Between June 2023 and June 2024, the UK government earned over ₦40 billion from processing Nigerian visa applications, according to Marc Owen, director of Visa, Status, and Information Services at UK Visas and Immigration.
Owen made this disclosure during the opening of Africa’s largest UK Visa Application Centre (VAC) in Lagos. He revealed that more than 225,000 Nigerian visa applications were processed during this period, highlighting the ongoing strong demand for UK travel.
“From June 2023 to June 2024, we processed over 225,000 UK visas for Nigerians across all categories,” Owen said. “This partnership reflects our commitment to providing accessible and efficient visa services.”
Using the standard $150 fee for a six-month UK visitor visa as a reference, the revenue generated from Nigerian visa applications totals more than $34 million, or ₦40 billion at an exchange rate of ₦1,200. Notably, visa application fees are non-refundable, even in cases of rejection.
The announcement comes amid rising visa rejection rates for Nigerians. Data from the UK government revealed that, in the second half of 2023, one in eight Nigerian study visa applications was rejected, up from one in 31 the previous year.
This increase in rejections is attributed to stricter UK immigration policies, such as restrictions on dependent visas and changes to the graduate route post-study work visa. These changes contributed to a 63% drop in study visa approvals for Nigerians in Q4 2023 compared to the same period in 2022.
As a result, many Nigerians are exploring alternatives, with the United States becoming a more popular choice. In the 2023/2024 academic year, Nigeria ranked as the seventh-largest source of international students worldwide, with 20,029 Nigerian students enrolled in U.S. institutions, a 13.5% increase from the previous year.
The UK’s earnings from Nigerian visa applications highlight the continued demand for international travel, despite the country’s tighter immigration policies.
