Group Hails Nigeria-South Africa 10-Year Visa Agreement

The Anti-Corruption and Research-Based Data Initiative (ARDI) has applauded the agreement reached between Nigeria and South Africa on the issuance of ten-year visas to businessmen, academics and frequent travelers as one of the greatest developments in the diplomatic relationship between both countries.

It said that the new diplomatic deal which was part of the agreement extracted from South Africa by President Buhari during his recent state visit to South Africa on the heels of the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians would help guarantee safety and conducive business environment for each other’s nationals in their respective countries. 

A statement issued at the weekend by the Executive Secretary of ARDI, Chief Dennis Aghanya, said the bilateral agreement would further encourage the collaboration of efforts by the security agencies of both countries to curb illicit flow of funds and drugs across each other’s borders.

"It implies that both countries can now guarantee safety and conducive business environment for each other’s nationals in their respective countries.

"There is, therefore, no doubt that President Buhari has initiated moves through this visit to encourage more interaction among citizens of both countries and further strengthen socio-cultural, economic and political relations," he said.

Aghanya said the president should further extend same initiative towards other African governments to open up their economy for more Nigerian businesses and ensure safety and ease of doing businesses in their countries, adding that "we should also extend same gesture to nationals of other countries here in Nigeria."

He commended the mature approach adopted by the federal government towards handling the xenophobia issue, describing it as a demonstration of maturity by the Nigerian government leading by example.

He said that with that visit, the president had demonstrated utmost wisdom like an elder statesman that he is.

"Some people had canvassed all sorts of retaliatory responses when the incident occurred but it wouldn’t have brought the desired solution as much as what we now have," he added.