Nigerians Account for 10% of New UK Visas

The United Kingdom has revealed that Nigerians account for 10% of all new visas issued over the past two years. This disclosure was made by the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery, during an interview.

According to Montgomery, Nigeria is one of the largest countries in terms of the UK's visa relationship. He noted that many Nigerians still hold five or 10-year visas, highlighting the significant relationship between the two countries.

The UK earned over $34 million from processing 225,000 Nigerian applications between June 2023 and June 2024 ². This translates to over N68 billion generated from visa applications submitted by Nigerians.

The director of visa, status, and information services at UK Visas and Immigration, Marc Owen, disclosed that the UK processed over 225,000 UK visas for Nigerian nationals across all categories.

The UK government has also introduced changes to its visa application process, including the opening of Africa's largest visa application centre in Lagos ². However, Nigeria has experienced higher rejection rates for study visas, with approximately one in eight applications rejected in Q2 2023.

Despite these challenges, the UK remains a popular destination for Nigerian students and migrants. The British government has emphasized its commitment to ensuring that its visa services are accessible, efficient, and meet the needs of all applicants.