Henceforth, foreign nationals coming into Nigeria to make money, but whose countries fail to remove all bureaucratic barriers hindering Nigerian businessmen and others from getting visa-on-arrival in their countries, will no longer enjoy the Visa-on-Arrival (VOA) privilege into Nigeria.

The minister of interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who revealed that the lopsided practice was not in the public domain, said the country was set to commence the execution of the principle of reciprocity in international relations.

While insisting that equity and reciprocity must be invoked and observed, forthwith, Dr. Tunji-Ojo said, “It is rather irksome, pugnacious and indeed humiliating to an average Nigerian business person to be subjected to the rigorous visa application processes at the same countries whose nationals enjoy Nigeria Visa-on-Arrival Policy ( VOA)

Tunji-Ojo vented out his anger at a news conference in Abuja on Wednesday, stressing that “Nigeria cannot be offering visas on a platter to nationals of some countries who are coming to the country to make money, and yet such countries would not reciprocate the gesture to Nigeria’s travelling public who go to such countries to spend their money.

According to him, past political leaders may have been entirely oblivious of this awesome and enviable status of Nigeria in the comity of nations, but that will be no more.

“Enough is enough. Compare and contrast these attractive qualities that Nigeria possess with other African nations; you will be amazed what clear difference there is,” he added.

The minister lamented further that the issue was not just humiliating to an average Nigerian business person to be subjected to the rigorous visa application processes at the same countries whose nationals enjoy Nigeria VOA but also to the country.

He said most times, before these Nigerians are considered, lengthy period of time may have elapsed.

“Nigerians go through hell to go to some countries, for instance, even though a large percentage of them go there to import goods running into millions of dollars. This is quite a paradox, an incomprehensible thing to any right-thinking person. Hundreds of dollars are paid to secure letters of invitation, and including a certain coded letter from the Foreign Affairs Ministry, and the provision of these do not yet guarantee expedited processing or ultimate application approval.

He said, “We have set up a committee chaired by the Permanent Secretary to review our passport and Visa policy. The director, Joint Services is the secretary and Nigeria Immigration boss, is a member among others.

The committee has about two weeks to submit its report. Once we enforce this principle of reciprocity, people will call us to talk too because most of these people who come to Nigeria come to make money and yet we go to their own countries to spend money. Yet, they make it difficult for Nigerians. We are working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on this”.

Visa is based on reciprocity everywhere in the world, even by international conventions, and that is why we are seriously looking at this our Visa on arrival policy.

olakraft:


Definitely not all countries can be coerced into adopting VOA for Nigerians, especially developed countries but evidence suggests that there are developing and underdeveloped countries that do not reciprocate the same visa policy as us...

Nigeria isn't even VOA for America so any country we put on our Visa on Arrival list should reciprocate, that's all.

If some of our people don't use the opportunity to tarnish Nigeria's image abroad sha... Cos some particular set of Nigerians are experts in disgracing us abroad and then complaining about anything Nigeria.

olakraft:

Some of you are just too lazy to read and understand... smh

Xscape1993:
This is a good welcome development. Nigeria should be relevant too.

dre11:



https://leadership.ng/adopt-visa-on-arrival-reciprocity-or-face-retaliation/

FreeStuffsNG:
Hmmm.

Brilliant! Reciprocity is done everywhere in the world. It's the best way to collaborate and can be domesticated too.

That's why all the SW states must adopt it too as adviced here :
LAGOS GUBER & PLIGHT OF IGBO: Law Of Reciprocity Is The Solution
https://www.nairaland.com/7612989/lagos-guber-plight-igbo-law

Let's collaborate by reciprocity so we can have equitable and sustainable relationship among ourselves and the states. It helps us place value on what we each offer to one another and de-escalate our fault lines.

Every resource must be exchanged by reciprocity for collaboration. Every state has resources to exchange so bring it to the table and use for exchange. God bless Nigeria for ever! Check my signature for free stuffs!

Massiveglory:
While the interior minister should be commended for this move, he must understand that visa on arrival is not a threat or war thing.

No nation will deny a fellow nation visa on arrival for no reason.
I know of a certain tourist country in africa where visa on arrival was available until some months ago.
Right now they have joined Nigeria to countries like syria, Pakistan, Afghanistan, etc. The visa on arrival is gone.

Upon all these , we are now having a leader that is a certified fraudster and identity confusionist.
Mr minister, you know what that means. Quit all these aluta talks.

We need to tell ourselves the truth, do the needful and take our country to where it is supposed to be.