The recent announcement of Visa On Arrival in Nigeria for Africans by President Mohammadu Buhari during a recent peace and development summit in Cairo, Egypt is one laudable policy that has not elicited as much excitement among Nigerians as it deserves despite the huge socio economic opportunities inherent in it for Nigeria in particular and Africa in general. This policy initiative by Nigeria, one of Africa’s key economies and demography, comes on the back of the signing of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, a treaty seeking to establish a continent-wide marketplace with increased trade and freer movement among its major economic powers is indeed a game changer and major boost for the decades-long desire of Africa’s founding leaders for one indivisible Africa and freer movement of people in the continent.
We desire an Africa in which Africans require no visas to travel to any part thereof. This is one sure way to boost the prospects of intra Africa trade as well as harness the great potentials the continent is endowed with. Africa is currently like a donkey working for everybody. We produce what creates wealth in other continents but get next to nothing from it partly because there is very low trade between Africans.
The African Union (AU) and many of the continent’s economic organizations think along this line too and want this free movement of Africans to be a reality as soon as possible. Of course, it is not an entirely original concept as the European Union already has a visa-free policy for its citizens and the effect is obvious in the socio-economic life of Europe. The popular European Champions League, their respective domestic football leagues and other sport tournaments would not be as successful without the free movement of Europeans within the continent. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is still struggling with its competitions partly because there is no free movement across Africa for Africans.
There is also the idea of an African passport which dates back a quarter of a century but has failed to catch on with countries that fear an increase in illegal migration and terrorism among others. Indeed, not a few Nigerians have expressed same concerns over the recent visa policy announced by President Mohammadu Buhari, particularly on the heels of our current struggle with terrorism and other anti-social activities. There are indeed more positives to this policy than negatives and there are adequate tools to mitigate the perceived risks in visa liberalization by the relevant security and border control agencies. It is important to emphasize that visa on arrival is only applicable to visitors coming into Nigeria through the airports. The wrong impression among many Nigerians is that our African brothers and sisters can just walk through any of our land or sea borders and be allowed entry.
Some smaller African countries already offer visa on arrival to all African passport holders and it has witnessed an increase in African visitors to those countries for business and leisure, yet without the manifestation of the perceived risks. But coming from Africa’s big brother has suddenly changed the game. Nigeria has so much to offer and remains a wonder to many Africans in particular, which will make a visit to this great country their preferred choice. It is understandable that some of the growing and large economies in Africa still worry about the impact that illegal migration might have on labour markets and cities. It is therefore a good step that Nigeria, being a super power within Africa, despite her own internal challenges, has completed all arrangements for the implementation of visa on arrival for all Africans from January 2020, subject to meeting the criteria that will be set by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).
Nigerians can be assured that the NIS, ably led by Comptroller General Muhammed Babandede, MFR will focus on efficient and affordable visa on arrival processes, invest in biometric technology and Advance Passenger Information System, the Migration Information Data Analysis System and link up with various anti-terrorist organizations to ensure that Nigeria’s internal security is not compromised by undesirable visitors. NIS is expected to invest heavily in the training of the officers and men on customer service and international standard of communication while working with other stakeholders to ensure that visiting Africans do not stay beyond the duration of their visa and respect our labour laws.
There is no doubt that our international airports will get busier with visits from our African brothers and sisters. There is still so much for the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to do for this policy not to become counterproductive and embarrassing to the country. Many Africans see Nigeria as a very rich, giant country and expect the best of everything from us. Our major international gateway, which is the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, in its present state will be a big disappointment and an initial shock for our African brothers and sisters. In fact, it could demystify Nigeria if nothing is done quickly to improve the look and feel of our airports before this policy goes into full effect. The passport control areas need serious improvement which includes expansion, the cooling system needs to be overhauled and there is an urgent need for improvement in luggage collection. The big brother of Africa has belled the cat and we have to lead by example in extending the selfless African hospitality to our African visitors as indeed other visitors. The branding of Nigeria as with any country starts right from the airports. First impression, they say, lasts longer.
The benefits of this Visa On Arrival policy are many. It presents a good opportunity for Nigeria to be a major consideration for hosting international events particularly the ones scheduled to hold in Africa. Nigeria can leverage on our dominance of the entertainment industry in Africa to host more international and African music/movie festivals and awards with a bigger audience from all over Africa eager to attend our ever improving concerts and watch our artistes who are attracting global acclaim and followership. It is indeed a major boost for the entertainment and tourism industries in particular and I think billionaire artistes and entertainment practitioners are about to emerge in double digits in Nigeria because Nigeria has tactically expanded its market through this visa policy.
The policy is also a boost to religious pilgrimage with opportunity for Africans to attend some of our religious activities like the Holy Ghost Festival, Shiloh, The Experience Christian Music Concert and many more. On the cultural side, Ojude Oba Festival by the Ijebus can now attract visitors and guests of Ijebu sons and daughters from Africa without the hassles of visa procurement. Olojo Day in Ife can attract African visitors and even Argungu Fishing Festival. The African fans of Enyimba Football Club can come over to watch their darling team play in Aba. This further opens up Ariaria market to customers from Africa who may find the creativity of the Aba manufacturers more appealing than buying from Europe or Asia. More people will bring their money here to spend, hotels will make money and in no distant time the hotel industry will need more rooms, bars and lounges will make money, jobs will be created and a decent number of Nigerians will be taken out of poverty on account of this policy.
The Nigeria’s aviation industry may ultimately be the biggest beneficiary of this policy with Nigeria becoming a major hub for flights into Africa if only FAAN can up its game by making our airports to be competitive.
The socio economic benefits of this move by Nigeria can be as huge as the country and the people of Nigeria want it. President Mohammadu Buhari has used this policy to create an enabling environment for Nigerians to dominate and influence Africa. Beyond all these, the initiative is expected to take us some steps up in the Africa Visa Openness Report published by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and is a further boost to the Ease Of Doing Business in Nigeria. It will also create more awareness for the commodities, goods and services that other African countries can source from Nigeria thus boosting intra African trade.
Visa On Arrival policy by Nigeria, a big African economy will no doubt foster Africa’s integration. This move by Nigeria has become a moral obligation on other big economies in the continent and it is just a question of time before they also come up with similar gesture. The quest for free movement of Africans within Africa being embraced by more countries need, however, to be complemented by other reforms and massive investments in connectivity especially transport infrastructure in order to take the full benefit out of it. The limitations we have placed on ourselves have only made Africans poorer and stifled the growth of the continent. These initiatives are the only ways to make Africa truly great and take our people out of poverty. Visa liberalization is only one piece of the interconnected pan African puzzle, but it is nonetheless a very critical one which can be a catalyst to all other necessary reforms and investments.
President Mohammadu Buhari needs to be commended for taking this bold step despite the challenges the country is facing. Mr President has thrown a big challenge to other big economies in Africa. The world is eagerly waiting for their reaction which would determine how great Africa can be in the next decade when we expect big global changes and redistribution. I foresee a massive return to Africa as the West’s financial and social structures become severely challenged within the next decade. It is time Africa takes advantage of a decade that is clearly hers by ensuring full integration of the continent.
Ademola Adeyinka is a Senior Special Assistant to the Honourable Minister of Interior.
