Abuja, Nigeria
The British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr Richard Montgomery, says Nigerians have been granted around 300,000 United Kingdom visas in the last few years.
Montgomery said approval of large visas for Nigeria is evidence of the positive relationship the UK has with Nigeria.
The British High Commissioner stated that approximately 300,000 new visas were issued to Nigerians in recent years.
TheCable reported that the envoy, who did not specify a particular time frame, made this remark during his appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Monday.
In response to a question about the restrictions imposed on certain UK visas—measures that many have criticized as harsh—the High Commissioner noted that the overall trends for Nigeria have been positive.
“I have to contest this picture because the UK in the last couple of years has granted around 300,000 new visas to Nigerians which far exceeds any other visa relationship which Nigeria has with any other country,” Montgomery said.
“The trends have been really positive. Nigeria has been a major beneficiary of the post-Brexit migration visa rules.
If you look at the number of people receiving work visas for the UK, these individuals play a crucial role in certain sectors, especially in social care. The number of people granted work visas has increased significantly, rising from around 10,000 to 20,000 six or seven years ago, to 80,000 and 90,000 annually in the past two years.
“Now, we have 145,000 visit visas already approved this year, similar to last year. Student numbers are down. We had around over 100,000 last academic year. The initial figures suggest they’re around 70,000 this year.
“So student numbers, I admit, are down, but I think everybody agrees that it’s a huge relationship. There’s a lot of positivity in it.
“If you apply with the right documentation and the right evidence, the approval rate is very high. Student visas, it’s 75 percent I think, sorry, 97 percent. Work visas, if you’ve got the right documentation and the job lined up again, are very high.
“So I would like to emphasize how huge the relationship is, it outstrips any other visa relationship that Nigeria has with any other single country in my understanding.”
Montgomery who was posted to Nigeria in March 2023 added that Nigeria accounts for about 10 percent of visas granted by the UK in the last two years.
