FG Plans Relaxing Entry Rules with e-visa to Encourage Tourism

The Federal Government has made plans to relax access into the country by tourists and foreign investors, following the success of last year’s “Detty December” festivities.

Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo stated this after observing the huge impact of the tourist visitation during the end-of-year celebrations and is now shaping Nigeria to become more attractive to tourists.

Speaking in an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Tunji-Ojo revealed that the government prioritized opening the country to lawful travelers and investors.

“We need to make it easy for good people to come in and see the magic of our nation. We need to open Nigeria for business, and that is what Mr. President is doing: working each day day and night to make sure that he is bringing more foreign direct investment, making sure that people come into Nigeria, and we are seeing the results,” he added.

The minister attributed the success of last year’s Detty December to the rich culture and entertainment venues of Nigeria, which drew a high number of tourists.

“Last December, we employed the usage of Detty December, we had the biggest number of people coming into Nigeria, coming for New Year. It was fantastic. That in itself tells us that we have to open our space,” he said.

To achieve this goal, the government has introduced the e-visa, an advancement of the current visa-on-arrival system. The e-visa, according to Tunji-Ojo, will assist in curtailing bottlenecks heretofore around the application for visa-on-arrival.

“Visa-on-arrival as practiced today is actually a type of e-visa. The only difference is when you do it online, it goes to the CG’s office; it is only the CG’s office which approves visa-on-arrival,” he explained.

The minister further clarified that the e-visa application involves applying online and receiving a QR code, which is the visa to enter the country. This, he continued, is the same thing that is offered in developed countries such as the UAE, Australia, and Qatar.

“We’re arguing there’s no need for that. So, the visa on arrival process has just been simplified so that you apply online. You apply online and you get your decision to travel, you don’t need a vignette, you get your approval with QR code,” he explained.

The introduction of the e-visa is also projected to boost the country’s tourism sector and attract further foreign direct investment.

The administration hopes that by making it simpler for legal visitors to enter the country, Nigeria will be an improved place for tourists and investors.

In a related development, industry stakeholders welcomed the government’s introduction of the e-visa, terming it as an expected move that would increase tourist visitors and revenue to the country.

“This is a move in the right direction. We have long advocated a better visa system and are pleased the government has seen the sense of doing this,” an official of Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation said.

The e-visa will fully come on stream soon, and the government has pledged it will keep working to make Nigeria more hospitable to investors and visitors alike.