Rwandans can now enter Nigeria visa-free for 30 days under new deal
Nigeria has officially begun implementing a 30-day visa-free entry policy for Rwandan nationals, marking another step in Africa’s growing push toward easier cross-border movement, trade, and regional integration.
Black News 
Nigeria has officially begun implementing a 30-day visa-free entry policy for Rwandan nationals, marking another step in Africa’s growing push toward easier cross-border movement, trade, and regional integration.
- Nigeria has started a 30-day visa-free entry policy for Rwandan nationals to promote easier cross-border movement.
- Rwandan citizens can now visit Nigeria without a visa for up to 30 days for tourism, business, or official purposes.
- Stays longer than 30 days will require Rwandan visitors to obtain the appropriate Nigerian visa.
- The policy, announced by President Bola Tinubu, reciprocates Rwanda’s own visa-free access for Nigerian citizens.
Rwandan citizens can now travel to Nigeria without a visa for up to 30 days following a new bilateral agreement aimed at strengthening ties between both African countries.
In a press release signed by DCI Akinsola Akinlabi, Service Public Relations Officer at the Nigeria Immigration Service Headquarters in Abuja, authorities confirmed that all arrangements had been concluded to enforce the directive announced earlier by President Bola Tinubu during the Africa CEO Forum in Kigali.
Under the new arrangement, Rwandan citizens will be allowed to enter Nigeria without a visa for stays of up to 30 days for lawful purposes including tourism, business, and official engagements.
"Under this bilateral arrangement, Rwandan nationals may enter Nigeria without a visa for a period not exceeding thirty (30) days for lawful purposes, including tourism, business, and official engagements."
"However, individuals seeking to remain in Nigeria beyond the approved 30-day period will be required to obtain the appropriate visa through a Nigerian Embassy or High Commission abroad, or the Nigeria e-Visa channel." the statement noted.
However, travelers intending to remain beyond the approved period will still be required to obtain the appropriate Nigerian visa through embassies, high commissions, or the country’s e-visa platform.
The immigration service added that all international entry points, including airports, land borders, and seaports, had been directed to commence immediate implementation of the policy.
Tinubu and Kagame discussions
The visa exemption policy follows recent discussions between President Bola Tinubu and Paul Kagame during the Africa CEO Forum held in Kigali, where both leaders discussed strengthening bilateral relations, intra-African mobility, trade, and economic cooperation.
During the forum, Tinubu announced that Nigeria would reciprocate Rwanda’s existing visa-free access for Nigerian citizens by granting a similar 30-day exemption to Rwandan nationals.
The arrangement reflects growing efforts by African governments to ease travel restrictions across the continent as policymakers push to accelerate implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Despite Africa’s large and rapidly growing population, intra-African travel remains heavily restricted in many regions due to visa barriers and administrative bottlenecks that continue to affect business mobility and regional integration.
Countries including Rwanda, Kenya, Ghana, and Benin have in recent years expanded visa waivers or introduced more liberal entry systems for African travelers as part of efforts to strengthen tourism, investment, and continental trade links.
