Analysts have urged Nigeria to strengthen its relationship with different African international locations by bettering its visa processing system.
This follows the Nigerian authorities’s announcement to exchange its visa-on-arrival coverage with touchdown and exit playing cards for guests as a part of efforts to streamline and improve the nation’s immigration system.
This attitude was mentioned throughout a current present hosted by Nairametrics, the place analysts shared their views on how Nigeria can modernize its visa course of to facilitate smoother journey.
The dialog centered on how Nigeria’s visa insurance policies may very well be adjusted to raised serve the nation’s pursuits, with a selected concentrate on bettering relations with different African nations.
Visa processing challenges for Nigerians
Mr. Akinbamidele, a visitor analyst on the present, shared his frustrations with the visa processes in different African international locations, the place he skilled lengthy delays at immigration merely due to his Nigerian passport.
- He talked about that in his travels to international locations like Botswana, Kenya, and Zimbabwe, he spent a big period of time at immigration attributable to processing delays. He highlighted the necessity for Nigeria to strengthen its ties with different African international locations to keep away from such challenges.
“I might slightly work on methods to make our relationships with different African international locations stronger,” Akinbamidele stated.
- He emphasised that these delays are a significant inconvenience for Nigerian vacationers and steered that improved diplomatic relations may assist scale back such points.
Akinbamidele additionally shared a private expertise as an example the delays, stating, “I utilized for a visa to a rustic, let me not say the nation; and my Mexican colleague utilized, he received his visa in three hours, until date I’ve not been issued mine, and that is like two years in the past.”
Disparity in visa processing occasions
One other analyst, Mr. Tunji Andrews, mentioned the unequal visa processing occasions confronted by Nigerian passport holders. He identified that whereas some people can get their visas processed rapidly, Nigerian vacationers usually face delays.
Andrews shared an occasion the place he utilized for a visa concurrently one other individual, however the different individual’s visa was processed sooner. When requested why his software was taking longer, the response was merely, “I’m Nigerian.”
This disparity in processing occasions has turn out to be a big problem for a lot of Nigerians trying to journey for enterprise, leisure, or work alternatives overseas. Andrews emphasised that the foundation trigger of those delays usually lies in how Nigerian passport holders are handled otherwise in comparison with vacationers from different international locations.
Evaluating Nigeria’s visa system with different international locations
In the course of the dialogue, talks pointed to international locations like Rwanda which have simplified their visa processes. Andrews shared his expertise with Rwanda’s e-visa system, which he described as quick and environment friendly.
He recalled, “I received my e-visa in just a few hours. I merely gave my passport to the immigration officer, they usually stamped it with out asking any additional questions.” This constructive expertise stood in distinction to the frustrations he usually faces when coping with visa procedures in Nigeria, the place officers request for money within the guise of “something for the boys.”
“Nigeria simply has this tendency to ask for ‘something for the boys’, and it’s not simply Nigeria I see this. And it makes the method just a little advanced,” he stated.
“If we’re saying we’re doing visa-on-arrival, let it actually be visa-on- arrival. I are available in and my passport qualifies for visa-on-arrival, and also you don’t ask me for something or stress me, you simply give me my visa and I am going in.”
It was steered that Nigeria may be taught from Rwanda’s streamlined visa course of by adopting expertise to enhance its system. Akinbamidele proposed that Nigeria may leverage digital options to simplify the visa software course of and scale back delays.
Leveraging expertise in visa processing
Akinbamidele additionally highlighted the potential function of expertise in bettering Nigeria’s visa system. He famous that in Rwanda, companies can arrange corporations on-line inside 48 hours, which simplifies the method for international traders and people. He steered that Nigeria may undertake related digital programs for visa functions to reinforce effectivity, scale back human error, and pace up processing occasions.
Though Andrews acknowledged that Rwanda’s stress-free course of had nothing to do with digitized system, solely the officer himself.
Proposed adjustments to Nigeria’s immigration system
Not too long ago, the Nigerian authorities introduced that a part of its visa reform will embrace the introduction of touchdown and exit playing cards for guests. These playing cards will substitute the present guide system, permitting for higher monitoring of people coming into and leaving the nation.
The federal government additionally plans to combine the playing cards with Nigeria’s visa and passport programs, enabling improved knowledge sharing with worldwide companies.
The analysts agree that the visa-on-arrival system must be reformed and by studying from international locations like Rwanda and strengthening ties with different African nations, Nigeria can improve its visa system and enhance its standing as a vacation spot for worldwide vacationers.
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