Visa requirements for Nigerian travellers and business travellers have been loosened by South Africa. Nigerian travellers can now apply for South African visas without presenting their passports according to changes announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa. This enables them to go to other nations while their visas are being processed. Furthermore, five-year multiple-entry visas, which offer more freedom for frequent travel, are available to qualified Nigerian businesses. South Africa is still a well-liked travel destination for Nigerians, and Bilateral Relations are heavily influenced by commerce and tourism.
Approximately 2.1 million foreign visitors arrived in South Africa in the third quarter of 2023, marking a rebound from the effects of COVID-19. Despite being one of South Africa’s most important African markets, official monthly figures show fluctuations in arrivals, which are frequently influenced by political ties and visa regulations. Due to strict visa procedures and administrative hold-ups, the number of Nigerian immigrants has decreased in 2022. This tendency is intended to be reversed by the recently announced visa reforms, which include a simplified application process and five-year multiple-entry visas for Nigerian businesses.
Both countries are major economic forces in Africa.
By taking these steps, South Africa hopes to attract more Nigerian tourists and business travellers. In the past, Nigerians had to deal with issues like the South African embassy’s delayed passport returns and lengthy visa processing periods, which frequently went beyond the usual 10 to 15 days. Many applicants were eventually turned down for visas even though they fulfilled the requirements. This resulted in missed travel and other annoyances. The Aviation industry was clearly affected by these problems. For example, Air Peace lowered the number of flights it operated to Johannesburg in 2022 as a result of delays in visa acceptance.
Despite resuming the route, the Airline switched from huge Boeing 777 aircraft to smaller Embraer E195 aircraft. Similar to how demand has decreased, South African Airways now only operates four weekly flights from Nigeria with less than 60% occupancy, as opposed to daily flights that were fully booked before to COVID-19. South Africa and Nigeria have a dynamic relationship that has been influenced by past cooperation as well as sporadic diplomatic disputes. With substantial Trade and investment, both countries are major economic forces in Africa. For instance, South Africa’s imports of Nigerian crude oil dominated the $3.6 billion in bilateral trade that took place between the two nations in 2012.
There would be more Nigerian visitors for business and pleasure.
Large corporations like South Africa’s MTN and DSTV, and Nigeria’s Dangote Group and Oando, are prime examples of the two countries’ reciprocal commercial interactions. Relations have been strained, meanwhile, by xenophobic attacks and visa restrictions. South African attacks on Nigerians have resulted in fatalities and property losses, while other occurrences including the expulsion of Nigerians and xenophobic violence have strained diplomatic relations over the years. Travel and mutual trust were impacted by the alleged deaths of over 117 Nigerians in South Africa between 2016 and 2018. Official statistics show a consistent drop in Nigerian tourists visiting South Africa, which is ascribed to perceived animosity, bureaucratic hold-ups, and visa refusals.
Due to decreased demand brought on by the difficulties in acquiring visas, South African Airways and Nigerian carrier Air Peace, for example, decreased capacity on their Nigeria-South Africa routes. This tendency is intended to be reversed by South Africa’s recent visa amendments, which include granting Nigerian business travellers five-year multiple-entry visas. According to experts, there would be more Nigerian visitors for business and pleasure, which will strengthen ties. These changes follow international patterns, such as comparable initiatives by the UAE and Canada that expedited visa procedures for Nigerian nationals in an attempt to draw visitors and investors.
Related Article: Multiple Entry Visa for Biz Visitors to SA
Additionally, Nigerian stakeholders, such as airlines and business executives, have voiced confidence regarding the developments. Airlines such as Air Peace expect greater occupancy rates, while the managing director of a Nigerian Logistics company said that less visa restrictions will boost trade opportunities. South Africa will use statistics on visa issuance and usage as well as bilateral commissions to track the effectiveness of these measures. Additional actions can involve reciprocal efforts by Nigeria to facilitate travel for South Africans and greater cooperation on commercial and cultural exchanges to strengthen relationships.