Onyeama seeks visa on arrival for Nigerians as G-20 meeting holds

As the G20 opened today in New Delhi, India, Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, has tasked India Prime Minister, Narendra D. Modi with visa on arrival for Nigerians.

Onyeama who was participating in the G20 Foreign Ministers’ meeting hosted by India between March 1 and 2, also urged India to fast-track the Issuance of
Business Visa to Nigerians as a reciprocal gesture.

The statement signed Wednesday by the Special Assistant, Media to the Minister, Sarah Sanda, held that the meeting focused on strengthening multilateralism as well as deepening cooperation on food and energy security, sustainable development and counter-narcotics.

Others are global health, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, gender equality as well as women empowerment.

Ahead of the G-20 Meeting, Minister Onyeama was said to have met with the Indian Minister of External Affairs, Dr S. Jaishanker and conveyed President Muhammadu Buhari’s appreciation to the Prime Minister of India for the invitation extended to Nigeria to participate in the G-20 meeting.

“He also requested the granting of visa on arrival to Nigerians as a reciprocal gesture”, the statement read in part.

While paying tribute to the blossoming bilateral relations between Nigeria and India, Onyeama stressed the need to further strengthen the economic, trade, and investment cooperations for the mutual benefit of both countries.

The Minister acknowledged continued cooperation in the area of education and welcomed direct air flights between the two countries.

Also on the sidelines of the G20- Meeting, Minister Onyeama met with his Brazilian counterpart, Mauro Viera and reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to South-South Cooperation and the Group of 77 (G-77).

He added that the global south was looking forward to Brazil presiding over the G-20 in the coming year.

The two Foreign Ministers further identified areas in both countries that could strengthen cooperation at bilateral and multilateral levels.