The government of the United Kingdom has refuted the claims it approved approximately 430,000 visa applications from Nigerians this year.
This was closed by the British High Commission in Nigeria via its X account on Friday, August 9, 2024.
This follows the press statement from NIDCOM, which detailed the conclusion of a meeting between UK official Dr. Montgomery and the Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa.
According to the press release, Montgomery notified Dabiri-Erewa that “roughly 430,000 Nigerian visa applications have been successfully processed in 2024.”
The violent protests in the UK were also discussed at the meeting, and the British delegate assured the Nigerian diaspora living in the UK of their safety and security.
“The UK is home to people from diverse countries and races, and it will continue to welcome qualified individuals to live, study, and work. We will not accept discrimination or attacks against any community,” Montgomery was quoted as saying.
The Chairman/CEO of NIDCOM, Dabiri-Erewa stated that “no Nigerian has been reported dead or affected by the unrest so far,” while confirming that NIDCOM is in continuous contact with the Nigerian High Commission in London and various diaspora groups, all of whom have reported no casualties.
In addition to reminding Nigerians to be cautious and adhere to the travel advise given by the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, she commended the UK government for its swift actions, especially the arrests that were made.
In a post on Friday, the UK government corrected the portion of the NIDCOM statement regarding UK visa approvals.
It clarified that 255,000 Nigerians were granted visas by the UK government between April 2023 and March 2024.
The UK government stated (tagging NIDCOM on X):
“CORRECTION: @UKinNigeria issued 255,000 of all types of UK visas in the 12 months from April 2023 to March 2024.”
According to data released by the UK Home Office, the number of study visas granted to Nigerians fell by 38% between March 2023 and March 2024.
