UK: Nigeria’s anti-corruption effort will instill trust in doing business in Nigeria

…applauds new visa policy

 

John Howell, United Kingdom’s Prime Minister on Trade to Nigeria says the ongoing fight against corruption would instill trust in doing business in Nigeria.

Howell who spoke during an interactive session with Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture, expressed optimism that the recent review of Nigeria’s visa policy will boost the country’s economy.

He spoke on the heel of the unveiled Visa on Arrival policy for prospective foreign investors and tourists which took place in February 2017.

Howell said that some of the changes made by Nigerian Government would make life better for visitors coming into Nigeria.

“For example the change in visa regulations that allows companies to buy visa at the airport will enable visitors buy visa at your country’s airport, ‘he said.

The envoy, who observed that obtaining Nigerian visa used take a long process, said, “making it easier will make more businesses to visit Nigeria.’’

He also lauded some measures being taken by the Nigerian Government to redeem its economy and stressed the need to strengthen the naira.

“Nigeria is at a cross-road and it is going down on the root of substantial reform and that is good. I personally believe that will make it quicker.

“I think the issue of the value of naira is a challenge and there is need to overcome the difficulties of the naira of not being too convincible.

“It is a major problem and that has to be dealt with sooner than later,’’ he said.

Howell said there was need for the Nigerian government to make the naira stronger, adding that it would continue to pose as challenge to doing business.

“My advice to the government is to be bold with this and to fulfill what they themselves set out with the Central Bank of Nigeria in 2016.

In his remarks, Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed explained that the essence of the new visa policy was to remove bureaucratic bottlenecks and encourage business travellers and tourists into the country.

He added that the measures were part of the action plan to ease doing business in Nigeria and boost tourism.

“The Nigeria Immigration Service has reviewed the requirements for Nigerian visas to make them more customers friendly.

“Types of visas currently reviewed include Visa on Arrival processes, Business Visas, Tourist Visas and Transit Visas,” the minister said.