*As Senator Imasuen demands urgent need to assert Nigeria’s diplomatic and economic leverage
WorldStage Newsonline– Alarmed by the escalating pattern of discrimination, harsh treatment, and visa restrictions targeted at Nigerian citizens across several countries in the world, the Senate has responded with condemnation of the practice in strongest term and called on the Federal Government to immediately review all bilateral agreements and diplomatic protocols with countries involved in the act.
The condemnation was coming on heel of a motion by Senator Neda Bernards Imasuen, (Edo South) which called the attention of the Red Chamber to the discriminatory treatment of Nigerian citizens abroad and the urgent need to assert Nigeria’s diplomatic and economic leverage.
Imasuen’s motion particularly cited Ethiopia, China, South Africa, and most recently, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) involved in the discriminatory practices and have further imposed fresh, dehumanising visa restrictions on Nigerian travellers.
On the motio, the Senate specifically noted the new UAE visa policy communicated on July 9, 2025 which banned Nigerian transit visa applications and restricted tourist visas for individuals aged 18 to 45 unless accompanied.
According to the Senate, the new UAE visa policy also mandated unaffordable financial conditions such as a $10,000 minimum bank balance, which the upper legislative body considered as an affront to the dignity and freedom of Nigerians and a re-introduction of class-based exclusion policies.
The Senate also noted involvement of Ethiopia in the discriminatory practice by her exposure of Nigerian citizens in the country to prolonged detentions without trial, including confirmed cases of death in custody.
It also noted China in the discriminatory act, citing that Nigerian citizens in the country faced systemic targetting, arbitrary detention, and denial of consular access.
The Senate regretted that these recurring cases reflected a growing global disdain for the Nigerian green passport, even by countries benefitting economically and politically from Nigeria’s strategic largesse, market size, and airspace access.
Concerned about the discriminatory cases and that bilateral agreements on visa waivers, prisoner exchanges and consular protections have either been dishonoured, suspended or manipulated to the detriment of Nigerian citizens without diplomatic reciprocity, the Senate stated that Nigeria also had capacity for retaliation through leveraging on airspace as well as aviation access in the cases of Ethiopia and UAE, targetting Ethiopian Airlines, Emirate and Egypt airs.
The upper chamber also noted that Nigeria retained considerable leverage through bilateral trade and customs duty negotiations; diplomatic influence within ECOWAS, AU and OIC blocs; and Nigeria’s population and diaspora market power.
The Senate accordingly resolved to condemn in the strongest terms the increasing and targetted discrimination against Nigerian citizens abroad, particularly by the governments of the UAE, Ethiopia, China and others.
It also resolved to call on the Federal Government of Nigeria to immediately review all bilateral agreements and diplomatic protocols with these countries, especially I areas concerning airspace and aviation route access for Ethiopia Airlines, Emirates, Egypt Air; visa and entry reciprocity; consular protection and access; and prisoner exchange and deportation proposals.
The Senate also mandated a Joint Senate Committee, led by the Committee on Public Petitions and co-chaired by the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Diaspora, and Interior to investigate the systemic abuse of Nigerian travellers and detainees abroad.
It also mandated the Joint Committee to engage the ministries of Foreign Affairs, Interior, NiDCOM, Immigration Servive, and the Nigerian Correctional Service to recommend enforceable diplomatic and economic responses, including sanctions, restrictions, or legal redress.
The Senate also urged the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to issue strong diplomatic notes of protest and demand the immediate reversal of discriminatory policies, including the UAE’s recent visa conditions.
The upper legislative body further encouraged the Federal Government to explore retaliatory actions where necessary, including imposing visa reciprocity fees and conditions, and reviewing trade and customs concessions.
It also directed NiDCOM to publish and update a Global Nigerians-at-Risk Report, listing countries with repeated human rights violations or prejudicial practices against Nigerian nationals.
The Senate also requested that the Joint Committee reported back to it within six weeks with detailed findings and concrete recommendations, including draft legislation on citizens protection and reciprocal diplomacy.
