By EricJames Ochigbo
The Founder of the Africa Development Studies Centre (ADSC), Mr Victor
Oluwafemi, has called on the Federal Government to make reciprocal visa
facilitation a mandatory component of Nigeria’s bilateral economic agreements.
In a statement Oluwafemi emphasised that the absence of clear mobility provisions
undermined the Nigeria’s economic diplomacy.
According to him, Nigeria must adopt a clear national standard requiring every
primary bilateral economic instrument to include a practical visa facilitation and
mobility protocol designed for delivery, not ceremony.
“Nigeria is entitled to reciprocity. If Nigeria’s doors are open through cooperation
frameworks, partner countries’ doors must also open to legitimate Nigerian
travellers.
“Anything less creates an imbalance in which agreements benefit the movement of
capital and counterparties but restrict the movement of Nigerian people who are
required to deliver the outcomes.
“Silence on this issue is costly. It fuels public frustration, weakens confidence in
economic diplomacy, and reinforces the perception that bilateral agreements are
elite instruments rather than national opportunities.
“It also slows down the very Nigerians who convert policy into exports, jobs,
tourism, and inflows of investment.
“I respectfully call on Mr President to treat mobility as a core pillar of economic
statecraft and to mandate that visa facilitation clauses become a standard annex to
trade deals, aviation arrangements, and partnership frameworks,” he said.
Oluwafemi said that Nigeria should publish measurable delivery indicators for
each partner country, including processing timelines for verified applicants and the
availability of multi-entry pathways.
He said that Nigeria had shown momentum in signing agreements saying that the
next test was whether Nigerians can access, use, and monetise them.
He proposed a structured framework built around three tracks; Official Mobility
Track to fast-track visas for government delegations and priority public missions
and a Verified Business Mobility Trackoffering multi-entry visas and accelerated
processing for exporters, investors, executives and organised trade missions;
adding that a Professional and Talent Mobility Track to provide sector-specific
lanes for technical experts, creatives, academics and service providers should be
aligned with bilateral priorities.
Oluwafemi acknowledged Nigeria’s recent momentum in signing international
agreements, saying that the true test lies in whether Nigerians can access, use and
monetise those agreements to deliver tangible national benefits.
