Chinedu Eze Stringent visa protocols introduced by the United States, some European and Asian countries, including the xenophobia in South Africa have forced Nigerians to discover new destinations during the summer holidays in 2026, especially in Africa. Visa restrictions, which seem to target African countries and other third world nations have forced Nigerians to avoid most European countries, the United States and Canada and now prefer African destinations like Kenya, Rwanda, Egypt, Morocco, Mauritius, Ghana amongst others. Some of these countries offer visa on arrival and e-visas and accept local currencies in the home countries, thereby reducing pressure on scarce foreign exchange. Kenya is completely visa-free for Nigerian passport holders. Nigerian travellers do not need a visa or a pre-travel Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to enter Kenya. Upon arrival in Kenya, travellers are granted entry clearance to stay for up to 60 days. Kenya recorded 2.7 million visitors in 2025 and African continent remained the country’s leading source of visitors, accounting for 47 per cent of all international visitors. Nigerians who travel to Kenya experience notable surge in interest following Kenya’s policy shift in July 2025. A month ago, during an award night in Lagos, Kenya Airways confirmed that its passenger numbers from Nigeria has significantly increased and that most of last year, it operated largely wide- body aircraft to Lagos, projecting to start Abuja as second destination from Nigeria. The airline disclosed that passenger numbers from Nigeria grew by over 10,000 travellers, driven heavily by eased entry rules and visa-free and Electronic Travel Authorization waiver policies enacted by Kenya. This rise in traffic prompted the airline to boost its flight capacities and frequencies out of Lagos This is an indication that more Nigerians now travel to Kenya as they were travelling to South Africa few years ago. Then South Africa served as venue for many Nigerian conferences, where the organisers combine safari and business. Also, Ghana reported that over 176, 000 Nigerians visited the country in 2025, emphasising the massive scale of Nigerian out outbound tourism within the continent Rwanda is visa-free for Nigerian passport holders for short visits. Under a bilateral agreement, Nigerians can travel to Rwanda without obtaining a visa prior to departure and are granted a free 30-day single-entry visa upon arrival. Known as the “Land of a Thousand Hills,” Rwanda is celebrated for its wildlife, including gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park, and its clean, green cities. Also, Nigerian passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Egypt for $30. Travellers may also apply for approval via the Egypt e-visa platform (ESIA). Egypt is known as the treasure trove of ancient history, home to the Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx, the massive temples in Luxor, the Nile River, the blue waters of the Red Sea and the peaceful Siwa Oasis On the contrary, the UK government has continued to implement strict immigration overhauls to curb visa misuse and reduce net migration. Major changes include tightened university sponsorship rules, expanded deportation powers, and higher salary thresholds for skilled workers. Under the Trump administration, US imposed new travel restrictions on Nigerians seeking to enter the United States, targeting visa categories that account for the majority of visas issued to Nigerian nationals by US consular authorities. Under the new measures, Nigerians are barred from entering the US as immigrants or on several non-immigrant visa categories, including B-1 (business), B-2 (tourism), combined B-1/B-2, F (academic studies), M (vocational studies) and J (exchange programmes). These categories represent the bulk of visas issued annually by the US embassy and consulates in Nigeria, covering business travel, tourism, education and exchange programmes. Canada experienced a 48 per cent decline in granting study permits to Nigerians, between January and August 2025, granting only about 2,800 study permits compared with the same period in 2024. Also, the US experienced a 24 per cent year-on-year drop as it issued only around 1,400 F-1 student visas to Nigerians from January to May 2025. The main reasons are the recent travel bans and restrictions. These figures, which point to a reduction in approvals, reveals a complex picture of Nigerian students’ global study trends. Before the summer holidays, average return economy tickets from Nigeria to Kenya, Egypt, and Rwanda was N800,000. However, a summer demand surge has pushed airfares significantly higher. Currently, a return economy ticket from Lagos to Kenya for August and September averages ₦1.3 million, a 62.5 per cent increase. Fli
Don't miss out on breaking stories and in-depth articles.
