President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday in Abuja launched the Nigerian Visa Policy (NVP) 2020, which incorporates the country’s 79 categories of visas, including the visa-on-arrival policy recently introduced for certain class of immigrants.
At the launch ceremony which held in Aso Rock Villa were the Minister of the Interior, Rauf Aregbesola; and Comptroller of Customs, Mohammed Babandede; Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed; and some other senior government officials.
ExpressDay recalls that this new visa policy by Nigeria comes on the back of the signing of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, seeking to establish a continent-wide marketplace with increased trade and freer movement among its major economic powers.
Some of the features of NVP 2020 include, Visa on Arrival for African Union nationals, increase in the classes of visas from 6 to 79, creation of visa codes for all classes of visa and introduction of e-visas.
In his remarks, the President said that “the implementation of the Nigeria Visa Policy 2020 will support the attainment of a globally competitive economy for Nigeria by building on the efforts of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council.’’
He added that the policy would improve the business environment, attract Foreign Direct Investment and boost tourism without compromising national security.
Aregbesola said that the new visa regime would also afford Nigeria the opportunity to apply the principle of reciprocity with her visa policy in the nation’s bilateral and multilateral relations.
”The NVP 2020 introduces special visas for Nigerians in diaspora who either by birth, marriage or nationalization have assumed dual citizenship. Such category of Nigerians will now be able to make use of the passports of their adopted countries to visit Nigeria without the need for short stay visa”, the Minister said.
Briefing the press after the launch, Aregbesola further explained that the categories of visa were increased from six to 79 because “we want to be very detailed in the classification of people who we have to bring into our country so as to limit the chances of any one of them escaping our watch. It is to enhance security, that is the number one consideration.
“Secondly, it is to expand our economy; a university wrote me as the minister to request for a specific number of visa allocation so as to enhance the number of students coming to that institution. It’s a boost to our economy because they are not going to pay naira, they will pay in foreign currency. So, we now have a specified visa for education.
“For religious tourism, we know and I won’t mention name, that they are people who come into this country purely for spiritual matter, we can’t deny it because it exists.”
“On security and existence of non-Nigerians in the country, the Minister said that ” there is ECOWAS Treaty, which allows all ECOWAS citizens with valid travel documents to come to Nigeria and stay for short period of time. So to say we are not up to our responsibility in managing them might not be really honest.”
Concerning the visa-on-arrival policy, he explained that “the only port of entry where visa on arrival can be obtained is at the five airports. One is not functional, four are functional – Aminu Kano International Airport, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, Port Harcourt Airport, Murtala Mohammed International Airports because we have provided in those airports sufficient technology and devices that will make it impossible for whoever poses any threat to our nation from coming in.”
On his part, Babandede pleaded with Nigerians not to harbour hatred for foreigners in the country as that could also affect Nigerians abroad.
“On the complaints about the number of foreigners in Nigeria, I want you to consider the number of Nigerians outside also. Nigeria must export its labour in the next decade, we are going to be the most populous nation in the world.
“If you know the number of Nigerians in other ECOWAS countries and the businesses they control, you will not develop hatred for migrants. As long as they live legally and do their jobs correctly, we should consider there are Nigerians elsewhere, it is important for us to know this”, he said.
He however, explained that “first, ECOWAS citizens can enter without visa but there is a condition, they must enter through an approved and recognised ports of entry and with a travel document.
“On arrival, their document will be endorsed for 90 days, that is why we say they cannot enter in the night but from 6am to 6pm.
“Second category are African citizens with African passport, from any part of the world, you can travel to Abuja for example and you will be issued visa at the port of entry.
“We have explained that visa at point of entry is stronger than those you get at the missions because, we have only 18 biometric issuing centers in the world. The third category are frequent business travelers. The fourth category are those who want to take residence either temporary or long term, you have to go to the embassy to get the visa.”
