Nigeria reduces visa fees for US citizens

The Nigeria government has conceded to pressure by the US to reduce visa charges for Americans visiting the West African nation.

Interior Minister Rauf Aregbesola told journalists that the government had approved a reduction in visa charges for US citizens from $180 (£147) to $150.

The climb down comes after the US government had on Tuesday announced a range of new charges called “reciprocity fees” for Nigerians seeking to travel to America.

The new levies range from $80 to $100 and will only apply to those whose visa applications have been approved.

It was a retaliatory action as Nigeria charges US citizens higher fees for visas than Nigerians pay for US ones.

Consultations between the two countries to reduce visa fees for US citizens had failed to yield results.

It is not clear yet if the US government will now reciprocate Nigeria’s gesture and rescind the new visa fee it had planned to implement from Thursday 29 August.

Hundreds of Nigerians travel to the US each year for education, jobs and healthcare.