Isaac Anyaogu
Lagos (Reuters) – Nigeria is automating its e-visa approval and issuance process to facilitate travel and business, the interior minister said.
This automation is designed to eliminate the lengthy waiting times faced by travelers when they arrive and could end the booming industry of middlemen working with immigration officials to help visitors skip basketball.
Under the proposed plan, travelers can apply for a short-term visa online and get approval within 24 to 48 hours. Once approved, the E-VISA will be sent to the applicant’s email, eliminating the need for physical stickers at the airport.
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“The proposed visa policy aims to improve the convenience of conducting business, promote tourism, and strengthen bilateral and multilateral relations with other countries,” Nigeria’s interior minister Olubunmi Ojo said after a department meeting held on Tuesday.
Since President Tinubu took office in May 2023, the government has been seeking to improve visa procedures for foreigners and provide Nigerians with mitigation passport issuance systems, establishing a contactless passport application system for Nigerians abroad.
(This story has been added to remove the irrelevant “in paragraph 4”.
(Reported by Isaac Anyaogu; Edited by Christina Fincher)
