Nigerians Lose at Least ₦75 Billion a Year to Foreign Missions in Visa Fees, Report Says
Nigerians lose no less than ₦75 billion every year to non-refundable visa application costs paid to foreign missions, according to a new report.
Rejected Schengen visa applications alone account for an estimated €11.5 million (about ₦19 billion) in 2025. The report puts Nigeria’s Schengen refusal rate at 46.9 per cent in 2025, up from 45.9 per cent in 2024. That total combines about €6.05 million in visa fees with roughly €5.2 million in other application-related costs. The report also says Nigerians account for 44.4 per cent of all African visa refusals by the UK.
The ₦75 billion figure is an estimate. It comes from a 2025 THISDAY investigation, which based its calculations on conservative assumptions about daily application numbers. The estimate excludes priority services and long-term visas. Real losses are therefore likely higher.
Costs keep rising. A 10-year UK visitor visa now costs £1,128, about ₦2.09 million. Schengen applicants pay €90 in visa fees plus €35 in application centre charges. Japan increased its visa fees for Nigerians from 1 July 2026. The Schengen fee rose from €80 to €90 in 2024, and the UK’s standard visitor visa fee rose from £100 to £127 within about 20 months.
