How Travel and Visa Restrictions Impact Nigeria’s Economic Growth

By Ebere Chibuzor

Travel restrictions, visa ban among others have been described as challenges confronting tourism development as the globe rattles amidst new coronavirus variant which has ravaged the world economy.

Stakeholders in Nigerian’s tourism sector, however believes there is enough on the desk to drive towards achieving sustainable tourism growth across states.

Speaking on the development, Nigerian Tourism and Travels Analyst, Chief Chiedu Onwuasigue disclosed that there was no better time than now for Nigerians to comply with the government stipulated protocols in containing the pandemic spread when tourism has tagged most affected as a result of the pandemic.

According to Onwuasigue, “Many people are not traveling and embassies are not issuing visa, while some countries have lockdown their economy completely; and these developments thus far have greatly affected touristic and business adventures.

And when these two ends are affected, it assumed the whole relevant agencies such as Nigerian Immigration Service, Nigerian Customs Service and other statutory agencies at the airports, would be affected although, passengers travel in a more skeletal manner.

READ ALSO: A travelogue trip to Badagry

It means that workers are almost redundants as it currently stand some of these agencies do not work at full capacity. And so it has an adverse effect and of course the airlines also affected because they are not getting as much revenues as they could prior pandemic.

“For example even at domestic level the owner of Air Peace was also lamenting on a live television that they have lost a lot revenue over this pandemic.

Virgin Atlantic the other day they had sacked some of their workers and this was due to the fact they are not making money as expected, while some are merging and certain private organizations who are offering logistics to airlines companies are now pulling out.”

He stated further “We have told the vaccine has been found and so it is another way of building tourists and investors confidence.

Unfortunately we do not have the vaccine in Nigeria and that is because of our own way of doing things and health expert had earlier said Nigeria does not have storing facility that could maintain low temperature for the vaccine.

Government no doubts, in the past including this present government did not pay adequate attention to our health care infrastructure and now it is obvious we are not proactive.”

Continued, “Government to ensure this vaccine is available as soon as possible and so everyone would have a dose of it and so the people normal business would be restored.”

Many Nigerians still believe covid is not real. And the only way which we can reduce the spread is for the people to comply with government stipulated protocols. Nigerians should all involved in the enlightenment programmes.

It’s worrisome to hear that most Nigerians do not believe there is covid. We need more enlightenment at local level to reduce the spread. According to him,” This protocol goes beyond wearing mask.

Let us form the habits of washing of hands, let us also form the habits of maintaining social distances, even in our popular gathering one could hugely notice that people do not even observe the stipulated government measures in trying to contain the spread.

We should realised that our health is in our hands and not in the hands of any government.”

He stated as claimed that Nigerian passport has been rated among the best in the world, it has rated as fifth in the world under this present leadership. Our image has been improved a lot as travellers.

Before it was very easy to switch documents but with the electronic passport , especially the center page is very difficult to tamper due to it security features.

In buttressing this claim, he pointed out that Immigration as a service has done so much to ensure there is credibility on our travel documents and Nigeria is one of the first in Africa to start electronic passport.