Nigerian travellers are facing mounting barriers to international travel, with visa rejection rates remaining high across major destinations, according to data cited in a report by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
The report identified African travellers as among the most likely to have been discouraged from visiting destinations because of complex and costly immigration requirements.
IATA said the complexity of entry procedures and associated costs remained major concerns, even as interest in digital travel solutions and biometric identification continued to grow across the continent.
Data on UK visa applications showed that Nigerian applicants recorded an overall refusal rate of 33.1 per cent between 2005 and the first quarter of 2026, more than twice the UK’s global average of 14.8 per cent.
In 2024, the UK rejected 77,706 Nigerian applications, representing a refusal rate of 33.5 per cent. The figure stood at 77,571 applications, or 33.1 per cent, in 2025, before rising to 35.4 per cent in the first quarter of 2026.
For United States B1/B2 business and tourism visas, the adjusted refusal rate for Nigerian applicants rose to 57 per cent in the 2025 fiscal year, compared with 46.51 per cent in 2024.
The Schengen visa process has also remained difficult for Nigerians. European Commission figures showed that 50,376 applications out of 111,201 submitted by Nigerians in 2024 were rejected, representing a refusal rate of 45.9 per cent.
In 2025, the rejection rate increased to 46.7 per cent, with 51,680 applications refused out of 110,603 submitted.
Travel delegation coordinator, Racheal Adewunmi Lasisi, said the figures placed Nigeria among the countries with the highest Schengen visa rejection rates, warning that applicants also suffered significant financial losses through non-refundable application fees.
She identified Belgium as having the highest rejection rate for Nigerian applicants in 2024 at 62.32 per cent, while Switzerland recorded the most favourable approval rate at 79.40 per cent. France received the largest volume of applications from Nigeria.
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Lasisi attributed many visa refusals to insufficient financial evidence, weak economic and social ties to Nigeria, documentation errors and applications submitted to the wrong embassy.
She also stressed the importance of meeting travel insurance requirements, including the mandatory minimum medical coverage of €30,000 for Schengen visa applications.
Across several destinations, visa officers frequently cite doubts about applicants’ intentions to return to their home countries. Employment stability, income, family responsibilities and other economic ties are often considered during assessments.
Economic disparities and the difficulty of meeting financial requirements have also been identified as major obstacles for applicants from low- and middle-income African countries.
Meanwhile, concerns have persisted over what analysts describe as systemic bias against African passport holders, with visa rejection rates across some European destinations reportedly exceeding global averages.
High application fees, limited appointment slots and the activities of illegal visa appointment resellers have further increased the financial and administrative burden on African travellers.
In its 2026 Global Passenger Survey, IATA identified three major developments shaping international travel: growing adoption of biometric identification, increasing use of artificial intelligence in travel planning and rising concerns over immigration requirements.
The association said passengers were increasingly embracing biometric systems to reduce repeated document checks, while interest in digital passports was growing.
It also noted that artificial intelligence was changing how travellers discover destinations, compare airfares and plan their journeys.
However, the growing complexity of entry requirements remains a significant barrier, particularly for African travellers.
Observers have linked the increasing desire among Africans to migrate to Western countries to economic hardship, unemployment and governance challenges across the continent.
They argue that improved economic conditions, stronger institutions and better opportunities within African countries could reduce migration pressures and the desperation to seek better prospects abroad.
