Visa costs soar over Uganda Airlines' Abuja route launch
Uganda pays one of the highest visa fees to Nigeria at a time neighbouring countries like Kenya have long taken boosters
The issue of visa reciprocity between Uganda and Nigeria took center stage at the Nigeria-Uganda Trade and Business Forum in Abuja, as stakeholders discussed the opportunities and challenges of doing business between the two countries.
The forum was one of the events accompanying the extension of air services to Abuja by Uganda Airlines.
During the fourth Nigeria-Uganda Trade and Business Forum in Abuja, Uganda's State Minister for Works and Transport, Fred Byamukama, highlighted the high cost of Nigerian visas for Ugandans as a barrier to enhanced trade between Uganda and Nigeria.
Byamukama revealed that Ugandans are required to pay $192 for a Nigerian visa, which, in his words, is equivalent to four nights of hotel accommodation for a Ugandan visitor, while Nigerians pay only $50 for Ugandan visas.
The Chief Commercial Officer at Uganda Airlines, Adedayo Olawuyi, noted that despite the barriers hindering free trade, the direct flight from Entebbe to Abuja will boost trade, facilitate cargo transportation, and increase investment.
Uganda's High Commissioner to Nigeria, Nelson Ocheger, emphasized that the direct flight would help curb human and drug trafficking between the two countries, thanks to Nigeria's robust system of identifying potential threats.
The potential for trade between Uganda and Nigeria is high, but it is currently complicated by the differing quality standards applied by both countries to similar products.
For example, Ugandan milk, which carries the UNBS quality mark, may not meet the standards set by the Nigerian Bureau of Standards.
Businesspeople have also raised concerns about the high cost of travel between Uganda and Nigeria, as well as visa expenses, making exporting to Nigeria a challenging endeavor.
Although Uganda Airlines' new flight to Abuja has reduced the cost of an air ticket by 75%, other challenges, such as processing import permits and repatriating trade proceeds due to foreign exchange restrictions in Nigeria, need to be resolved before the new flight can fully benefit businesses.
Currently, Uganda Airlines contributes about 23.4% of the total passengers traveling from Entebbe International Airport.
With the addition of the Abuja route, traffic at Entebbe Airport is expected to increase.
