Nigeria, South Africa meet to resolve Visa, other issues

Nigeria and South Africa have agreed to resolve the issues of visa restrictions between both countries.

Both countries are in the process of adopting simplified visa processes for business people.

At a meeting of top government functionaries from the two African powerhouses in Abuja on Tuesday, they both reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen cooperation in the area of trade and investment, defence, energy and people to people exchanges.

Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Amb. Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu led her nation’s delegation while the South Africa’s team was led by the country’s Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ms. Thandi Moraka to the Abuja Political Consultations between both countries.

Both countries, according to a communique issued at the end of the meeting also agreed to address challenges that hinder greater economic integration.

The political consultation was meant to strengthen the longstanding bonds of friendship, cooperation, solidarity between the two countries, and pursuant to the decision to adopt and sign the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Political Consultations during the 10th Session of the Bi-National Commission (BNC) held in Abuja, Nigeria in December 2021.

After much deliberations, the meeting, according to the communique reviewed the following amongst others:

“In terms of the Liberalisation of Visa Restrictions, it was noted that both countries are in the process of adopting simplified visa processes for businesspeople to remedy persisting visa-related challenges”.

The two Ministers also welcomed “the finalisation of the MoU on the Early Warning Mechanism, seeing it as a transformative tool in addressing consular and migration issues. They emphasized that effective implementation of the MoU is crucial to strengthening coordination, streamlining the movement of people and goods between the two countries, thereby contributing to social, cultural, technical, scientific, tourism, and private business sector growth.”

The communique also stated “Both sides acknowledged that the cultural exchanges between the two countries remain strong. Nigeria and South Africa cooperate in the film industry through an official Audio-Visual Cooperation Agreement, signed in 2021. This agreement facilitates co-production, skills transfer, investment, and joint promotion of their audio-visual sectors. Collaborations include sharing technical expertise, shooting on location in both countries, and joint participation in industry events.

“In the area of Transport, it was noted with satisfaction that the MoU between South Africa and Nigeria on the Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS) and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) was signed on 17 January 2025 in Johannesburg.”

The parties also discussed “the MoU on Standards and Standardisation between the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) and the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) that could not be signed in Cape Town during the BNC held in 2024. It was agreed that it would be signed in March, 2025”.

Nigeria and South Africa, the communique also said would work towards the operationalisation of the Joint Ministerial Advisory Council on Industry, Trade and Investment (JMACITI).

The Session, the communique also noted expressed concern that the 3rd Consular and Migration Forum (CMF) has not taken place and requested that this be convened during the 1st quarter of the year 2026 in Pretoria, and matters related to migration and consular be discussed and reviewed as was agreed in the 10th BNC.”

The meeting commended the work of the Defence and Security Working Group, which convened the 6th Session of the Defence Committee (DEFCOM) in Abuja from 1-5 September 2025, to review progress on the implementation of the 11th BNC decision. “The co-chairs encouraged other Working Groups to intensify efforts to ensure the timely execution of all agreed decisions.

The meeting also applauded the formal establishment of a Joint Implementation Committee (JIC), which is to be co-chaired by the leaders of the Working Groups. The JIC will serve as the monitoring and evaluation mechanism and structure of all the bilateral issues that have been agreed upon in the last two (2) BNCs held in 2021 and 2024, and Political Consultation, as well as future engagements. The Session also directed that the Joint Implementation Committee (JIC) must meet quarterly (virtually) for monitoring and evaluation in order to manage the implementation of all BNC decisions.

They also expressed commitment to holding regular Political Consultations for continued bilateral engagements.

“The Co-chairs acknowledged the work that is underway in preparation for the G20 Africa Outreach meeting on Industrialization and Agriculture, that will be hosted in Abuja on 3 November 2025. This meeting will amplify Africa’s perspectives on industrialization, sustainable agriculture, and value-chain development within the global economic agenda.

The Parties agreed that the next Political Consultation, which would be preceded by the Mid-Term Review Meeting, would be held in Abuja, Nigeria, in 2026 on dates and venues to be mutually agreed, and conveyed through diplomatic channels.