UK issued 300,000 new visas to Nigerians in recent years—Envoy

Despite some claims that the UK’s immigration policies are restrictive, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery, stated that Nigeria has benefitted significantly from the UK’s visa regulations.

“I must challenge that perception because, in recent years, the UK has granted approximately 300,000 new visas to Nigerians, which far surpasses any other visa relationship Nigeria has with any country,” he said today.

Montgomery noted that post-Brexit trends have been highly favorable, with Nigeria being a major beneficiary of the new migration visa rules.

He lauded the contributions made by Nigerians in the UK, referring to their work as “incredibly important.”

“When you consider the number of individuals receiving work visas in the UK, they play a crucial role in various sectors, particularly in social care,” he stated during the show.

According to Montgomery, Nigeria accounts for about 10% of all visas granted by the UK in the last two years.

“I want to emphasize the significance of our relationship, which exceeds any other visa arrangement Nigeria has with any single country,” added Montgomery, who also serves as the UK Permanent Representative to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

The UK High Commissioner assured that with the proper documentation, the likelihood of receiving visa approval from the UK is quite high.

“If you submit the correct documentation and evidence, the approval rate is very favorable,” he explained.

Montgomery also mentioned that the number of work visas issued to Nigerians has risen significantly, increasing from around 10,000 to 20,000 approximately six or seven years ago to 80,000 to 90,000 annually in the last two years.

However, he acknowledged that the number of student visas has declined.