By Ekuson Nw’Ogbunka in Abuja
Nigeria and Canada are set for renewed institutional engagement over delays in Canadian visa processing for Nigerians, as both countries move to deepen cooperation on migration, air travel and border management.
The development followed a high-level meeting in Abuja between the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, and the Chargé d’Affaires of the Canadian High Commission, David Sproule, who led a delegation on a courtesy visit.
Ajani, who represented the Minister at the meeting, raised concerns over the prolonged processing of Canadian visa applications, particularly the impact on Nigerian students. She said some students had missed opportunities to begin their academic programmes in Canada because of delays in obtaining study permits.
She called for stronger collaboration between Nigerian and Canadian institutions to ensure that visa-related challenges are addressed through regular communication and sustained engagement.
A major focus of the meeting was also the expanding Nigeria-Canada Air Transport Agreement, with both sides expressing optimism that it could facilitate direct flights between the two countries. The proposed connectivity would spare passengers the inconvenience of routing their journeys through Europe or the United States.
Beyond travel, the discussions covered migration management and the proposed development of a Standard Operating Procedure between Nigerian authorities and the Canada Border Services Agency for handling the removal of persons without legal status in Canada.
Ajani assured the Canadian delegation that Nigeria would nominate appropriate officials to work with their Canadian counterparts and help establish a joint working group to move the migration-management discussions forward.
Sproule acknowledged the visa-processing concerns, describing them as a significant pressure point in the bilateral relationship. He promised to relay Nigeria’s concerns to Canadian immigration authorities, while both sides agreed to create a technical working group to sustain discussions and improve cooperation across the key areas.
