ETHIOPIA has banned visa-on-arrival for Nigerians, effective immediately and travellers are now required to apply online and obtain their visas at its embassy in Abuja before embarking on any trip to the country.
Other countries affected include Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central Africa Republic, Chad, Cote d’Ivoire, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Mauritania and Niger.
The also extends to Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Togo, South Sudan, Uganda, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Columbia, Ecuador, French Guyana, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela.
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Travellers from the above-named countries must also produce their yellow fever vaccination cards at any of its borders.
A statement by the Ethiopian government on Tuesday did not say what prompted the ban, but stated that the new policy did not affect passengers transiting overnight in Addis Ababa.
“Please, be informed that effective immediately, no more visas on arrival for Nigerian citizens.
“Passengers having a layover in Addis to travel the next morning to Zanzibar, Seychelles, Lusaka, Lilongwe, Harare, Cape Town, etc., are not affected by the ban and do not need a transit visa for their trips,” the statement read.
The ban comes barely two weeks after the Nigerian government unveiled Ethiopian Airlines as its major partner for the Nigeria Air project.
While the Nigerian government will control only five per cent equity and a consortium of the three Nigerian investors of MRS, SAHCO and the Nigerian Sovereign Fund will have 46 per cent, Ethiopian Airlines will own 49 per cent equity.
The Ethiopian e-Visa fees are paid securely online by debit or credit card and applications can be processed within 24 hours. Approved e-Visas are sent to applicants by email and travellers can present their e-Visas, along with their passports, at the Ethiopian border to gain entry.
It will also be recalled that the United Arab Emirates had introduced a new visa regime, effective October 4, that restricts tourist visas to persons above the age of 40 years, the only exception being those applying for family visas.
Under the new requirement, Nigerians seeking travel access to the middle east country must include confirmed hotel reservations, a six-month bank statement showing both cash inflows and outflows, and a confirmed return ticket confirmation.