General News
Nigeria Pushes For Easier Visa Regime With Southern Africa, Seeks Stronger Economic Ties
By Iyojo Ameh
Nigeria has called for the removal of visa barriers that hinder movement between the country and Southern Africa, as Abuja moves to strengthen trade, investment and institutional cooperation with member states of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, made the call on Wednesday when he received a delegation of SADC Ambassadors and High Commissioners accredited to Nigeria at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja.
The delegation, led by Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Nigeria and Dean of the SADC diplomatic corps, Ambassador Maxwell Ranga, congratulated Enikanolaiye on his appointment and expressed readiness to work with him to deepen relations between Nigeria and Southern Africa.
Ranga recalled Nigeria’s historic solidarity with Southern African countries, particularly its role alongside the Frontline States in the struggles against colonialism and apartheid.
He said the existing relationship provided a strong foundation for expanding cooperation in trade and investment, infrastructure, energy, agriculture and industrial development, while urging both sides to leverage growing people-to-people exchanges for mutual benefit.
Responding, Enikanolaiye said Nigeria was keen to learn from the experiences and comparative advantages of SADC countries, particularly in mineral beneficiation, industrial value addition, tourism and agriculture.
He said stronger cooperation in these areas could generate tangible economic benefits while creating institutional partnerships capable of turning existing opportunities into practical development initiatives.
The minister identified visa restrictions as one of the issues requiring attention, stressing that visa regimes between Nigeria and Southern African countries should facilitate, rather than obstruct, movement among citizens, businesses and institutions.
Enikanolaiye also called for more regular consultations among African countries, particularly before major multilateral engagements, arguing that closer coordination would enable African states to develop common positions and strengthen the continent’s collective voice on the international stage.
He disclosed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was reviewing existing Joint Commission mechanisms to revive dormant agreements and establish a framework for regular and comprehensive bilateral consultations.
According to him, the mechanisms would provide platforms for reviewing cooperation in political, economic and social sectors and identifying new areas of partnership.
The minister described the meeting with the SADC diplomatic community as an important opportunity to reignite relations between Nigeria and Southern Africa, assuring the representatives of Abuja’s readiness to maintain open channels of communication.
He said Nigeria would continue working with SADC member states to advance shared interests while promoting African integration, unity and prosperity.
