Nigerians lament over exorbitant UK visa application fees

Published

2 years ago

August 22, 2024

Nigerians on Thursday expressed concern over the exorbitant charges for various UK visa application fees, calling on the Foreign Affairs Minister to look into that area.

This complaint was done in a vox-pop interviews by different UK applicants in the country.

Some of them, however, complained about not getting the value for money spent, and the service delivery is also not efficient.

Speaking on the matter, Mr. Ajayi Okon said that he feels they are beginning to make so much money out of Nigerians because most Nigerians love to go there based on proximity.

“I think it is high time the government intervenes; at times it looks like extortion to me. You will pay a priority visa, which is over a million naira, to get a response within 2 days.

“The next thing, you will get an email telling you because of high demand, it will take another 15 days, so what is the essence of the priority paid for?

“ If you are collecting money for a particular service, you should have factored in how you want to deliver efficient service.

However, Mrs. Sarah Mbah said that on the application portal, the self-service option, which is cheaper, is not accessible easily.

According to her, after paying so much on visa fees, you will still be denied without an option of appeal despite the money spent.

“I think the government needs to pay attention, especially in those areas of visa application to other countries.

“The fees are getting too high, and the service delivery is also not satisfactory. Nigerians will outright be denied without any right to appeal after paying so much.

“ I feel is not right; some cases should be allowed to appeal, especially looking at the resources involved, so people won’t feel cheated,“ she added.

Furthermore, Favor Adamu said that the perception is usually that it is people who have the resources that apply for UK visas, but the truth is, people save up for those fees.

She said that because of the high rate of migration, they usually suspect that everyone coming to their country won’t want to return, and based on that, they use that to denial people.

Adamu said based on this, the fees should not be too much, so such a person won’t feel cheated because they cannot even appeal the decision.

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Algeria’s Glorious Revolution: Embassy Marks 72nd Anniversary in Abuja

Published

3 days ago

November 12, 2026

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The Embassy of Algeria in Nigeria has commemorated the 72nd anniversary of the country’s Glorious Revolution of November 1, 1954, with a reception in Abuja, highlighting Algeria’s liberation struggle and strengthening diplomatic relations with Nigeria.

The event, held on November 9, 2026, at Continental Suites Hotel, attracted prominent personalities, including the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dr Tajudeen Abbas, members of the Federal Government, senior government officials, heads of diplomatic missions and other friends of Algeria.

Speaking at the reception, Algeria’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Hocine Mezoued, welcomed guests and paid tribute to the country’s freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives during the struggle for independence.

He described the November 1, 1954 revolution as the foundation of modern Algeria, noting that the sacrifices of the nation’s martyrs made it possible for the country to reclaim its sovereignty.

On Algeria’s development agenda, Mezoued said President Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s administration had continued to pursue economic reforms, diversification and national development under its New Algeria vision.

He noted that the country was recording progress in non-hydrocarbon exports, while improvements in the business environment had boosted investor confidence and attracted significant foreign investments.

On foreign policy, the ambassador reaffirmed Algeria’s commitment to non-interference, respect for national sovereignty, peaceful conflict resolution and the right of peoples to self-determination.

Addressing security challenges in the Sahel, he stressed that lasting peace could not be achieved through military measures alone, insisting that economic development, inclusive dialogue and peaceful resolution of disputes remained essential.

Turning to Nigeria-Algeria relations, Mezoued described the partnership as one founded on shared values and the commitment of both countries’ leaders to advancing African development.

He identified the Trans-Saharan Highway, Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline and Trans-Saharan Fibre Optic Backbone as major strategic projects receiving attention from both countries.

The ambassador also disclosed that Algeria had continued to provide scholarships to Nigerian students to strengthen human capital development and capacity building.

He further announced that Air Algérie expanded its Nigerian operations on October 26, 2026, with the introduction of two weekly flights to Lagos, expressing confidence that the service would boost trade and tourism.

Looking ahead, Mezoued said 2027 would offer fresh opportunities to deepen bilateral cooperation, particularly through the fifth Joint High Bi-National Commission scheduled to hold in Abuja.

He expressed optimism that the meeting would provide an opportunity to assess existing partnerships, identify new areas of cooperation and move Nigeria-Algeria relations towards a more practical and results-driven phase.

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