Nigeria has introduced a 30-day visa-free entry policy for citizens of Rwanda, reciprocating a similar arrangement already offered by the East African country.
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) announced on Friday that all necessary preparations for the implementation of the policy had been completed following a directive from President Bola Tinubu.
Tinubu is currently in Kigali for the Africa CEO Forum, which commenced on Thursday.
Ahead of the forum, the Nigerian president met with Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame to discuss ways of strengthening diplomatic and bilateral ties between both countries.
The visa-free arrangement follows Tinubu’s consideration of matching Rwanda’s 30-day visa-free access for African nationals as part of efforts to promote pan-African cooperation.
Rwanda remains one of the few African nations that allow citizens of African Union member states to stay for up to 30 days without a visa.
Under the new agreement, Rwandan citizens can now enter Nigeria without a visa for up to 30 days for legitimate purposes such as tourism, business, and official assignments.
However, the NIS stated that anyone intending to stay beyond the approved duration must apply for the appropriate visa through a Nigerian embassy, high commission, or the Nigeria e-visa platform.
The policy applies at all international entry points into Nigeria, including airports, land borders, and seaports.
According to the NIS, the move reflects the growing diplomatic relationship between Nigeria and Rwanda while encouraging intra-African movement, tourism, and economic collaboration in line with continental integration goals.