By Adedapo Adesanya

The United Kingdom has opened the biggest visa application centre in Africa in Lagos, Nigeria through the UK’s new commercial partner, VFS Global to ease the often burdensome process.

According to a statement by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), residents of Nigeria travelling to the UK can now book appointments to submit their visa applications through VFS Global’s new state-of-the-art Visa Application Centres (VAC) located in Abuja, Ikeja (Lagos) and Victoria Island (Lagos) which have commenced operations since November 19.

The UK is a popular destination for travellers across Africa, with Nigeria being among the highest nationalities by volume for UK visit visas, accounting for 5 per cent of the global total. In the African region, VFS Global will provide Visa Application Centres for the UK in 31 countries.

Commenting at the launch of the new UK Visa Application Centre which is situated in Ikeja, Lagos, the British Deputy High Commissioner, Mr Jonny Baxter, said, “I am delighted to witness the opening of this, the largest visa application centre in Africa. Nigeria remains one of the UK’s most important partners, and we hope that VFS deliver ever-improving services for those applying for visas to the UK.”

The Director of Visa, Status and Information Services at UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), Mr Marc Owen, said, “The opening of our new VAC in Ikeja marks an exciting milestone for UKVI and VFS Global in the provision of a world-class UK visa service here in Nigeria and elsewhere across Africa.

“In the year to June 2024, we processed more than 225k UK visas for Nigerian nationals across all categories and this new partnership demonstrates our continued commitment to ensuring our visa services are accessible, efficient and meet the needs of all applicants.”

Adding his input, the Head-Sub-Saharan Africa, VFS Global, Mr Alok Singhal added that, “We are excited to embark on this new journey with UK Visas and Immigration here in Nigeria. We have enjoyed a long-standing partnership with UK Visas and Immigration since 2003 and look forward to now bringing travellers from Nigeria our best-in-class services.”

According to the statement, UK visa customers can choose from optional services offered by VFS Global, to provide enhanced comfort and convenience. These include document upload assistance, Prime Time for application submission outside of business hours, SMS notifications, document checking service, and courier return of the passport once a decision has been made.

VFS Global’s Keep My Passport While Applying service allows customers to keep their passports once their application is submitted and biometrics have been enrolled. Customer will only need to re-submit their passport when a decision is reached.

Customers in Abuja can also submit their UK visa applications from the comfort and safety of their home, office, or any other preferred location with its On Demand Mobile Visa service.

In addition, their Premium Lounge service offers a personalised submission experience with dedicated staff members.

The UK government added a caveat that these services are completely optional and have no bearing on the processing timeline and outcomes of visa applications.

As a partner to UK Visas and Immigration since 2003, VFS Global offered visa services in 58 countries before the new contract and has now been awarded the contract to provide UK visa services in 142 countries worldwide.

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has been commended by the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) for successfully completing the long-awaited rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt Refinery after several failed self-imposed deadlines.

The group described this as a significant achievement, which it said marks a pivotal step towards revitalizing Nigeria’s oil and gas sector and ensuring energy security for the Nigerian people.

“The rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt Refinery will be a legacy achievement for the Mele Kyari-led management team.

“We see this success as a fruit of our commitment to advocacy for enhanced Nigeria’s refining capacity, reduced dependency on imported petroleum products, and urgent need to combat corruption in the petroleum industry,” the organisation stated in a statement signed by its Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Mr James Ezema.

But it tasked NNPC to “adopt a more transparent and accountable approach in its operations,” submitting that, “As a government-owned commercial entity, it is imperative that NNPC Limited operates with the highest standards of openness, ensuring that the Nigerian people are fully informed about its activities and financial dealings.”

“Transparency is not only a cornerstone of good governance but also essential for building public trust and confidence,” the CNPP stated.

The umbrella body of all registered political parties and political associations in Nigeria equally called on NNPC Limited “to avoid the controversies that have previously marred the resuscitation of the Port Harcourt Refinery as a result of failure to meet its own set deadlines.”

“It is crucial that the processes for reviving the remaining Nigerian refineries, as directed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, are conducted with utmost integrity and transparency. The Nigerian people deserve to see clear, accountable, and efficient management of these vital national assets.

“Furthermore, the CNPP appeals to President Tinubu to ensure greater transparency within the oil industry. Increased transparency will attract more investment, drive economic growth, and reduce the corruption that has long plagued the sector.

“Corruption in the oil and gas industry has been a significant detriment to Nigeria’s economy, leading to substantial revenue losses and forcing the country into a cycle of borrowing.

“The CNPP insists that addressing corruption and enhancing transparency in the oil and gas sector is paramount to Nigeria’s economic stability and growth. The Nigerian people must be assured that their resources are managed responsibly and that the benefits of these resources are equitably distributed.

“The Nigerian people expects a cheaper pump price of locally refined petroleum products in the coming days.

“The CNPP remains committed to advocating for policies and practices that promote good governance, accountability, and sustainable development in Nigeria.

“We will continue to monitor the activities of NNPC Limited and other key stakeholders in the oil and gas sector to ensure that the interests of the Nigerian people are always prioritized above personal mundane interests,” the group said.

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