The government of the United Kingdom (UK) has earned over N40 billion processing visas for Nigerian nationals between June 2023 and June 2024.
Marc Owen, director of visa, status, and information services at UK Visas and Immigration, disclosed that at least 225,000 visa applications from Nigeria were processed during the period. He spoke at the launch of Africa’s largest UK Visa Application Centre (VAC) in Lagos.
“In the year to June 2024, we processed more than 225,000 UK visas for Nigerian nationals across all categories, and this new partnership demonstrates our continued commitment to ensuring our visa services are accessible, efficient, and meet the needs of all applicants,” Owen was quoted as saying by the British High Commission in Lagos.
“I’m delighted to be here in person as we celebrate this important moment together with our customers and partners,” he added.
Although Owen did not provide exact figures for visa applications, an analysis based on the UK’s six-month standard visitor fee of $150 and the 225,000 applications cited as the least figure shows the UK generated over $34 million from processing. At an average exchange rate of N1,200 to $1 between June 2023 and June 2024, this amounts to over N40 billion.
Visa application fees are non-refundable, even if the application is unsuccessful.
Earlier in 2024, data from the British government revealed that Nigeria was among five countries with increased study visa rejection rates in the second half of 2023.
In Q4 2022, one in 31 Nigerian applications was rejected, while in Q4 2023, the rejection rate rose to one in eight. Other countries with high rejection rates included Vietnam, Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia, though at smaller volumes.
India recorded higher declined application numbers than Nigeria. For Nigerians, study visa issuances dropped by 63 percent compared to the final three months of 2022.
The increase in rejections coincided with stricter UK immigration policies, including changes to dependent visa rules and adjustments to the graduate route post-study work visa, which fueled negative sentiments in both countries.
As UK visa restrictions tightened, many Nigerians turned to the United States for opportunities.
During the 2023/2024 academic year, Nigeria ranked as the seventh largest source of international students globally and the highest in Africa, with 20,029 students enrolled in the US. This represented a 13.5 percent increase compared to the previous year.
