The Nigeria Federal Government has officially launched the Nigeria Visa Policy (NVP)2020.
The Visa Policy which is coming on the heels of the signing of the African Continental Free trade agreement a treaty seeking to establish a continent-wide market place with increased trade and freer movement among its major Economic powers, has as its objective in strengthening Nigeria’s Position as a key economy in Africa by attracting more foreign direct investment into the country’s economy which will, in turn, provide jobs.
Briefing StateHouse Correspondents after the launch at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa Abuja, Interior Minister Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola said operation of the new Visa Policy is cardinal to the ease of doing business in Nigeria and will further enhance The Nations security architecture and open Nigeria to more foreign business.
He added that the new visa policy which is also part of the economic recovery and growth plan (2017-2020) will boost Tourism, Aviation, entertainment, commerce and other areas where Nigeria has comparative Advantage over other African Countries.
According to the interior minister, the New Visa Policy will also present Nigeria with the opportunity to apply the principle of reciprocity with her visa policy in the Nation’s Bilateral and Multilateral Relations.
The policy also makes it possible for Nigerians in Diaspora with dual citizenship to be able to make use of the Passport of their adopted countries to visit Nigeria without the need for short stay Visa.
Aregbesola assured Nigerians that the new visa Policy will not compromise National security in anyway as adequate control measures have been provided before and after entry into the country.
PRESS RELEASE
FG LAUNCHES NEW VISA POLICY: Creates new visa categories for Ease of Doing Business
The Federal Government has officially launched the Nigerian Visa Policy (NVP) 2020. This enhanced visa policy by Nigeria, one of Africa’s key economies and demography, comes on the back of the signing of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, a treaty seeking to establish a continent-wide marketplace with increased trade and freer movement among its major economic powers. The objective of the reforms that have birthed NVP 2020 is to strengthen Nigeria’s position as a key economy in Africa by attracting more Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into the country’s economy which would in turn provide jobs for the people and lift Nigeria’s teeming population out of poverty in line with the vision of President Muhammadu Buhari to take 100million Nigerians out of poverty in the next 10 years.
NVP 2020 is also designed to support the attainment of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (2017 -2020) and is a pathway to achieving the Security, Economy and Transparency (SET) Agenda of the present Administration.
The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola while speaking at the launch of the NVP 2020 at the State House, Abuja on Tuesday 4th February 2020, stated that its operation is cardinal to the Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria. The new visa regime is expected to boost economic activities in the areas of tourism, aviation, entertainment, commerce and other areas where Nigeria has comparative advantage over other African countries. It also presents Nigeria with the opportunity to apply the principle of reciprocity with her visa policy in the nation’s bilateral and multilateral relations.
“The NVP 2020 introduces special visas for Nigerians in diaspora who either by birth, marriage or nationalization have assumed dual citizenship. Such category of Nigerians will now be able to make use of the passports of their adopted countries to visit Nigeria without the need for short stay visa”, he said. The Minister expressed the commitment of his Ministry to the implementation of the NPV 2020 in view of its supervisory role on the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).
Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola assured that the NIS would adhere to the published conditions of issuance of visas in a professional, timely and transparent manner. He assured that NIS would invest heavily in the training of the officers and men that will be charged with the responsibility of processing visas in all our visa issuing centers and passport control at our points of entry. The Minister emphasized that NIS would also work with all stakeholders within and outside Nigeria to ensure that the policy is not abused and the security of Nigeria and indeed other countries is not compromised.
“The implementation of the NVP 2020 will not compromise national security as adequate control measures have been provided both before and after entry into Nigeria”, the Minister stressed. While encouraging Nigerians in Diaspora to respect the provisions of the immigration laws of their new countries as well as those of Nigeria, the Minister congratulated the Nigeria Immigration Service for the landmark policy and also invited all prospective visitors, investors and residents to a new and refreshing experience in Nigeria and with Nigeria Immigration Service.
“The implementation of the NPV2020 will require collaboration with several MDAs involved in diplomacy, trade, investment, education, tourism, manufacturing, monetary policies, security, intelligence and many more”, the Minister reiterated.
Some of the features of NVP 2020 include, Visa On Arrival for African Union nationals, increase in the classes of visas from 6 to 75, creation of visa codes for all classes of visa and introduction of e-visas.
The benefits of the new NVP 2020 are many. It presents a good opportunity for Nigeria to be a major consideration for investment in Africa and hosting of international events particularly the ones scheduled to hold in Africa. It also serves as a major boost for Nigeria’s aviation, entertainment and tourism industries.
The new visa policy is expected to take Nigeria some steps up in the Africa Visa Openness Report published annually by the African Development Bank (AfDB) which would be a further boost on the global Ease Of Doing Business league table.
Mrs. Grace Njoku
Chief Information Officer
For: Director, Press and Public Relations
While i am in support of the ban of okadas and Kekes in Lagos streets, it’s introduction was not well thought out. First, the state should have considered the daily lives of the operators whoes income will be eliminated following the introduction of this policy. It should also have considered the effects on users of this services after the ban takes effect. The first thing the state Government ought to have done would be 1. To have buses lined up to replace the okadas and Kekes ones taken off the streets. 2. To call on the operators of Kekes and okadas to apply for both the driving and conducting positions of the buses that will replace them, 3. Train them properly to handle and manage effectively the state buses that will ply these streets, and finally ensure that there were no interruption of transportation for the movement of the people during the transition periods. Not only did the state government not follow this strategy or any other strategy whatsoever, it flat out did not consider the lives of both users and operators these transportation means thereby throwing chaos on the streets of Lagos. This goes to show that our so called government planners has no plan when it comes to implementing policies when it relates to the masses.
The politicians who use sirens to ply Nigerian roads should also stop the use of that and follow the regular flow of traffic like every other road user. This will at least expose them to the experiences suffered by the citizens they purport to represent.