For many Nigerians hoping to visit, study, work, or attend events in the United States, obtaining a visa may soon become significantly more expensive if reports of a planned centralisation of visa services in Lagos materialise.
The development has sparked concern among prospective travellers, particularly residents of Abuja and northern Nigeria, who fear that the additional costs of transportation, accommodation, feeding, and logistics could make the already challenging visa application process even more burdensome.
Applicants Fear Rising Costs
Thirty-four-year-old Abuja-based entrepreneur Grace Yakubu had been saving for months to fund her U.S. visitor visa application and a planned trip to see relatives in Houston.
Like many Nigerians, she has watched U.S. immigration policies become increasingly restrictive, with reports of shorter visa validity periods, heightened scrutiny of applicants, and growing uncertainty over approvals.
Now, the possibility of travelling to Lagos for visa interviews has added fresh concerns.
“The process is already becoming harder,” she said. “We now have to spend hundreds of thousands of naira travelling to Lagos without knowing whether we will even get approval. It has become a very expensive risk.”
According to her, the burden extends beyond visa fees, as applicants must also budget for flights, hotel accommodation, transportation, and feeding.
“What worries me most is that the extra expenses are not part of the actual visa process. They are just the price of getting access to the process,” she added.
Domestic Airfares Add Pressure
The concerns come as domestic air travel costs continue to rise across Nigeria.
Major airlines including Air Peace, Ibom Air, and United Nigeria Airlines have increased minimum base fares above N200,000 following persistent increases in aviation fuel prices.
BusinessDay findings show that one-way economy tickets on key routes have risen sharply in recent months. A Lagos-Abuja ticket that averaged about N120,000 earlier in the year now costs more than N200,000 on some carriers.
For applicants required to travel to Lagos for visa appointments, the additional transport costs could significantly increase the overall expense of seeking a U.S. visa.
Industry Experts Warn of Longer Wait Times
Travel and immigration stakeholders have also expressed concerns about the impact on appointment availability and processing timelines.
Publisher of Globalafri Diplomat magazine, Sóókó Deji-Ajomale McWord, warned that centralising services in Lagos could worsen existing delays.
“Even when the two missions were providing consular services, you may not get a date for two years,” he said.
“Now, if you’re collapsing the two centres that provide consular services into one, it’s going to be chaotic.”
McWord recalled instances when visa interview slots were unavailable for nearly a year, raising concerns that increased demand could create even longer waiting periods.
Travel Agencies Report Declining Interest
Susan Akporaiye, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Topaz Travels and Tours and former president of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA), said uncertainty surrounding U.S. visa approvals has already reduced travel demand.
“People have been very skeptical about travelling to the U.S., including those that have visas,” she said.
According to her, reports of visa cancellations, deportations, and refusals have discouraged many prospective travellers.
“The percentage of people that the U.S. gives visas to is very small, unlike before,” Akporaiye noted.
She warned that shutting down visa services in Abuja would further discourage applicants and increase costs.
Additional Expenses Could Exceed Visa Fees
Travel consultant Adeogun Foluso said the financial implications extend far beyond the official visa application fee.
According to him, return economy flights between Abuja and Lagos can range between N300,000 and N500,000 depending on booking periods and travel dates.
Applicants may also incur costs for hotel accommodation in areas close to the U.S. Consulate, such as Victoria Island and Ikoyi, alongside feeding and transportation expenses.
“Many people save for months just to pay the visa fee,” Foluso said. “When you add transportation, accommodation, and feeding in Lagos, it becomes another major financial hurdle, especially for students and families.”
Applicants Face Growing Frustration
Victor Afonimeh Okposin, CEO of Travelluxe Hub, said increased demand in Lagos could lead to longer response times and greater frustration among applicants.
He noted that Abuja had historically issued more visas partly because it handled fewer applicants than Lagos.
“For frequent flyers, Lagos may not be a problem. However, the response time, which is affected by the population, would increase the number of denials and frustrations for travellers,” he said.
Families and Professionals Feel the Impact
Former Nigerian Ambassador to Singapore, Ogbole Ode, said applicants outside Lagos would bear the greatest burden if visa processing becomes concentrated in the commercial capital.
“That Lagos becomes the hub of U.S. visa issuance in Nigeria means that all visa applicants, except diplomatic visa holders, outside Lagos will have to head to Lagos with the attendant extra costs and inconvenience,” he said.
A journalist familiar with the visa process estimated that travel-related expenses alone could exceed N500,000 for Abuja residents.
“When you add visa fees and passport collection costs, the total can easily exceed N800,000,” the source said.
For families, these costs may force travel plans to be postponed altogether.
“If we have to go to Lagos, I need flight tickets, hotel accommodation and local transportation,” said Abuja resident Rejoice Anyaegbu.
“That can easily cost more than the visa fees themselves. For many middle-income families, that means postponing travel plans altogether.”
Security Concerns Remain
Beyond the financial burden, some observers have highlighted security concerns associated with long-distance travel to Lagos.
Road travel from northern states can take more than 10 hours, while rising airfares have placed flights beyond the reach of many households.
Public affairs analyst Obute James noted that the uncertainty surrounding visa approvals makes the financial risk even harder to justify.
“You spend money travelling to Lagos, then you are not even guaranteed approval,” he said.
“If your visa is refused, you have lost the application fee and all the travel expenses.”
Uncertainty Over Future Visa Services
While concerns continue to mount, Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has urged caution.
Kimiebi Ebienfa, spokesperson for the ministry, said embassies rarely shut down visa-processing operations completely.
However, he acknowledged that any reduction in services in Abuja would inevitably increase costs for applicants who may need to travel to Lagos for interviews and other visa-related procedures.
As uncertainty persists, many Nigerians remain worried that a Lagos-only visa processing system could make access to U.S. travel opportunities significantly more expensive and less accessible.
