Nigeria says no plan to issue visas on arrival for Africans

LAGOS, Nigeria – Nigeria’s government says it has no plans to start issuing visas on arrival for all Africans.

The African Union’s political affairs office had tweeted on Friday that Nigeria announced the plan at a retreat for permanent representatives to the continental body.

Nigeria’s information minister Lai Mohammed told The Associated Press on Sunday: “It is not true that we have any such plans.”

Africans need visas to travel to 55 per cent of the continent, according to AU figures, and officials say that hurts trade.

The AU has advocated for a single African passport and for abolishing visa requirements for all African citizens in all African countries by 2018. Ghana, Rwanda, Mauritius and the Seychelles already issue visas on arrival to all African passport holders.