Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has urged foreign diplomatic missions operating in the country to review lengthy visa procedures and reduce prolonged waiting periods for Nigerian applicants.

The minister made the call on Thursday, September 17, 2026, during an interactive session with heads of diplomatic missions in Abuja. She said excessive delays in visa decisions could create difficulties for legitimate travellers, students, businesspeople and families.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu acknowledged that every country has the sovereign right to determine its own visa policies. However, she called for greater efficiency, transparency and responsiveness in how visa applications from Nigerians are handled.

She said lengthy waiting periods can disrupt travel plans and create unnecessary difficulties for applicants whose journeys may be connected to education, business, family commitments or other legitimate purposes.

The minister’s appeal comes as visa appointment availability and processing times continue to vary significantly among foreign missions and countries. Recent reporting on U.S. visa services, for example, shows that appointment availability and processing arrangements differ by location and visa category.

Beyond visa matters, the minister used the diplomatic engagement to outline Nigeria’s broader foreign-policy priorities. She said the country’s foreign policy under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is anchored on the Four Ds: Demography, Development, Democracy and Diaspora.

According to her, the policy seeks to harness Nigeria’s youthful population through education, technology, innovation, entrepreneurship and skills development, while making economic diplomacy a central part of international engagement.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu also called for stronger bilateral relations between Nigeria and other countries. She said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was working to revive inactive Joint Commissions and Bi-National Commissions that could support cooperation in areas including trade, investment, security, education, technology, health and agriculture.

She further reminded diplomatic missions that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the official channel for communication between foreign missions and the Nigerian Government. She urged missions to route official communications and requests through the ministry to ensure proper coordination and follow-up.

The minister stressed that Nigeria would continue to pursue strategic autonomy while maintaining cooperation and friendship with countries around the world. She explained that strategic autonomy does not mean isolation but preserving Nigeria’s ability to determine relationships and positions that serve its national interests.

She also assured members of the Diplomatic Corps that the safety and welfare of diplomats, their families and diplomatic premises remain priorities for the Federal Government.

The meeting reflects Nigeria’s broader effort to strengthen diplomatic engagement while seeking more efficient consular services for Nigerians travelling abroad. The minister’s call specifically places visa processing times, transparency and responsiveness among the issues foreign missions are being encouraged to review.