Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari (L) and South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa shake hands following their opening remarks during his official state visit at Union Buildings in Pretoria, on October 3, 2019. Recent xenophobic attacks threaten to dominate Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari's three-day official visit to South Africa and the presidency in Abuja has said he would use the state visit to discuss the "welfare of Nigerians". Picture: AFP / Phill Magakoe
Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari has announced that African nationals will no longer need a visa to enter the country from January 2020.
Buhari made the announcement at the Aswan Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development inaugural meeting in Egypt on Wednesday.
His special assistant, Tolu Ogunlesi, quoted him as saying: “Nigeria introducing the issuance of visas at the point of entry into Nigeria to all persons holding passports of African countries with effect from January, 2020.”
There are, however, no further details beyond Buhari’s announcement in Egypt.
Also read: 100 visa-free countries for South African passport holders
The announcement has been lauded by many, including Somalia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Ahmed Awad, who said the announcement was an “exemplary decision”.
“I wish to profoundly commend President @MBuhari of #Nigeria who just announced at the Aswan Forum complete visa exemption for all Africans. Starting January 2020 Africans will be able to arrive in Nigeria without visas. It’s such an exemplary decision. Thanks your Excellency.”
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