, he continued, mirrors practices in countries like the U.S. and the U.K., but Nigeria should reconsider such charges for African nationals or implement reciprocal arrangements with countries imposing similar conditions on Nigerians. This visa reform, Odigie concluded, would signal Nigeria’s commitment to a more open and investment-friendly approach, potentially reversing the current decline in FDI inflows.
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