Visa on arrival policy and COVID-19 lockdown

Coronavirus has negatively affected the implementation of Visa on Arrival Policy introduced by President Buhari in 2020. Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has rolled out a new Visa on Arrival Application Process for all Business Travellers and African Union Countries except ECOWAS member Countries in line with COVID-19 guidelines in Nigeria. 

The COVID-19 epidemic poses a threat to the everyday life of people worldwide. Travellers are particularly affected, as are people working in tourism. The United Nations report says the COVID-19 crisis is a watershed moment to align the effort of sustaining livelihoods dependent on tourism to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to ensure a more resilient, inclusive, carbon-neutral, and resource-efficient future. COVID-19 crisis and lockdown have negatively affected the implementation of visa on arrival policy in Nigeria.

The connection between the coronavirus pandemic and the collapse of the global market is even more significant for all countries. The virus also has major health implications for the political, economics and sectarian dimensions of the global conflicts. COVID-19 highlights the extent to which health, politics and economics are intertwined.

The policy authorizes visas to be granted on arrival at the airport or other entry points subject to satisfaction of specific Immigration requirements. An application letter from the host, stating where the traveller is coming from (If the host is a Company/Organization, it must be on a letterhead). The Visa on Arrival policy will not compromise the country’s security, that Buhari’s government, together with the relevant stakeholders such as the Office of the National Security (ONS), International Police Organization (INTERPOL), and the Immigration Department will profile visitors to make sure that they do not have a questionable character before entering the country. Despite concerns over the increasing number of foreign nationals in Nigeria.
 
In the Africa Visa Openness Report 2016, visa openness means how easy it is for African travellers to visit another country on the continent. A more visa-open country has a liberal or relaxed visa policy for travellers, so that visitors either do not need a visa when they enter or can get a visa on arrival. A more visa-restrictive country requires visitors to get a visa before they travel, in most cases from an Embassy. Visas are used for different reasons, whether as a security measure to control the entry and duration of the stay of people coming into a country or to limit a visitor’s activities, generate revenue or show reciprocity to match the treatment other countries give to their citizens.

Visa openness is about facilitating the free movement of people. It is about getting more people mobile, to carry out their business easily, spontaneously, quickly, with minimum cost. That applies whether you are a businessman or woman, a student or researcher, a cross-border trader or entrepreneur, reuniting with friends and family or just travelling to visit the sights. Aspiration 2 of the African Union’s Agenda 2063 includes a goal to be a “continent with seamless borders” where “the free movement of people, capital, goods and services will result in significant increases in trade and investments amongst African countries rising to unprecedented levels, and strengthen Africa’s place in global trade.” Greater visa openness is a vital part of the solution in getting Africa to reach that vision. There is a strong business case for visa openness in Africa, which in turn promotes the free movement of people and is at the foundation of deeper and closer integration of the continent.
 
Visas alone are not the whole answer when it comes to a more robust outlook. At the Bank, within the framework of our Regional Integration Policy and Strategy 2014-2023, they are working on supporting African countries to plug their skills gaps, promoting talent mobility and borderless business for African entrepreneurs to move freely to set up shop. This first report of the Africa Visa Openness Index ranks countries on the openness of their visa regimes. The Index aims to be a tool for change, to inform and inspire leaders and policymakers to make visa reforms, simplify visa processes and apply positive reciprocity. The vision for Africa set out in Agenda 2063 and its Call to Action urge the creation of an African passport and an end to visa requirements for all African citizens in Africa by 2018. Time is running out to meet that pledge. At the November 2015 EU-Africa Valletta Summit, African leaders committed to supporting migration initiatives across the continent to bring back hope.

The great element laid in the fact that discussion on visa on arrival policy had been initiated by African Development Bank and NEPAD. I see the national interest in Buhari’s announcement, which has already been followed up by the Nigerian Immigration Service, NIS; seeks to promote. I see great value this policy will add in the positive sense. I find Buhari’s VoA policy acceptable because apart from being positive to our overall national interest, it was discussed or agreed by the generality of members of African Development Bank and NEPAD. But coronavirus has negatively affected the implementation of visa on arrival policy in Nigeria.