CNN International correspondent, Larry Madowo, has raised concerns over the steep entry visa fees charged by Nigeria.
Madowo, who disclosed his frustrations via his LinkedIn account, highlighted the financial burden imposed on travellers, especially those from African nations, due to Nigeria’s visa policies.
According to Madowo, who holds a Kenyan passport, which allows visa-free access to several African countries, including Uganda, South Africa, and Ghana, Nigeria’s visa fee structure stands out as excessively high at $215.
“Nigeria just charged me $215 for a one-month, single entry visa. Again,” Madowo shared. This marks his third visit to Nigeria within the year, cumulatively costing him $645 solely in visa fees.
The breakdown of the fee includes a $25 visa charge, a $20 processing fee, and a significant $170 for biometric verification.
Madowo expressed his bafflement over the recurring biometric fees, questioning the necessity of repeated charges for the same biometric data within a short span.
“My fingerprints haven’t changed since I was here three weeks ago. Why am I paying $170 to have them taken and to pose for a picture each time I visit?”
The CNN correspondent also criticised the broader implications of such fees on intra-African travel and trade, especially in light of aspirations towards a borderless Africa under initiatives like the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
“How can we achieve a borderless Africa, or the promise of the AfCFTA, if we charge Africans $215 for a single-entry visa?” Madowo questioned.
Highlighting the contrast with his recent travels to Uganda, South Africa, and Ghana, where his Kenyan passport allowed visa-free entry, Madowo lamented the discrepancy in travel costs and administrative hurdles.
Furthermore, he drew parallels with Kenya’s Electronic Travel Authorization, describing Nigeria’s visa-on-arrival system as fraught with similar challenges and potential for ‘facilitation’ fees that expedite processing.
Madowo concluded with a plea for reconsideration of the visa fee policy, emphasising its deterrent effect on frequent travellers and its contradiction with the vision of a more interconnected African continent.
“I love Nigeria, but the visa situation is showing me shege. It’s too much oo! Why this Shege Pro Max?”
