In order to increase commerce and industry on the continent, billionaire businessman Aliko Dangote has asked African nations to grant Nigerians and citizens of other African nations visa on entrance.
At the 30th Afreximbank Annual Meetings on Sunday, June 18, in Accra, Ghana, the CEO of the Dangote Group said that if the continent was serious about fostering intra- and inter-African trade and investment prospects, they should embrace visa on arrival.
“I think what, maybe, African countries need to do is that, why don’t you give Africans visas on arrival that will facilitate trade?” he suggested, sharing a scenario where one has to get a visa to get into “country A” as an African.
Recounting an experience he faces personally, the businessman decried a situation where “we go with a British guy or maybe a Nigerian holding a British passport (and) he is allowed in”.
“We were arguing, debating about my visa and I am the one with the money. If you are making life difficult for me, there is no way I will go and invest.” he added
Olusegun Obasanjo, a former president, Wole Soyinka, a Nobel laureate, and Niyi Adebayo, a former minister of industry, trade, and investment, were also in attendance.
