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From Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja
The Turkish Government suspended the issuance of electronic visas to Nigerians following the discovery that some applicants used forged Schengen, United Kingdom and United States visas to obtain entry permits into Türkiye, the country’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Mehmet Poroy, has disclosed.
Poroy, who made the disclosure in Abuja yesterday during a media briefing to mark the 66th anniversary of the elevation of diplomatic relations between Nigeria and Türkiye to ambassadorial level, said the discovery of fake visas among documents submitted by some Nigerian applicants forced Turkish immigration authorities to discontinue the e-visa arrangement.
The ambassador, however, clarified that the suspension did not amount to a visa ban on Nigerians, stressing that the Turkish Embassy continued to process applications through its offices in Abuja and Lagos, with a relatively low refusal rate.
“It is a sensitive issue. And we have stopped this issue, I understand, because of the existence of some fake Schengen, UK, and US visas.
“This is the precondition that you might get e-visa, but when my authority cited some fake visas, Schengen, UK on the passports and through the people that got their e-visas through these fake visas, they had to stop the system,” he explained.
Poroy said the e-visa arrangement had allowed eligible applicants holding valid visas issued by Schengen countries, the United Kingdom or the United States to obtain Turkish electronic visas, but abuses involving forged supporting documents prompted the authorities to suspend the facility for Nigerians.
He maintained that the decision should not be interpreted as discrimination against Nigerians or a general restriction on travel to Türkiye, insisting that genuine applicants could still obtain visas through the regular application process.
According to him, Nigerian businesspeople enjoy special consideration under the existing visa arrangements, as the embassy has the authority to issue certain categories of visas directly without referring every application to immigration authorities in Ankara.
The envoy said the rate of visa rejection for Nigerians remained minimal, adding that the absence of an electronic visa option did not necessarily make travelling to Türkiye difficult.
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“This is not the case. As we continue to receive visa applications in our offices in Abuja and Lagos, we process them, send to Ankara and share results with applicants.”
Poroy also disclosed that Turkish citizens were currently unable to benefit from Nigeria’s e-visa arrangement, expressing hope that the two countries would resolve the difficulties during his tenure.
Meanwhile, the ambassador announced plans by the Turkish Government to establish a visa collection centre in Kano before the end of 2026 to ease the difficulties faced by applicants from Northern Nigeria.
He explained that Kano’s position as a major commercial centre made it a suitable location for the facility, particularly given the volume of business, educational and tourism-related travel between Northern Nigeria and Türkiye.
According to him, the proposed centre would enable applicants from the North to submit their visa documents without travelling to Abuja or Lagos, thereby reducing the cost and inconvenience associated with the application process.
Poroy added that the Turkish Government was also considering opening a visa office in Port Harcourt to improve access for applicants in the South-South and neighbouring states.
Speaking on diplomatic relations between the two countries, the envoy recalled that Nigeria and Türkiye elevated their relationship to ambassadorial level on November 9, 1960, shortly after Nigeria gained independence.
He said Türkiye had earlier established a Consulate General in Lagos in April 1959, before appointing a chargé d’affaires to oversee its diplomatic mission following the elevation of bilateral relations.
A substantive Turkish ambassador subsequently arrived in Nigeria in 1962, marking a further step in the development of diplomatic ties between the two countries.
“So, today, we celebrate to commemorate this anniversary, 66 years of Nigeria’s independence, 66 years of diplomatic relations between Türkiye and Nigeria,” Poroy said.
