Visa Access Key to Making Nigeria’s Bilateral Deals Work, Says ADSC Boss, Oluwafemi ~ Truth Reporters

 

Founder, Africa Development Studies Centre (ADSC), Sir Victor Oluwafemi has said Nigeria’s renewed push in bilateral agreements, trade instruments, and aviation partnerships is a strategic step in the right direction. 

Oluwafemi who is also Founder, Douglas Development Institute (DDI) disclosed this in a statement at the weekend declaring that: "Yet a hard truth must be stated plainly: trade without mobility is a half-win.

" Agreements that Nigerians cannot practically access appear impressive on paper but are weak in the real economy.

"Across multiple partner jurisdictions, Nigerians with legitimate reasons to travel for business, investment, conferences, education, and professional engagements continue to face slow, uncertain, and discretionary visa outcomes. 

"When processing timelines are unpredictable, appointments are scarce, and decisions are inconsistent, it becomes difficult to convert trade promises into transactions and partnerships into measurable outcomes.

"This is not merely a consular concern. It is a competitiveness concern.

"A trade agreement only works when traders can travel to meet buyers, inspect goods, conclude contracts, and support delivery. 

"An investment partnership only works when investors can deploy teams, undertake due diligence, and execute quickly. 

"An airline arrangement only becomes commercially viable when passenger access is reliable and predictable. Without visa facilitation, Nigeria risks building corridors that look open but function as closed.

He explained that: "Nigeria must therefore adopt a clear national standard: every primary bilateral economic instrument must include a reciprocal visa facilitation and mobility protocol, designed for delivery, not ceremony.

"This can be structured realistically:

• Official Mobility Track: fast track visa handling for government delegations and priority public missions, with clear timelines.

• Verified Business Mobility Track: multi-entry visas and accelerated processing for verified exporters, investors, executives, and structured trade missions.

• Professional and Talent Mobility Track: sector-specific lanes for technical experts, creatives, academics, and service providers aligned with bilateral priorities.

"Nigeria is entitled to reciprocity. If Nigeria’s doors are open through cooperation frameworks, partner countries' doors must also open to legitimate Nigerian travellers.

" Anything less creates an imbalance in which agreements benefit the movement of capital and counterparties but restrict the movement of Nigerian people who are required to deliver the outcomes.

"Silence on this issue is costly. It fuels public frustration, weakens confidence in economic diplomacy, and reinforces the perception that bilateral agreements are elite instruments rather than national opportunities. 

"It also slows down the very Nigerians who convert policy into exports, jobs, tourism, and inflows of investment.

"I respectfully call on Mr President to treat mobility as a core pillar of economic statecraft and to mandate that visa facilitation clauses become a standard annexe to trade deals, aviation arrangements, and partnership frameworks. 

"Nigeria should also publish measurable delivery indicators for each partner country, including processing timelines for verified applicants and the availability of multi-entry pathways.

"Nigeria has shown momentum in signing agreements. The next test is whether Nigerians can access, use, and monetise them.

Issued by:

Sir Victor Walsh Oluwafemi, KJW

Founder, Africa Development Studies Centre (ADSC)

Founder, Douglas Development Institute (DDI)

Isle of Man-based Development Consultant and International Capacity Building Executive