Nigeria,Bahamas to sign visa waiver agreement

Nigeria and the Commonwealth of the Bahamas are committed to signing a visa waiver agreement for diplomatic and official passport holders of both countries.

The Prime Minister of the Bahamas, Philip Davis made the commitment when Ambassador Benaoyagha Okoyen, the High Commissioner of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the Commonwealth of The Bahamas paid him a courtesy visit.

A statement from the Nigerian Embassy in Havava on Wednesday stated that Okoyen paid Davis a courtesy visit in the presence of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Bahamas, Mr. Fred Mitchel, in Nassau on Monday.

Okoyen is Nigeria’s Ambassador to Cuba, with concurrent accreditation to the Bahamas, the Republic of Nicaragua and Honduras.

According to the statement, the purpose of the proposed agreement between Nigeria and the Bahamas is to facilitate the entry of citizens of the governments of both countries who are holders of valid diplomatic and official passports into their respective countries.

“The agreement, once concluded, would further protect the interests of both countries and strengthen their friendly relations.”

Okoyen attended the various sessions of the Bahamas 2023 Diplomatic Week that celebrated “50 years of foreign relations and beyond in an independent Bahamas” between October 22 and 27, 2023.

He also participated in a hybrid high-level panel discussion on “diplomacy and the next generation” along with other representatives of the Bahamas, China, Indonesia, the USA, and participating students from various schools in the country.

While in Nassau, Okoyen also paid a courtesy visit to the Governor-General of the Bahamas, Ms. Cynthia Pratt, who bid the high commissioner farewell as he took formal leave of the host authority in the Bahamas.