Kenya protests Nigeria's visa rules for Kenyans while Nigerians enter Kenya visa-free
Foreign Affairs PS Korir Sing'oei says the government is taking up the matter at diplomatic and political levels.
Based on 3 sources, listed at the end of this story.
A Nigeria Immigration Service passport office in Odosenlu, Ogun State, Nigeria. File photo, 2026. Photo: Ourlib / Wikimedia Commons, CC0, cropped
Kenya has protested the way Nigeria handles visa applications from Kenyans, Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing'oei said on Tuesday. He called the treatment of Kenyan applicants unacceptable and said the inconvenience they face is unwarranted.
Sing'oei said the government is pursuing the matter at diplomatic and political levels. He pointed out that Nigerians can enter Kenya without a visa, while Kenyans need one to travel to Nigeria.
Kenyan applicants have complained about lengthy applications, demands for their Nigerian host's passport details, and rejections after they had submitted documents and paid fees. Under Nigeria's published requirements, tourists must provide two to three months of bank statements, a return ticket, a yellow fever certificate and an invitation letter. Business travellers also need letters from their employer and from the Nigerian company they are visiting.
Kenya opened visa-free entry to citizens of nearly all African countries, including Nigeria, in July 2025. No response from the Nigerian government had been reported by Tuesday night.
