Indian Visa costs $252....

_______________________

I do not mean other classes of Visa that may attract higher fees. I am talking about the very basic one month visiting Visa.

And from my investigations, this $252 is paid only by Nigerians. In Gabon, they pay $80, in Cote d'Ivoire, they pay $100. I think Nigerians pay the highest in Africa.

My calculations show that about 400 Nigerians apply daily both in Lagos and Abuja, the number might be higher though. This rakes in about $100,800,00. That is what the Indian government make daily from the sticker they place inside the international passports of Nigerians wishing to travel to their country.

If you multiply this to a year, discounting public holidays and breaks, with such amount, the Indian High Commissioner do not need funding from the home government to keep the High Commission in Abuja and Lagos running smoothly. They will even have huge change to repatriate home.

On further investigation, I was informed that the high fee tag is in reciprocation to what Nigeria charges Indians wishing to visit Nigeria. Yet the Nigerian High Commission in New Delhi depends heavily on funding from Abuja to even fuel cars.

Of what use is the high Visa fee in a system that is skewed against you via demand and supply? You are simply creating a system that ensures money leaves your shores to enrich other nations. We need thinking leadership.

How much does the Ministry of Foreign Affairs generate from the issuance of Visas in its 99 foreign missions abroad?

Why do we make so much noise about attracting foreign investment yet we have some of the most unfriendly embassies across the world?

Why is it so difficult to procure the Nigerian Visa abroad and some of the requirements for inviting prospective visitors to Nigeria are among the most difficult to meet?

And above all, most of our embassies are staffed by people who will not pick phone calls, acknowledge emails, not to talk of responding to mails.

I have visited 52 Nigerian Embassies and High Commissions across 45 countries, the story is the same all over. The first time I visited the Nigerian Embassy in Washington D.C, I was shocked. Shocked at how such inefficiency can exist in an ocean of efficiency and working systems. Tokyo was not different.

In the 21st Century, economic interests of nations drive their foreign policies. Economic diplomacy has taken centre stage, and ministries of foreign affairs/relations are manned by people who are grounded in economic policy issues. In most advanced countries, the gap between their ministries of finance and ministries of foreign affairs is blurred.

But let me ask, what is Nigeria's Foreign Policy thrust?

Nice one mcgaius... front page material lalasticlala

mcgaius:
Indian Visa costs $252....

_______________________

I do not mean other classes of Visa that may attract higher fees. I am talking about the very basic one month visiting Visa.

And from my investigations, this $252 is paid only by Nigerians. In Gabon, they pay $80, in Cote d'Ivoire, they pay $100. I think Nigerians pay the highest in Africa.

My calculations show that about 400 Nigerians apply daily both in Lagos and Abuja, the number might be higher though. This rakes in about $100,800,00. That is what the Indian government make daily from the sticker they place inside the international passports of Nigerians wishing to travel to their country.

If you multiply this to a year, discounting public holidays and breaks, with such amount, the Indian High Commissioner do not need funding from the home government to keep the High Commission in Abuja and Lagos running smoothly. They will even have huge change to repatriate home.

On further investigation, I was informed that the high fee tag is in reciprocation to what Nigeria charges Indians wishing to visit Nigeria. Yet the Nigerian High Commission in New Delhi depends heavily on funding from Abuja to even fuel cars.

Of what use is the high Visa fee in a system that is skewed against you via demand and supply? You are simply creating a system that ensures money leaves your shores to enrich other nations. We need thinking leadership.

How much does the Ministry of Foreign Affairs generate from the issuance of Visas in its 99 foreign missions abroad?

Why do we make so much noise about attracting foreign investment yet we have some of the most unfriendly embassies across the world?

Why is it so difficult to procure the Nigerian Visa abroad and some of the requirements for inviting prospective visitors to Nigeria are among the most difficult to meet?

And above all, most of our embassies are staffed by people who will not pick phone calls, acknowledge emails, not to talk of responding to mails.

I have visited 52 Nigerian Embassies and High Commissions across 45 countries, the story is the same all over. The first time I visited the Nigerian Embassy in Washington D.C, I was shocked. Shocked at how such inefficiency can exist in an ocean of efficiency and working systems. Tokyo was not different.

In the 21st Century, economic interests of nations drive their foreign policies. Economic diplomacy has taken centre stage, and ministries of foreign affairs/relations are manned by people who are grounded in economic policy issues. In most advanced countries, the gap between their ministries of finance and ministries of foreign affairs is blurred.

But let me ask, what is Nigeria's Foreign Policy thrust?

India very dirty country, they keep ripping Nigeria just because of those gullable politicians that refuse to restructure Nigeria