Kenyans travelling to Nigeria on Friday, could not catch a plane to Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos, following a circular making rounds on social media about the suspension of Nigeria’s Visa on Arrival facility to certain nationals.
One Ibada Ahmed through her twitter account narrated how she was inconvenienced by the news that reached her while at the airport counter ready to take her flight from Nairobi to Lagos. No one had been notified on time notified and the staff seemed not to be aware of the suspension either.
This Morning I couldn’t board my flight from Nairobi to Lagos and many others were inconvenienced too because we were informed at the counter that Nigeria sent a Memo this week Friday stating visa on arrival will no longer apply. Thread….
— IBADA AHMED (@Ibadaahmed) October 20, 2019
She asked Nigeria Immigration Service to revoke that Memo and reinstate the original terms reminding them that Kenyans will only oblige if they make the changes are formally made.
Nigeria Immigration Service was forced to clarify the issue, clearly stating the requirements for embarkation to Nigeria for Non- Nigerian passengers arrriving without Visa issued from its Diplomatic and Consular Missions
“They include; ECOWAS Community Citizens and countries with Visa abolition agreement with Nigerian, Citizens of Kenya who can now arrive without Visa or obtainn visa upon arrival at the point of entry, Holders of Diplomatic /Official passports Brazil, South Africa, Rwanda, Cuba, Kenya,” read the circular to all Airlines operating in Nigeria.
Through the Nigeria Immigration twitter account, the department announced that its Visa on Arrival platform remains open and robust and the public is advised to ignore the rumours.
That in line with government’s policy on cashless transactions, applicants for our Visa on Arrival facility especially those from countries that maintain special MoU with Nigeria on Visa regime administration such as Kenyans, are to either make payments for their Visa on Arrival facility online or use PoS payment facility upon arrival in Nigeria, as cash transactions are not allowed.