Nigerians have contributed more than N68 billion to the British government through visa processing fees, according to data from the UK embassy.
The figure stems from the processing of at least 225,000 UK visa applications by Nigerian nationals during the year ending in June 2024. With a standard six-month UK visitor visa priced at $150, this translates to over $34 million (N68 billion) in revenue for the British government.
Marc Owen, director of visa, status, and information services at UK Visas and Immigration, shared the statistics during the launch of Africa’s largest UK visa application center (VAC) in Lagos on Wednesday.
“In the year to June 2024, we processed more than 225k UK visas for Nigerian nationals across all categories,” Owen said. “This new partnership demonstrates our continued commitment to ensuring our visa services are accessible, efficient, and meet the needs of all applicants.”
The British High Commission in Lagos quoted Owen in a statement, adding that the launch reflects the UK government’s drive to enhance visa services across Africa.
“I’m delighted to be here in person as we celebrate this important moment together with our customers and partners,” Owen said.
The new visa application center, located in Lagos, is expected to handle a significant portion of applications from Nigerians, who make up one of the largest groups of UK visa applicants in Africa.