Assessment of Nigeria Visa Policy (NVP) 2020

Abstract

Nations of the world initiate immigration policies for the protection of their national identity and territorial integrity. This is considered essential for economic development and national security. One of the instruments for achieving this is the national immigration visa policy.  At the inception of the administration of President Mohammadu Buhari in Nigeria, The Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) 2017-2020) was introduced to remove barriers that impedes investments, innovations and development. Pursuant to this objective, Nigeria Visa Policy was reviewed significantly in 2020 to attract inbound traffic of foreign direct investments (FDIs), innovations, specialized skills, economic development and global competitiveness. Consequently, a new Visa policy came into effect in October, 2020 in Nigeria. The objective of this work is to critically analyze the Nigeria Visa Policy (NVP) 2020 with regards to its implementation, performance and challenges. The paper recommends measures that can be adopted for the improvement and effectiveness of the policy.   The Scope of the analysis covers the Nigeria Visa Policy 2020 only and does not extend to the period predating the policy. The method used for gathering data is qualitative with data obtained secondarily through published journals, reports as well as internet sources from academic and relevant organizations’ websites.