Seychelles places ban on Nigerian passport holders

Nigerian passport holders are not permitted to apply for vacation or short-term visas in Seychelles. On Saturday night, @munafromtravelletters, a creator of travel-related material, alerted the public with a screenshot of a rejection email.

We regret to notify you that your application has been denied in accordance with immigration law, according to the screenshot. For the time being, we do not accept any travelers with Nigerian passports. Please phone 248 4 293 636 or visit ics.gov.sc (Seychelles Immigration) for further details.

The restriction was implemented just six months after Nigeria and the United States agreed to establish direct flights. Before the restriction, Nigeria and Seychelles had a long-standing visa-free arrangement that permitted free entrance without a visa for Nigerian citizens for 30 days.

Yesterday, the development was confirmed by the nation’s border security. The Seychelles government confirmed the screenshot provided by the producer of travel content through its customer care service but did not provide any explanation for the restriction.

The border security responded, “Yes, but at this moment, no other information is available. Nigeria and Seychelles agreed to a deal in December 2022 that would allow for direct flights between the two nations.

Anthony Derjacques, the minister of transport for the Seychelles, and Hadi Sirika, the continent’s then-minister of aviation, concurred that the agreement would advance the African Union’s Agenda 2063 while fostering trade and tourism.

Social media users’ reactions to the limitation have been divided, with many criticizing the rise in overseas travel restrictions placed on people with Nigerian passports.