By Chinelo Obogo
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has said that sanctions would be imposed on airlines that fly in passengers into Nigeria without valid visas.
At a sensitisation programme hosted by the immigration in Lagos on Friday on the new e-visa policy, which commenced this month, Tunji-Ojo, said this decision is the outcome of consultations held with the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, and the Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt. Chris Najomo.
He said the airlines, which frequently bring in passengers into Nigeria without visas could not do the same in any other country, noting that such practice was unacceptable anywhere in the world. He said Nigeria would no longer be a testing ground for practices prohibited elsewhere.
He said: “We have issues with the airlines, and we have spoken to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development and the Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) about it.
“A lot of people come into Nigeria without visas, and airlines pick them up. It is not the right thing to do. You can’t do this in any other country. If I want to travel to the UK and I don’t have a visa, British Airways will not pick me up. They must see my visa. With the support of the NCAA, we will start to implement the law. Any airline that picks up passengers who do not have a visa will be fined,” he stated.
On the approval rate of visas, the minister stated that not everyone that applies for a visa would get it.
“On the approval rate, as of May 22, 2025, we had 5,814 visa applications: 5,617 approved, 66 rejected, and 62 queried. That is for those coming for short stays. We go to the hotel you input to verify if you actually booked. We will create a perfect system,” he said.