Tanzania says it is understudying Nigeria’s visa policy, noting the new Nigeria Visa Policy 2020 (NVP 2020) as worthy of imitation in Africa.

Benson Bana, Tanzanian High Commissioner to Nigeria, stated this on the sidelines of the Tanzania-Nigeria Tourism, Investment, and Trade (TN-TIT) forum on Tuesday in Abuja.

“When I arrived here, I was told that Nigeria is listed among countries allowed to approve visas.

“The good thing is we were allowed to have a Nigerian revised visa policy. We looked at it that it was proactive, at least for addressing the imperatives of problems of Nigeria.

“For providing open doors for travellers wanting to come into Nigeria, right from spiritual and medical tourism, I think they have moved from the sixth category to around seventh.

“So what we did was to study the Nigerian visa policy with our government, and that is why we are here,” said Mr Bana.

The Tanzanian envoy added, “Things which are good in Nigeria are transferred to us, so we convinced our government to start what Nigerians have done, in terms of revising the Visa policy and see what works for us.”

He noted that the aim was to copy what works for Nigeria and fit such into the context of Tanzania.

The envoy disclosed that the Tanzanian government had set up a team to study Nigeria’s visa policy, to revise it in that country.

“Much as we established a case to have a direct Tanzania route to Lagos, I am sure we will win,” Mr Bana said.

On February 4, 2020, President Muhammadu Buhari officially launched the NVP 2020 as the new guidelines for entry and exit of migrants.