The Turkish Embassy in Nigeria clarified on Saturday that there is no visa ban on Nigerian passport holders, countering reports that had caused widespread concern.
According to The PUNCH, on Thursday, rumors emerged suggesting that Ethiopia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates had rescinded certain visa privileges for Nigerians, including visa-on-arrival, e-visa, and outright passport issues.
In particular, Turkey has ceased allowing Nigerian passport holders to obtain its e-visa, which had previously been a straightforward process.
Despite these changes, the Personal Secretary to the Turkish Ambassador to Nigeria, Wunmi Evelyn, addressed the situation in a conversation,, stating, “There is no visa ban on Nigerian passport holders.
“If there are any updates regarding the rules and procedures of a country’s policies and practices, these updates are officially communicated to the respective foreign ministries, and statements/announcements are issued by the embassies.”
The secretary emphasized that visa applications are assessed individually, responding to specific instances where applicants experienced rejections.
“Each application is considered on a case-by-case basis. For applicants who have been denied a visa previously, as long as there is no fraud or forged documents involved, they should correct the mistakes made in their initial application and improve the quality of their application. Additionally, they should update the required supporting documents and avoid submitting outdated versions,” she added.
This clarification follows Nigeria’s passport being ranked among the world’s least powerful according to the Henley Passport Index.
In 2023, Nigeria ranked 90th globally, with visa-free access to only 46 out of 227 destinations.
Despite being Africa’s largest economy, Nigeria’s passport is the fifth-worst in Africa, tied with South Sudan and only ahead of Congo, Eritrea, Sudan, Libya, and Somalia.
Contacted, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Eche Abu-Ode, stated, “I will confirm and revert.”
However, at the time of filing this report, no further information had been provided by Amb. Abu-Ode.
