General
Nigeria Ranks Seventh on Africa Visa Openness Index
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria has ranked seventh in the latest Africa Visa Openness Index published this month by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the African Union Commission.
The index, which has been published since 2016, measures the extent to which African countries are open to visitors from other African countries. It also analyses each country’s visa requirements to show which countries on the continent facilitate travel to their countries.
For each country, the index calculates the number of African countries whose citizens must obtain a visa before travelling there, the number of countries whose citizens may obtain a visa upon arrival, and the number of countries whose citizens do not need a visa to enter.
The index also tracks changes in the countries’ scores over time and then analyses how policies earmarked for freedom of movement across the continent are evolving.
Last year, Uganda was ranked seventh on the continent just behind Seychelles, Benin, The Gambia, Senegal, Ghana and Rwanda but this year, Nigeria upstaged Uganda.
Overall, Africa is almost evenly split between countries with a liberal visa policy and those that partially restrict entry from other African states. A quarter of African countries welcome some or all African visitors visa-free; another quarter, roughly, permits some or all African visitors to obtain a visa on arrival.
This year’s index found that the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic substantially impacted the free movement of people around the continent as governments temporarily reversed their liberal visa regime partly in reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Yet, despite the COVID-19 crisis forcing many African countries to introduce measures to curtail travel, 36 countries have improved or maintained their Visa Openness Index score since 2016 when the visa openness rankings were introduced by the AfDB.
The report mentions Namibia, Morocco, and Tunisia as countries that have made the most progress in visa openness.
Still, high visa fees and cumbersome application processes remain a major bottleneck for travellers in Africa, especially business people. For instance, the average visa fee for Africans travelling on the continent is $63. The visa fees depend on the length of stay and they can range anywhere between $12-250 while the average processing time for issuing a visa can range anywhere between 1-10 days.
Speaking on this, Mrs Monique Nsanzabaganwa, the Deputy Chairperson at the AU Commission noted that the Africa Visa Openness Index report has revealed a real danger of Africa losing the gains in liberal visa policies that the continent has realized over the years.
“A lot more can be done to reduce bureaucracy, address the security implications for the free movement of people agenda, and simplify the visa process so that Africans have a smoother travel experience,” she said.
Experts at both the AfDB and the Africa Union Commission say in order for Africa to recover and rebuild, it is important that the governments combine efforts not only to expand access to vaccines but also ease the movement of people on the continent.
“Making vaccines more accessible and easing the movement of people is essential to kick-start trade and investments in tourism, travel-related industries, and other equally crucial sectors, such as agriculture, energy and manufacturing,” said Mr Khaled Sherif, the AfDB Vice President Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery.
“By supporting the free movement of people, we make it easier for Africans to do business in Africa. Free movement of people, especially workers, could help plug skills gaps while enabling countries to fix skills mismatches in their labour markets,” said Mr Jean-Guy Afrika, the Officer-In-Charge of the Regional Integration Coordination Office at the African Development Bank.
“We need the visa regime to be able to help people move around. We also need the right customs regime and the right border automation control and so on, to support the movement of people, goods and services for the development, growth and sustainability of the African economy as we begin to recover from the pandemic,” said Mrs Adefunke Adeyemi, the Africa Regional Director, at the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
All the police personnel involved in the fatal shooting of Mr Mene Ogidi in the Effurun area of Delta State have been dismissed by the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
A statement issued on Wednesday by the police spokesman, Mr Anthony Okon Placid, a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), said findings established unequivocally that the principal officer, ASP Nuhu Usman, acted in gross violation of Force Order 237 and other extant regulations governing the use of firearms.
The police described his actions as unlawful, unprofessional, and a clear betrayal of the oath to protect life and uphold the law.
It was gathered that the assassination of Mr Ogidi, captured in a video online, happened on Sunday when the deceased was with a package believed to contain a pistol.
After a public outrage, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Tunji Disu, directed all officers connected to the incident to be immediately withdrawn from the Delta State Command and transferred to Force Headquarters, Abuja, where they were subjected to expedited disciplinary proceedings.
The Force Disciplinary Committee (FDC), alongside other internal disciplinary processes, after the conclusion of its review, recommended the immediate dismissal of ASP Nuhu Usman and other officers found culpable.
This has been approved by the police chief and forwarded to the Police Service Commission (PSC) for ratification in line with due process.
It was disclosed that upon completion of the administrative procedures, the affected officers will be handed over to the appropriate judicial authorities for prosecution for their roles in the extrajudicial shooting.
Mr Disu reiterated, in the strongest terms, that the Nigeria Police Force maintains a zero-tolerance stance on extra-judicial actions and abuse of power. No uniform confers the right to take life outside the provisions of the law. Any officer who violates this fundamental principle will face the full weight of disciplinary and legal consequences.
He extended his deepest and most solemn condolences to the family of the deceased, acknowledging the pain and loss suffered and assured the family that this tragic incident would not be treated lightly. The Force is fully committed to ensuring that justice is not only served but seen to be served, in a manner that reinforces public confidence and institutional accountability.
Members of the public were urged to remain calm and law-abiding, as the Nigeria Police Force remains steadfast in its commitment to discipline, professionalism, and the protection of the rights and dignity of all citizens while ensuring accountability at all levels.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Friday, May 1, 2026, has been declared a public holiday by the federal government to celebrate this year’s International Workers’ Day.
The public holiday was declared by the Minister of Interior, Mr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, in a statement signed by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mrs Magdalene Ajani, on Thursday.
The Minister congratulated Nigerian workers on this year’s celebration, lauding them for their hard work and dedication to national development.
He noted that their efforts are essential for the nation’s growth and prosperity, urging them to embrace patriotism, productivity, and dedication to their duties. According to him, these qualities are crucial for sustainable development, assuring that the federal government is committed to supporting the welfare and security of all workers and creating a favourable environment for economic growth.
While wishing workers a happy celebration, the Minister urged all Nigerians to remain peaceful and law-abiding, encouraging everyone to use this occasion to reflect on the importance of unity and hard work in building the nation.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The World Bank Group’s private-sector arm, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and Standard Chartered on Wednesday announced a new risk-sharing facility aimed at strengthening supply chains and supporting business growth across Africa.
The programme will roll out across eight markets—Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia—targeting sectors including agriculture, healthcare and manufacturing, with a focus on improving access to working capital for suppliers.
This marks the IFC’s first project under its Global Supply Chain Finance Program and the Africa Trade and Supply Chain Recovery Initiative, supported by the International Development Association’s Private Sector Window Blended Finance Facility.
Global demand for supply chain finance continues to rise, reaching an estimated $2.7 trillion in 2025, an increase of 8 per cent year-on-year. However, access in emerging markets remains limited, as financial institutions tend to prioritise developed economies.
The facility will cover up to $300 million in supply chain and trade finance assets originated by Standard Chartered. It includes financing instruments such as payables finance, receivables discounting and pre-shipment finance programmes, which enable businesses to access funds earlier in the payment cycle.
The facility aims to address this imbalance by mitigating risk in short-term trade and supply chain finance portfolios, helping to unlock capital in underserved markets.
By accelerating payments to suppliers, the initiative aims to strengthen supply chain relationships, improve delivery reliability and support job creation across value chains.
IFC will provide guarantees of up to $150 million, with $100 million committed as an initial tranche. The facility will support transactions in both U.S. dollars and selected local currencies.
Over three years, the partnership is expected to enable approximately $1.9 billion in supply chain finance transactions, supporting more than 500 suppliers, including small and medium enterprises. The programme also has the potential to indirectly benefit over 1 million farmers.
Speaking on this development, Mr Mohamed Gouled, Vice President, Products & Clients at IFC, said, “Supply chain finance is among the fastest ways to narrow the growing finance gap that businesses, particularly small and medium enterprises, are facing in emerging economies. By partnering with Standard Chartered to support companies at the centre of strategic value chains, we can unlock much-needed working capital at scale for businesses across Africa, including smaller firms and farmers, making supply chains more competitive and boosting job creation.”
On his part, Mr Dalu Ajene, Chief Executive and Head of Coverage, Standard Chartered Africa, said, “This $300 million facility with IFC underscores our shared commitment to strengthening Africa’s supply chains and enabling sustainable business growth. As a super-connector bank with deep expertise across key trade corridors linking Africa to Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the Americas, we are uniquely positioned to channel capital and innovation into the real economy.”
“By expanding access to supply chain finance, we are helping African companies unlock liquidity, manage risk, and invest with confidence. Our collaboration unites Standard Chartered’s cross-border expertise with IFC’s development mandate to empower businesses – from major corporations to smaller local suppliers – to engage more actively in regional and global trade, fostering job creation and promoting inclusive growth,” he added.
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