Federal Government has declared that, henceforth, Nigeria would adopt the principle of reciprocity in issuance of visas to foreigners seeking entry into the country.

It explained that foreigners seeking visa to Nigeria will be accorded the same treatment meted to Nigerians in other countries.

This came as the government planned to introduce more stringent surveillance measures at the country’s borders to checkmate inflow and outflow of people and ensure the country is safe.

Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed this, yesterday, at the Business Day conference, titled ‘Nigeria Forward: Catalysing Funding for High Impact Social Projects’, with the theme, ‘Funding for Change: Building Bridges for a Resilient Nigeria’.

Tunji-Ojo said the era where countries treat Nigerians with disdain in terms of visa issuance is over, stressing that the administration is poised to adopt the principle of give and take.

The minister, who was the keynote speaker, said: “The director for the Centre for Illegal Migration in Turkey came to my office. And I told him that in the next couple of weeks, expect reciprocity in terms of travel policy. Any country that does not give me a visa on arrival cannot have a visa on arrival in Nigeria. I’m sorry, but it is the truth. We’re not a dumping ground. If you say you are useful, people will see you as useful. But if you tell people you are useless, people will ask you: why are you this useless?

“We want to partner with you. And so, on the table, we must be partners, we must be equal partners, and our relationship on investment must be on the basis of the principle of reciprocity. We are doing that to all the countries in the world. The committee is working. I will receive the report tomorrow. You charge me $100 for a visa; I will charge you $100 for a Nigerian visa.”