Centre Seeks Visa Access For Nigerians

The founder, Africa Development Studies Centre (ADSC), Victor Oluwafemi, has said Nigeria’s renewed push in bilateral agreements, trade instruments and aviation partnerships is a strategic step towards socio-economic advancement.

Oluwafemi, who is also founder, Douglas Development Institute (DDI), said this in a statement at the weekend insisting that trade without mobility is a half-win.

He called on President Bola Tinubu to treat mobility as a core pillar of economic statecraft, ensuring mandate that visa facilitation clauses become a standard annexe to trade deals, aviation arrangements and partnership frameworks.

Oluwafemi said across multiple partner jurisdictions, Nigerians with legitimate reasons to travel for business, investment, conferences, education and professional engagements continue to face slow, uncertain and discretionary visa outcomes.

“When processing timelines are unpredictable, appointments are scarce, and decisions are inconsistent, it becomes difficult to convert trade promises into transactions and partnerships into measurable outcomes.

“This is not merely a consular concern. It is a competitiveness concern. A trade agreement only works when traders can travel to meet buyers, inspect goods, conclude contracts, and support delivery. An investment partnership only works when investors can deploy teams, undertake due diligence, and execute quickly.

“An airline arrangement only becomes commercially viable when passenger access is reliable and predictable. Without visa facilitation, Nigeria risks building corridors that look open but function as closed,” Oluwafemi said.

He noted that Nigeria must adopt a clear national standard in which every primary bilateral economic instrument include a reciprocal visa facilitation and mobility protocol, designed for delivery, not ceremony.

Oluwafemi said this can be structured realistically through

official mobility track which fast track visa handling for government delegations and priority public missions, with clear timelines; verified business mobility track and professional as well as talent mobility track.

“Nigeria is entitled to reciprocity. If Nigeria’s doors are open through cooperation frameworks, partner countries’ doors must also open to legitimate Nigerian travellers.

“Anything less creates an imbalance in which agreements benefit the movement of capital and counterparties but restrict the movement of Nigerian people who are required to deliver the outcomes.

“Silence on this issue is costly. It fuels public frustration, weakens confidence in economic diplomacy, and reinforces the perception that bilateral agreements are elite instruments rather than national opportunities. It also slows down the very Nigerians who convert policy into exports, jobs, tourism, and inflows of investment.

“I respectfully call on Mr President to treat mobility as a core pillar of economic statecraft and to mandate that visa facilitation clauses become a standard annexe to trade deals, aviation arrangements, and partnership frameworks.

“Nigeria should also publish measurable delivery indicators for each partner country, including processing timelines for verified applicants and the availability of multi-entry pathways.Nigeria has shown momentum in signing agreements. The next test is whether Nigerians can access, use, and monetise them,” Oluwafemi added.