Is the World Turning Its Back on Nigeria?

For a long time, Nigerians have been welcomed across the globe. We’ve seen our people succeed as doctors in the UK, engineers in Canada, tech experts in America, and even actors and artists in big industries like Nollywood and Hollywood. 

Nigerians abroad send home over $20 billion every year, helping families survive. Our music, fashion, and books are celebrated worldwide. But something is changing and not in a good way.

Lately, it feels like many countries are no longer as open to Nigerians as they once were. It’s getting harder to get visas, and even when people are lucky to get them, they often come with strict conditions. 

For example, the United States now gives Nigerians only three-month visas for a single visit, compared to the ten-year multiple-entry visas other countries enjoy. In 2024, nearly 6 out of every 10 Nigerians who applied for U.S. travel visas were denied.

Canada, a country many young Nigerians dream of going to for school or work, has also become tougher. Over 60% of Nigerian student visa applications were rejected in 2024. The reasons are often unclear and leave many feeling unwanted. 

The UAE, once a hot spot for Nigerian travelers and business people, has suspended and changed its visa rules several times, mostly because of fraud concerns.

These changes are signs of something bigger. Nigeria’s image abroad is no longer as strong as it used to be. Other countries are starting to see us as a risk not because of the average Nigerian, but because of the problems back home. Insecurity, bad governance, corruption, and a weak economy all play a role. 

When the world reads about kidnappings, terrorism, or poor leadership in Nigeria, it affects how we are treated abroad.

Even diplomatically, we’ve been missing in action. Key ambassador positions in places like Washington, D.C., and Ottawa have been left empty for too long. That means no one is there to speak for Nigerians or negotiate better visa policies.

Some Nigerian leaders have tried to push back by threatening to stop trade deals or shift focus to countries like China, India, and Russia. While this might sound bold, it won’t solve the real problem. Until we fix things at home, our international reputation will continue to suffer.

So what can we do?

The solution isn’t to complain or beg. We need to work on ourselves. That means:

• Fixing our economy so people can find good jobs without needing to run abroad.
  
• Improving security so that Nigerians and foreigners can feel safe.
  
• Fighting corruption so that our country can be trusted again.
  
• Sending trained and experienced diplomats to represent us well around the world.
  

Only when we do this hard work will the world begin to open its doors to us again, not out of pity, but because we have proven ourselves as worthy partners.