Nigerian passport holders seeking short-term holiday in the island country of Seychelles may have to hold back on that for a while, following an alleged visa ban imposed by the Seychelles government.
The alleged ban has caused concern and raised questions about the reasons behind this decision. Here’s some clarity on the situation.
How it started
The Seychelles visa ban conversation started on Saturday, July 8, after a travel content creator, @munachimsooo, tweeted about it after applying for travel authorization. @munachimsooo shared a screenshot from the immigration website which read in part:
“We regret to inform you that your application has been declined, as per immigration regulation, for now we are not accepting any NIGERIAN passport holder for holiday purposes.”
Is Seychelles not visa-free?
According to information on the Seychelles immigration website, a visa is not required regardless of the nationality of intending visitors. Instead, a visitor’s permit is issued on arrival to anyone who comes for the purpose of holiday, business, or to visit family and friends.
However, visitors must apply for a Seychelles travel authorization that costs about €10 before embarking on a trip.
Has the Seychelles government addressed the allegations?
There has been no official confirmation from the government of Seychelles regarding the alleged visa ban on Nigerian passport holders. However, a border security official who briefly spoke with the media corroborated @munachimsooo’s claim. The official, without giving any reasons for the ban, was quoted to have said: “Yes, but no further information is available at this time.”
Who is not affected by the Seychelles ban?
At the moment, the alleged visa ban specifies visitors seeking short-term visas or those visiting for holiday purposes and doesn’t say much about other travellers. A Nigerian filmmaker, Steven Ndukwu, is currently in Seychelles and hasn’t been asked to leave the country.
According to Ndukwu, the visa ban is still a rumour and hasn’t been made official yet.
Has the Nigerian government reacted?
At the time of compiling this report, there has been no official statement from the Nigerian government addressing the alleged Seychelles visa ban. It would be recalled that in December, Nigeria signed a pact that would enable direct flights between the two countries.
Former minister of aviation, Hadi Sirika, and Seychelles’ minister of transport, Anthony Derjacques, reached a mutual agreement that would further advance the African Union (AU)’s agenda 2063, drive business growth and boost tourism.
What visa arrangement did Nigeria have with Seychelles before?
Until the alleged visa ban, Nigeria had a long-standing visa-free agreement with Seychelles. Nigerian passport holders/citizens could enter the country visa-free for 30 days, after taking the necessary steps.
Which other visa-free countries can Nigerian passport holders visit?
There are still countries that admit Nigerians without a visa, you just need to research and get information on the documents you might need. Some of the visa-free countries include Rwanda, Barbados, Benin Republic, Ghana, Cape Verde, Senegal, etc.
