Visa policy of Nigeria

Visitors to Nigeria require a visa unless they come from one of the visa-exempt countries. All visitors must hold a passport valid for 6 months.

Visa policy map

Visa exemption

Citizens of the following 18 countries can visit Nigeria without a visa:

Visa is not required for former nationals of Nigeria holding a valid foreign passport together with expired Nigerian passport.
Holders of diplomatic or service category passports issued to nationals of Brazil, China, Namibia, Singapore and South Africa do not require a visa to enter Nigeria.
Holders of diplomatic passports issued to nationals of Turkey do not require a visa to enter Nigeria.
Nationals of China holding passports for public affairs do not require a visa for a maximum stay of 30 days.

Visa waiver agreements for diplomatic and official/service passport holders were signed with Vietnam in October 2019 and with Ethiopia in February 2020.

Electronic visa (e-Visa)

Nigeria introduced an e-Visa system on 1 May 2025, granting non-renewable short-term visas across various categories, including business and tourism, with a stated processing time of 48 hours, as well as a digital landing and exit card platform.

Previously, holders of a written e-Visa approval issued by Immigration Authority Headquarters in Abuja could obtain a visa on arrival for business travel, provided they held a visa application form, e-Visa application payment receipt, and an invitation letter from Nigerian company accepting immigration responsibilities. A simplified e-Visa process was announced in July 2024.

A number of countries are not listed as an option on the Nigeria e-Visa website during the application and therefore must obtain visas from an embassy in advance of travel. Citizens of the following countries are not eligible:

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