The Nigerian government is calling for relaxed visa policies to help Nigerian businesses expand globally. This plea was made by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, during his recent trip to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Idris, who represented President Bola Tinubu at the 38th African Union Summit, met with members of the Nigerian community in Ethiopia.
In his address, the minister emphasised the importance of reciprocal visa policies, noting that while Nigeria welcomes foreign businesses, Nigerian companies often face difficulties in accessing foreign markets due to strict visa regulations.
He shared an example from his visit to Indonesia, where he observed a large presence of Indonesian companies in Nigeria but only a handful of Nigerian businesses in Indonesia.
Idris stressed the need for smoother visa processes to support Nigerian companies as they venture into other markets.
The minister also responded to concerns from the Nigerian community in Ethiopia regarding the cancellation of the e-visa and Visa-on-Arrival services for Nigerians. He assured them that the issue would be escalated to the relevant authorities in the Foreign Affairs Ministry for diplomatic action.
Idris also took the opportunity to update the community on the Tinubu administration’s progress, which includes a boost in foreign investments and improved security across the nation. He highlighted that Nigeria had recently secured a significant $1.07 billion in foreign direct investment, aimed at establishing pharmaceutical manufacturing industries, and provided over N32 billion in student loans to support higher education.
The Nigerian Community’s President in Ethiopia, Muideen Alimi, expressed interest in collaborating with Nigerian diaspora organisations to further economic development through intra-African trade and called for stronger Nigerian participation in continental financial institutions.
