The International Trade Union Confederation Africa has called on the Nigerian government to abolish visa fees for African travellers, saying the policy hampers regional integration and economic cooperation.

The general secretary of ITUC-Africa, Akhator Odigie, made the call in a letter addressed to the Minister of Interior, Tunji Ojo, on Friday in Abuja.

Mr Odigie said removing visa fees would promote visa openness, enhance mobility across African countries, and strengthen efforts toward deeper regional integration and shared economic development on the continent.

He urged Nigeria to demonstrate leadership by eliminating visa costs that hindered the free movement of people and undermined cooperation among African nations.

“High biometric and visa charges place unnecessary burdens on African travellers and discourage trade, tourism, and professional exchanges,” Mr Odigie said.

He added that Nigeria should align with countries such as Rwanda and Kenya, where visa-free policies had supported economic growth without compromising national security.

Mr Odigie stressed that the mobility of workers, investors, and professionals remained critical to the success of the African Continental Free Trade Area. According to him, several African countries have already introduced visa-free or visa-on-arrival regimes, boosting intra-African trade and strengthening regional collaboration.

He said Nigeria, as Africa’s largest economy, must take bold steps to remove travel barriers and support seamless movement across the continent.

Mr Odigie also expressed concern over additional biometric fees, describing them as excessive and inconsistent with practices in many African countries. He noted that most countries incorporated biometric costs into visa fees, making travel more affordable and accessible for African citizens.

The ITUC-Africa scribe urged Nigeria to adopt similar measures and consider reciprocity, noting that many African countries did not impose such charges on Nigerians. He further highlighted challenges faced by applicants using Nigeria’s online visa platform and called for urgent improvements to the system.

Mr Odigie said simplifying visa processes would encourage business travel, attract investment, and strengthen economic ties across Africa. He warned that failure to address those concerns could slow the implementation of AfCFTA and weaken Nigeria’s leadership role in promoting African integration.

He, however, expressed optimism that the Ministry of Interior would give favourable consideration to these concerns in the interest of continental unity.

(NAN)