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The British government has revealed that it earned more than N40 billion (approximately $34 million) from processing visa applications for Nigerian nationals between June 2023 and June 2024. Marc Owen, director of visa, status, and information services at UK Visas and Immigration, disclosed that at least 225,000 UK visa applications from Nigeria were processed during this period.
Owen made this announcement at the launch of Africa’s largest UK visa application centre (VAC) in Lagos. He emphasized the UK’s commitment to ensuring accessible and efficient visa services that meet the needs of all applicants. The British High Commission in Lagos quoted Owen saying, “I’m delighted to be here in person as we celebrate this important moment together with our customers and partners.”
Although the exact figures of visa applications were not disclosed, an analysis using the UK’s six-month standard visitor fee of $150 against the minimum of 225,000 Nigerian applicants indicates that the UK earned over $34 million from processing alone. With an average exchange rate of N1,200 between June 2023 and June 2024, this amounts to more than N40 billion. It is important to note that visa application fees are non-refundable, even if the processing is unsuccessful.
Earlier this year, data from the British government showed that Nigeria was among five countries that experienced a rise in study visa rejection rates in the second half of 2023. In Q4 2023, around one in eight applications from Nigeria were declined, compared to one in 31 in Q4 2022. Other countries with high visa rejection rates included Vietnam, Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia, albeit with smaller accruals. India was the only country with a higher number of declined applications than Nigeria.
The data also revealed that visa issuances to Nigerians decreased by 63 percent compared to the last three months of 2022. This increase in rejections coincided with tightened visa restrictions for immigrants in the UK. The British government attributed the negative sentiments in both countries to changes in policies on dependent visas and tweaks to the graduate route post-study work visa.
As a result, many Nigerians are now seeking opportunities in the United States. In the 2023/2024 academic year, Nigeria was the seventh-largest source of international students globally and the highest in Africa, with 20,029 enrollees in the US, representing a 13.5 percent increase from the previous year.
*The figures in this article have been converted using an average exchange rate of N1,200 to $1 for the period in question.
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