LAGOS – The organisers of Akwaaba African Travel Market has commended the Nigerian government for the support and prompt resolution of the visa issues for its foreign delegates.
Amb. Ikechi Uko, the organiser of the annual event, in a statement on Sunday, shared his relief that the knotty issue of Nigerian visa was solved quickly by the various Nigerian authorities.
Uko explained that in the past, he had expressed his frustrations with visa issuance for his delegates coming from all over Africa, but said the country had improved tremendously.
Uko lauded Mr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo and Mrs. Lola Ade-John, the Ministers of Interior and Tourism, respectively for their cooperation, adding that Mrs. Kemi Nandap, the Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), had also been helpful in making visa application and issuance easier for his delegates.
He said: “I had complained that online visa on arrival was very expensive and the Nigerian Embassies in East Africa were not giving visas forcing everyone to go online. Some people shared my post with the Minister of Tourism and she called me to find out the details.
“After explaining the situation to her, she promised to engage her colleague the Ministry of Interior. I am happy to say that between the Ministers of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the Minister of Tourism, Mrs. Lola Ade-John and the Comptroller-General of Immigration, Kemi Nanna Nandap, they resolved the issues. My first delegates are arriving now and I am happy that resolution is not just for my event. The new measures will be applied across board to all African visitors to Nigeria.”
The organisers believed that Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Events (MICE), are more obligatory than leisure travel, which is optional and Nigeria stands to benefit more supporting this initiative.
He emphasised further that Akwaaba as the biggest travel expo in West Africa had not been supported by the government in access, venue and hosted buyers programmes, stressing that this intervention by the Minister of Tourism was the first of its kind in the annals of the event.
He pointed out that the Nigerian government had been on a review of its visa processes, assuring that new measures would soon be announced by the government.
There have been complaints from most travellers to Nigeria about the expensive visa on arrival programmer as Nigerian Embassies in some African countries do not have visa stickers.
Akwaaba African Travel Market starts on September 22, 2024 through 24th in Lagos.
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This is the 20th edition of the tourism exhibition. No fewer than 20 countries would be represented at the 2024 event.
The organisers of Akwaaba African Travel Market has commended the Nigerian government for the support and prompt resolution of the visa issues for its foreign delegates.
Amb. Ikechi Uko, the organiser of the annual event, in a statement on Sunday, shared his relief that the knotty issue of Nigerian visa was solved quickly by the various Nigerian authorities.
Uko explained that in the past, he had expressed his frustrations with visa issuance for his delegates coming from all over Africa, but said the country had improved tremendously.
Uko lauded Mr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo and Mrs. Lola Ade-John, the Ministers of Interior and Tourism, respectively for their cooperation, adding that Mrs. Kemi Nandap, the Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), had also been helpful in making visa application and issuance easier for his delegates.
He said: “I had complained that online visa on arrival was very expensive and the Nigerian Embassies in East Africa were not giving visas forcing everyone to go online. Some people shared my post with the Minister of Tourism and she called me to find out the details.
“After explaining the situation to her, she promised to engage her colleague the Ministry of Interior. I am happy to say that between the Ministers of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the Minister of Tourism, Mrs. Lola Ade-John and the Comptroller-General of Immigration, Kemi Nanna Nandap, they resolved the issues. My first delegates are arriving now and I am happy that resolution is not just for my event. The new measures will be applied across board to all African visitors to Nigeria.”
The organisers believed that Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Events (MICE), are more obligatory than leisure travel, which is optional and Nigeria stands to benefit more supporting this initiative.
He emphasised further that Akwaaba as the biggest travel expo in West Africa had not been supported by the government in access, venue and hosted buyers programmes, stressing that this intervention by the Minister of Tourism was the first of its kind in the annals of the event.
He pointed out that the Nigerian government had been on a review of its visa processes, assuring that new measures would soon be announced by the government.
There have been complaints from most travellers to Nigeria about the expensive visa on arrival programmer as Nigerian Embassies in some African countries do not have visa stickers.
Akwaaba African Travel Market starts on September 22, 2024 through 24th in Lagos.
This is the 20th edition of the tourism exhibition. No fewer than 20 countries would be represented at the 2024 event.
