The Nigerian government, through the Ministry of Interior, has decided to implement tighter entry controls for airlines and international travelers in what it believes to be a necessary step to improve border management and align with global immigration standards.
During a stakeholder meeting held in Lagos on Friday, May 23, 2025, the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, that foreign travelers arriving in Nigeria without valid entry visas will be denied entry and sent back, unless they are from countries eligible for Visa on Arrival.
“No foreigner shall be allowed entry into Nigeria without a valid visa,” the Minister said.
“Before anybody comes into Nigeria, please see their visas, not just proof of payment or their tickets. It is not acceptable in the U.K., U.S., Canada and other climes, and it will not be acceptable in Nigeria anymore.”
He further warned that airlines transporting such travelers will be penalised, and called on the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to ensure strict enforcement of the 2025 Nigeria Visa Policy.
The Ministry of Interior has announced that from August 1, 2025, it will be mandatory for all air travelers to complete and submit exit and landing cards which will help authorities better monitor movements in and out of the country.
Recall that the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) officially launched a new e-Visa system on May 1, 2025, designed to simplify visa applications and reduce the need for physical visits to consulates.
As of May 22, the NIS reported receiving 5,814 applications, with 5,671 approved, 66 rejected, and 62 flagged for further review.
“That you applied for a Nigerian visa does not mean you will have the visa; you will need to meet certain criteria for the visa to be issued,” said Dr. Tunji-Ojo.
The NIS will begin enforcing daily fines for visa overstays starting September 1, 2025. Any foreign national who remains in Nigeria beyond the permitted period will be charged $15 per day. The tracking mechanism for monitoring overstay durations will be activated earlier, on August 2, 2025.
These policy changes come as new data showed Nigeria as the second-largest source of long-term migrants to the United Kingdom in 2024.
According to figures released by the UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS), 120,000 Nigerians migrated to the UK in the year ending June 2024, surpassed only by India, which accounted for 240,000 migrants.
The ONS data revealed that most Nigerians moved to the UK for work and education. Of the 1.1 million non-EU+ migrants to the UK during the same period, 417,000 came for work-related reasons and 375,000 for study.
