Signed Deals, Locked Doors: ADSC Boss Says Nigeria’s Diplomacy Must Deliver Visa Access For Nigerians
Founder of the Africa Development Studies Centre (ADSC), Sir Victor Oluwafemi, has commended Nigeria’s renewed drive toward bilateral agreements, trade instruments and aviation partnerships, describing it as a step in the right direction. However, he warned that such efforts risk falling short unless they are matched with concrete visa access for Nigerians.
In a statement issued at the weekend, Oluwafemi—who is also Founder of the Douglas Development Institute (DDI)—argued that economic diplomacy without mobility delivers only partial results.
“Yet a hard truth must be stated plainly: trade without mobility is a half-win,” he said. “Agreements that Nigerians cannot practically access appear impressive on paper but are weak in the real economy.”
According to him, Nigerians with legitimate reasons to travel for business, investment, conferences, education and professional engagements continue to face slow, uncertain and discretionary visa processes across several partner countries.
He noted that unpredictable timelines, scarce appointments and inconsistent decisions make it difficult to translate trade promises into real transactions.
“This is not merely a consular concern. It is a competitiveness concern,” Oluwafemi stressed.
He explained that trade agreements only succeed when traders can travel to meet buyers, inspect goods and conclude contracts, while investment partnerships require the ability for investors to deploy teams, conduct due diligence and execute swiftly. Similarly, aviation agreements, he said, become commercially viable only when passenger access is reliable and predictable.
“Without visa facilitation, Nigeria risks building corridors that look open but function as closed,” he warned.
Oluwafemi called on Nigeria to adopt a clear national standard whereby every major bilateral economic agreement includes a reciprocal visa facilitation and mobility protocol focused on delivery rather than ceremony.
He proposed a three-track structure: an Official Mobility Track for government delegations and public missions with clear timelines; a Verified Business Mobility Track offering multi-entry visas and accelerated processing for exporters, investors and executives; and a Professional and Talent Mobility Track for technical experts, creatives, academics and service providers aligned with bilateral priorities.
“Nigeria is entitled to reciprocity,” he said. “If Nigeria’s doors are open through cooperation frameworks, partner countries’ doors must also open to legitimate Nigerian travellers.”
He cautioned that silence on visa access fuels public frustration, weakens confidence in economic diplomacy and reinforces perceptions that bilateral agreements benefit only elites rather than the wider population.
Oluwafemi urged President Bola Tinubu to treat mobility as a core pillar of economic statecraft and mandate visa facilitation clauses as a standard annex to trade deals, aviation arrangements and partnership frameworks. He also called for the publication of measurable delivery indicators, including processing timelines for verified applicants and access to multi-entry visas.
“Nigeria has shown momentum in signing agreements,” he concluded. “The next test is whether Nigerians can access, use and monetise them.”
The statement was issued by Sir Victor Walsh Oluwafemi, KJW, an Isle of Man–based development consultant and international capacity-building executive.
