Larry Madowo, CNN International correspondent has said that Nigeria’s single entry visa fee of $215 is outrageous.
Madowo made this known on his LinkedIn account yesterday (Monday).
According to him, despite holding a Kenyan passport, which grants visa-free access to numerous African nations such as Uganda, South Africa and Ghana, Nigeria requires a substantial fee of $215 for a single-entry visa.
He wrote, “Nigeria just charged me $215 for a one-month, single-entry visa. Again. I was here three weeks ago – paid the same $215. This is my third time in Nigeria this year, so they made $645 from me in 2024 alone.
“The visa costs $25, but Nigeria charges a $ 20′ processing fee’ and $170 for biometrics every time. My fingerprints haven’t changed since I was here three weeks ago. Why am I paying $170 to take them and pose for a picture each time I visit? Isn’t that a standard part of admitting someone into a country? “How can we achieve a borderless Africa, or the promise of the AfCFTA, if we charge Africans $215 for a single-entry visa?
“In the three weeks since I was last in Lagos, I went to Uganda, South Africa, and Ghana, where I don’t need a visa with a Kenyan passport. I’ve also been to South Africa three times this year. It cost me $0, like the ancestors intended.
“Nigeria’s visa-on-arrival system is similar to the ‘visa-free’ delusion of Kenya’s Electronic Travel Authorisation – you apply in advance, submit some documents, and wait for approval. It can take up to five business days. If you know someone, you can pay them $50 or more to facilitate faster approval.
“I love Nigeria, but the visa situation is showing me shege. It’s too much oo! Why this Shege Pro Max?”
