News
1.34 million Nigerians denied UK visas in 21 years
The United Kingdom rejected at least 1,344,595 Nigerian visa applications between 2005 and the first quarter of 2026, official Home Office data reveals.
The rejection rate places Nigeria second globally in total visa refusals, behind only India and ahead of Pakistan and China, among others, as Nigerians alone accounted for 44.4 per cent of all UK visa rejections across Africa in the period.
Over the 21-year period, the UK also granted 2,723,558 visas to Nigerians, making it the third-highest total issued to any nationality in the world, behind only India and China.
The data showed that Nigeria was the largest single recipient of UK entry clearance visas in Africa, ahead of South Africa (1,638,538) and Egypt (695,606).
The figures are drawn from the UK Home Office’s entry clearance visa outcomes datasets, covering the first quarter of 2005 through the first quarter of 2026, obtained by The PUNCH from the UK government’s immigration system statistics data tables published in 2026.
The dataset covers all decisions across visitor, study, work, family, and other visa routes.
For Nigeria, the cumulative refusal rate over the 21-year period stood at 33.1 per cent, more than double the UK’s global average of 14.8 per cent.
Of the approximately 4.09 million Nigerian applications submitted, 4,068,153 received issued or refused decisions.
Nigeria’s 1.34 million refusals accounted for 15.2 per cent of all 8,829,638 UK visa refusals worldwide.
Over the two decades, approximately one in every seven UK visa rejections went to a Nigerian applicant, even as Nigerians submitted just 6.8 per cent of all global applications.
Visitor visas dominated both the grants and the rejections. Of the 1,344,595 refused applications for Nigerians, 1,127,088, or 83.8 per cent, fell in the visitor category, which carried a 37.1 per cent refusal rate over the full period.
Study visa rejections totalled 130,712 at a 20.5 per cent rate, work visa rejections amounted to 41,410 at 16 per cent, and family refusals were 12,217.
In 2025, visitor visa refusals alone stood at 66,143, against 105,039 issued, at a 38.6 per cent rejection rate.
By the first quarter of 2026, 13,779 visitor visa applications had already been refused at 37.5 per cent.
The period with the sharpest refusal rate was the mid-2000s, where, in 2006, the UK turned down 117,968 Nigerian applications, a rate of 49.6 per cent.
Refusals had also reached 111,058 in 2005 at a 44.4 per cent rate.
The numbers improved over the ensuing decade, with the refusal rate falling to 26.2 per cent in 2011 and eventually reaching its recent low of 21 per cent in 2023, when a post-pandemic surge drove a record 281,658 visa grants to Nigerian applicants.
It was the highest single-year total in the dataset, preceded by 249,332 grants in 2022.
However, the high acceptance rate did not last. In April 2024, the UK raised the minimum salary threshold for Skilled Worker visas from £26,200 to £38,700, a 48 per cent increase, and restricted dependent visa rights for students and care workers, which cut application volumes.
Nigeria’s work visa applications fell by about 68 per cent in 2024 after the salary threshold review rendered many previously qualifying roles ineligible, according to analysis by immigration research firm Intelpoint.
In 2024, 77,706 Nigerians were refused at a rate of 33.5 per cent, and in 2025, 77,571 were refused at 33.1 per cent.
By the first quarter of 2026, 16,692 had been refused at 35.4 per cent, higher than either of the preceding two full years.
In Africa, Nigeria topped the list of nationalities with the most UK visa rejections.
Of the 3,027,198 total UK visa refusals for all African nationalities over the period, Nigeria’s 1,344,595 constituted 44.4 per cent.
Ghana ranked second among African countries with 374,108 refusals at a 40.5 per cent rate, followed by Algeria (191,903 refusals at 41.7 per cent rate), Egypt (134,055 at 16.2 per cent rate), Zimbabwe (102,246 at 26 per cent rate), Morocco (93,722 at 22.2 per cent rate), Kenya (75,973 at 18.8 per cent rate), Uganda (64,759 at 34.9 per cent rate), South Africa (61,521 at 3.6 per cent rate), and Sudan (59,069 at 31 per cent rate).
Across all nationalities, the UK processed 60,063,475 visa applications between 2005 and Q1 2026, issuing 50,873,344 and refusing 8,829,638.
African applicants submitted 11,433,508 of those visa requests, making up nine per cent of the global total, yet received 3,027,198 refusals, representing 34.3 per cent of all UK rejections worldwide.
African nations accounted for nearly double the share of applications, yet generated only about half the volume of refusals.
Nigeria alone submitted 35.7 per cent of all African applications and claimed 32.7 per cent of all UK visas issued to Africans.
The UK entry clearance visa system requires citizens of non-exempt countries, including Nigeria, to obtain formal permission before arrival.
Under the points-based immigration framework introduced in 2008 and expanded after Brexit, applicants must demonstrate financial solvency, genuine intent to visit, and sponsorship for work and study routes.
Visitor visa decisions, which remain the most contested category, depend on entry clearance officers’ assessment of financial evidence and the applicant’s ties to their home country.
These criteria, reports say, have historically led to higher refusal rates among applicants from economies classified as high-emigration risk.
In the year ending September 2025, Nigerians ranked among the top five nationalities submitting asylum claims after entering the UK on a valid visa.
The Home Office said this pattern has led it to tighten controls on its visa and asylum grants to Nigerians.
Speaking to our correspondent, a former Nigerian Ambassador to Singapore, Ogbole Amedu-Ode, said the inclination to leave the country largely stems from Nigeria’s struggling economy, with many citizens taking the Japa route.
He argued that the japa trend may only be reduced by significant economic improvement in the nation.
“The urge to travel out of the country is, in itself, primarily a function of the performance of our national economy. The economic doldrums have pushed compatriots into Japa mode.
“The trend may, unfortunately, increase until there’s a turnaround in the performance of the national economy,” the ex-diplomat noted.
He said while the number of visa rejections is worrisome, the sheer volume of approvals balances it out.
Amedu-Ode added, “Even then, the simultaneous increase in approvals and rejection is a function of the spike in the number of our compatriots applying to travel to that zone of the world.”
The South East Development Commission (SEDC) yesterday commenced the implementation of its South East Agro-Development Programme with the flag-off of a 200-hectare integrated model farm at Nomeh Unateze, Nkanu East, Enugu State.
Designed as a regional development intervention rather than simply a farming project, the initiative will integrate dairy, poultry, fisheries, fodder production, mechanisation, processing and practical agricultural training, while connecting surrounding smallholder farmers to inputs, technical support and markets through an out-grower programme.
The project reflects SEDC’s broader mandate to strengthen productive capacity and create sustainable economic opportunities across the South East, while aligning with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda on food security, agricultural productivity, mechanisation, value addition and job creation. The Nomeh facility will serve as a pilot for developing and replicating similar agricultural interventions across the five states of the region, with the broader objective of increasing food production, strengthening agricultural value chains and enabling more people to participate in modern agriculture.
This is a summary of what happened yesterday. They can rewrite it to gain traction according to their audience
IBADAN — Oyo State Governor and Allied Peoples Movement (APM) presidential candidate, Seyi Makinde, has denied claims by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, that the Federal Government provided ₦50 billion to the state for the upgrade of the Ladoke Akintola International Airport, Ibadan.
Makinde made the denial on Tuesday while addressing supporters and stakeholders at the Makinde/Daura 2027 Presidential Town Hall meeting in Katsina.
The governor said the Federal Government did not give either him or the Oyo State Government ₦50 billion for the airport project, insisting that the ongoing expansion and rehabilitation works were being financed entirely by the state.
“My attention was drawn to an interview granted yesterday by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, where he said that the President gave N50 billion to Oyo State to upgrade the Ibadan Airport to international standards,” Makinde said.
“I want to say that claim is false. The President did not give me or Oyo State N50 billion to upgrade the Ibadan Airport. The Ibadan Airport upgrade project is being undertaken 100 per cent with the funds of Oyo State.”
Wike had made the ₦50 billion claim during an appearance on TVC’s Journalists’ Hangout programme on Monday, saying the President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government had supported the Oyo airport project.
The disagreement centres on the source and nature of funding for the airport’s ongoing upgrade.
Public records from Oyo State indicate that the state had previously identified the Ibadan Airport expansion as one of the projects to be financed through its infrastructure funding plans. The state government has also said that its airport proposal received presidential approval without financial obligations being placed on the Federal Government.
However, the competing claims by Wike and Makinde have not, so far, been accompanied by publicly released financial documents conclusively establishing whether a ₦50 billion Federal Government allocation or transfer was made specifically for the airport project.
The dispute comes against the backdrop of Nigeria’s emerging political alignments ahead of the 2027 general elections, with Makinde seeking the presidency on the APM platform while Wike remains a serving Federal Government minister.
Further clarification from the Federal Government, Oyo State Government, or relevant financial and aviation authorities could help establish the precise source and amount of funding committed to the Ibadan airport project.
Two days after reports circulated online that the Umuahia Premier Club, Umuahia Branch had endorsed the member representing Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency, Hon. Obi Aguocha for a second term, the Club has debunked the report, describing the purported endorsement as unauthorised and a departure from its non-partisan traditions.
In a rejoinder issued on Sunday and signed by its Branch Chairman, Premier Ako Obioma, and Branch Secretary, Premier Chuka Agomoh, the club said its attention had been drawn to a purported endorsement of a candidate contesting for elective political office on the platform of a particular political party.
The leadership said the club is, by its founding philosophy, a socio-cultural, non-partisan and unifying organisation established to foster fraternity, mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, cultural solidarity, and the collective advancement of its members and communities.
“It is therefore not the character, tradition or mandate of the Club to adopt or endorse partisan political candidates,” the statement read.
The club said the purported endorsement constituted a significant departure from its established traditions and ethos, warning that it could generate avoidable disaffection, suspicion, and division among members who are entitled to hold divergent political preferences.
“It is acknowledged that the candidate purportedly endorsed is a member of the Club and is entitled, like every other citizen, to participate in the political process and pursue his legitimate political aspirations. However, membership of the Club cannot, in itself, constitute a basis for transforming the Club into a political platform or committing the collective identity of the Club to the political ambition of any individual member,” the statement said.
The club clarified that the gathering held on Sunday, September 20, 2026, was convened as its monthly general meeting and not as a political meeting or a forum authorised to deliberate upon and endorse a political candidate.
It noted that the Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Financial Secretary, Legal Adviser, and four National officers from the branch were reportedly absent from the meeting, adding that the circumstances under which the purported endorsement was made required careful scrutiny.
“It is particularly disturbing that the meeting took place at the residence of the candidate concerned, thereby creating circumstances in which his political associates and party supporters were able to take advantage of the gathering to introduce and advance a partisan agenda that was neither part of the scheduled business of the Club nor sanctioned by its leadership,” the statement read.
The club further said a considerable number of those present were either relatively new members or persons not yet sufficiently conversant with its established procedures and conventions.
“In view of the foregoing, the purported endorsement, to the extent that it purports to represent the collective position of the Club or its Branch, is hereby expressly repudiated, condemned and declared unacceptable,” the statement said.
It warned that appropriate disciplinary measures would be taken against any member found to have deliberately misrepresented the position of the club, acted without authority, or brought its name into disrepute.
The club also reiterated that only the Chairman, Secretary, and Public Relations Officer are authorised to issue or circulate official publications on behalf of the club or the branch, adding that the Secretary and PRO must obtain the requisite approval of the Branch Chairman before issuing any official publication.
“Therefore, anyone who circulated or posted the purported endorsement should as a matter of urgency pull it down immediately,” the statement directed.
The club declared all publications, statements, endorsements or communications already circulated in connection with the purported endorsement as null, void, and of no effect, advising members and the general public to disregard them.
It called on members to remain calm, exercise restraint, and refrain from any action or publication capable of exacerbating the situation, stressing that the club’s unity, integrity, and continued cohesion remain paramount.
“Our political affiliations may differ; our cultural heritage unites us. Our individual political ambitions may vary; the collective interest of our Club and our clans must remain sacrosanct,” the statement concluded.
Enugu Air has launched a new official website, moving its online services to www.enuguairlines.ng.
The airline announced the development in a statement informing passengers and customers of the change, describing the new platform as a safer and more convenient digital channel for accessing its services.
Announcing the migration, Enugu Air said: “We’ve moved! We’re innovating! We’ve migrated to a better, safer and convenient website to connect you to the world.”
According to the airline, the new website will serve as its digital platform for flight bookings, schedules and operational updates.
Passengers and prospective travellers can now visit www.enuguairlines.ng to book flights, check schedules and access the latest information about the airline’s operations.
Enugu Air urged customers to save the new web address and use it for all online flight-related services.
The airline stressed that the change would not affect its identity or services, stating: “Same Enugu Air. New web address.”
It also warned passengers that its former website, enuguairlines.com, had been discontinued and was no longer in use.
The airline therefore advised customers to use www.enuguairlines.ng for its current online services and flight-related information.
The Enugu State House of Assembly, on Monday, called for urgent government intervention following a landslide that cut off Ugwueme and Nenwenta communities in Awgu Local Government Area from other parts of the state.
The Assembly urged the Enugu State Government, State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Ecological Fund to urgently mobilise resources to address the situation and restore access to the affected communities.
The landslide, which occurred on September 18 following torrential rainfall, reportedly blocked the road linking the two communities, forcing residents to pass through neighbouring Abia and Imo states to access other parts of Enugu State.
Moving a motion of urgent public importance, the member representing Awgu South State Constituency, Hon. Anthony Nwankwo, said the disaster had paralysed movement and made emergency response difficult in the affected communities.
Nwankwo also revealed that a family of four reportedly died after a collapsed overhead water tank crushed them, leaving only a four-year-old child who was subsequently rescued.
He lamented that the victims might have been rescued alive if the road leading to the communities had remained accessible.
Nwankwo therefore urged the Assembly to prevail on the relevant authorities to urgently clear the road and restore access to Ugwueme and Nenwenta.
“I move that the House do write the relevant authorities to intervene to open the road leading to Ugwueme and Nenwenta,” he said.
Supporting the motion, lawmakers expressed sympathy with Nwankwo and residents of the affected communities, describing the incident as a serious natural disaster requiring immediate intervention.
Members representing Ezeagu, Nkanu East and Oji River State Constituencies, Hon. Chima Obieze, Hon. Okey Mba and Hon. Osita Eze, respectively, also urged residents to avoid constructing buildings close to hills and engaging in indiscriminate excavation of soil and stones.
They warned that such activities could worsen the risk of landslides.
The lawmakers, however, stressed that government agencies should immediately mobilise resources to clear the affected road and restore access to the communities.
Assembly Confirms Civil Service Commission Nominees
Meanwhile, the Assembly screened and confirmed the appointment of a chairman and four members of the Enugu State Civil Service Commission nominated by Governor Peter Mbah.
The nominees are Prof. Gabriel Ajah as Chairman; Christian Mbah, Member 1; Mrs. Stella Ekweremadu, Member 2; Mrs. Emmanuela Uzonna Ogarabe, Member 3; and Mrs. Theresa Ifeanyichukwu Onyefuzili, Member 4.
The nominees were subsequently confirmed after the lawmakers found them qualified for the positions.
They were asked to take a bow and leave without undergoing prolonged screening after presenting their curriculum vitae and professional records to the Assembly.
Speaking on behalf of the nominees, Ajah pledged that punctuality and discipline would be central to the commission under his leadership.
“We shall lead by example. We must be punctual to work,” he said.
Before his appointment, Ajah had served the Enugu State Government in various capacities, including 19 years as Permanent Secretary and 14 years as Dean of Permanent Secretaries.
He also served as Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and Chairman of the Enugu State Universal Basic Education Board (ENSUBEB), among other positions.
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