- Kenya's Foreign Affairs PS Korir Sing'oei publicly condemned Nigeria's treatment of Kenyan visa applicants, calling it unacceptable
- Kenya grants Nigerians visa-free entry, but the gesture is not reciprocated, with Kenyans facing lengthy and costly application processes
- The government said it is pursuing a remedy at both diplomatic and political levels after a Kenyan's complaint went viral
Kenya's government has formally protested the treatment of its citizens applying for visas to Nigeria.
In a tweet Tuesday,October 27, Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing'oei declared the situation unacceptable and pledging action.
Sing'oei posted his statement on X, tagging both the Kenya High Commission in Nigeria and Nigeria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs to bring the matter to the attention of both offices.
He wondered why Abuja would not reciprocate the visa-free courtesy Kenya accords Nigerians.
"The treatment of Kenyans seeking visas to Nigeria is unacceptable. While we extend visa free entry to Nigerian citizens, this is not reciprocated. The inconvenience suffered by Kenyans is unwarranted. We are pursuing the remedying of this situation with vigor at diplomatic and political levels," he wrote.
The PS did not specify what concrete steps Kenya intended to take, nor did he indicate whether Nairobi would consider reintroducing visa requirements for Nigerian nationals.
What Prompted the Government's Response
Sing'oei was responding to a complaint posted on Monday, October 26, by a Kenyan who detailed the burden of applying for a Nigerian visa.
"By the way applying for a Nigerian Visa - you need more documents than you need for the UK, US, Schengen. And the process is longer. You even need the passport of the inviter. A colleague is applying because someone decided to host a conference in Nigeria that he has to attend," the X user wrote.
The frustration echoes a pattern of complaints from Kenyans. In March this year, CNN journalist Larry Madowo highlighted the same contradiction, noting he was paying USD 80 (about KSh 10,000) for a single-entry Nigerian visa despite Nigerians entering Kenya without one.
He later reported that Kenyans were being denied Nigerian e-visas even after paying the fee and submitting all required documents, including flight bookings, hotel reservations, and invitation letters.
Kenya's Visa-Free Policy and Nigeria's Stance
President William Ruto extended Kenya's visa-free access to citizens of all African countries in July 2025, excluding only Somalia and Libya.
Despite that policy, many African nations, Nigeria among them, have not offered reciprocal terms to Kenyan travellers.
Nigeria operates what it describes as a Reciprocal Visa Fee Policy, charging foreign nationals based on what their home governments charge Nigerians.
A Nigerian travel expert, speaking to BusinessDay, noted that Nigeria applies fees to almost all countries that grant its citizens visa-free entry, including Kenya, with only ECOWAS member states receiving different treatment.
Critics argue the policy is applied inconsistently.
Sing'oei's public statement marks the Kenyan government's most direct acknowledgement yet of the longstanding grievance, raising the prospect that the issue could be escalated through formal diplomatic channels in the coming weeks.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
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