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UK rejects 1.34m Nigerian visa applications in 21 years

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… As Nigeria records 33% refusal rate, accounts for 44% of Africa’s denials

By Francesca Hangeior

The United Kingdom has rejected more than 1.34 million visa applications from Nigerians over the past 21 years, according to official figures from the UK Home Office.

The data, drawn from the UK’s Entry Clearance Visa Outcomes database, show that 1,344,595 applications by Nigerians were refused between 2005 and the first quarter of 2026, placing Nigeria second only to India among countries with the highest number of UK visa denials.

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Despite the high rejection rate, Nigeria remained one of the UK’s biggest sources of successful applicants. During the period, 2,723,558 visas were issued to Nigerians, making the country the third-largest recipient of UK visas after China and India.

Overall, Nigerians submitted more than 4.09 million visa applications, with decisions taken on about 4.07 million. The figures translate to an average refusal rate of 33.1 per cent—more than double the global average of 14.8 per cent. Nigeria also accounted for 44.4 per cent of all visa refusals involving African applicants.

Visitor visas accounted for the bulk of refusals, with 1,127,088 refusals—almost 84 per cent of the total. Study visas recorded 130,712 refusals, while 41,410 work visa and 12,217 family visa applications were also denied.

The highest rejection rates were recorded in the mid-2000s.

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In 2006, UK authorities refused 117,968 Nigerian applications, a refusal rate of 49.6 per cent, while 111,058 applications were rejected in 2005.

Approval rates improved steadily over the years, peaking in 2023, when the UK granted a record 281,658 visas to Nigerians and the refusal rate fell to 21 per cent, the lowest in the review period.

However, the trend reversed after Britain tightened immigration rules in 2024 by raising salary thresholds for Skilled Worker visas and restricting dependents of international students and care workers.

Following the changes, Nigerian work visa applications fell sharply, while refusal rates climbed to 33.5 per cent in 2024, eased marginally to 33.1 per cent in 2025, and rose again to 35.4 per cent in the first quarter of 2026.

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Among African countries, Ghana recorded the second-highest number of UK visa refusals, at 374,108, followed by Algeria, Egypt, Zimbabwe, Morocco, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, and Sudan.

The UK Home Office also noted that Nigerian nationals remain among the largest groups seeking asylum after entering Britain on valid visas, a development it said has contributed to increased scrutiny of applications from Nigeria.

Former Nigerian Ambassador to Singapore, Ogbole Amedu-Ode, attributed the sustained surge in applications to Nigeria’s economic challenges and the “Japa” migration wave.

He said expanding economic opportunities at home would reduce the pressure on Nigerians seeking to relocate abroad, adding that the large number of visa approvals also reflected the UK’s continued attractiveness as a destination for Nigerians.

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Enugu 2027: Nnaji signs one-term pact, vows to quit after four years

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The Enugu State governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2027 election, Uche Nnaji, has signed an undertaking to serve only one term of four years if elected governor.

Nnaji signed the pact on Friday at Akpugo, Nkanu West Local Government Area, during a grand reception organised in his honour by PDP supporters and stakeholders.

The candidate said the decision was in recognition of the existing zoning arrangement in the state, assuring that he would not seek re-election after completing his first term.

According to him, the one-term commitment would enable him to focus on good governance and the implementation of his development agenda without being distracted by the pursuit of a second term.

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“I am not interested in perpetuating myself in power. That is not the idea. That is why I said I am not going to disrupt the arrangement that is running, which is zoning of power.

“I am aware that Nkanu has gone for four years. So, being an Nkanu man, I will go for one term. After the one tenure, I will go.

“I am going to bring a different approach to governance. My approach will be just for human beings. I am not going to govern for animals. We must have conscience in governance. Government is said to be for the people, by the people and for the people,” he said.

Nnaji also promised to introduce what he described as a “one-day, one-project” policy, through which his administration would initiate and execute development projects across the state.

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He said his ambition was to leave a legacy of rapid development and improved living standards at the end of his four-year tenure.

The PDP candidate appealed to the people of Enugu to support his aspiration, promising that his administration would be people-oriented, transparent and committed to the development of the state.

On taxation, Nnaji said his administration would govern with “conscience”, arguing that policies imposing excessive burdens on residents and businesses should be reviewed.

“So, we must govern with conscience. If you put a tax regime in place and it becomes so bad for the people, why are you keeping it? You withdraw it.

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“Look at all these taxes going on in Enugu State. The cost of living has risen so high. Enugu State has become the most expensive state in the whole federation, and this is a civil service town, a public service town.

“Most people who want to build industries in Enugu State are taking them to Anambra because of the fear of taxation. So, we must govern with conscience,” he said.

Also speaking, a PDP chieftain, Basil Ani, pledged the support of party members and supporters for Nnaji’s ambition, saying they would work to ensure his emergence as governor in 2027.

Ani said Nnaji had grown beyond being a political candidate, describing him as a movement with growing support among the people.

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“I want to tell you that Uche Nnaji has become a movement that is at the heart of the people. It is no longer about the political party; it is about the conviction of the people towards him.

“Nwakaibie is here to stay. Nwakaibie is here to take over,” he said.

Ani maintained that Enugu State remained a stronghold of the PDP, expressing confidence that the party would reclaim the governorship in the 2027 general election.

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UNIZIK Begins Investigation Into Alleged Sexual Misconduct, Attack On Lecturer

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The Management of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, has said that it is investigating a case of sexual misconduct involving a lecturer in the Department of Chinese Studies, Faculty of Arts, over a female student of the University.

This followed Videos of the incident, which went viral, in which the lecturer was attacked by irate students on Saturday, August 15, 2026.

A statement signed by the Director, Information and Public Relations, comrade Aloysius Emeka Attah, said management is “deeply saddened by the unfortunate incident and strongly condemns the resort to violence, self-help, or any form of jungle justice under any circumstance”.

The Vice-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Prof. Ugochukwu Bond Stanley Anyaehie, it said, has consistently reaffirmed the University’s zero-tolerance policy towards sexual misconduct, harassment and all forms of inappropriate behaviour.

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However, management emphasised that allegations of misconduct must be handled through established institutional procedures and due process. “No individual or group is permitted to take the law into their own hands within the University environment”, it added.

Given the seriousness of the matter, it said the University Management has directed that an immediate, comprehensive and impartial investigation be conducted to establish the facts and circumstances surrounding the incident.

It said that an administrative process had been activated to ensure that justice is served fairly and objectively to all parties involved, because, according to it, “the University remains firmly committed to protecting the dignity, safety and wellbeing of its staff and students and will continue to take decisive action against any conduct that violates these principles”

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Real reasons I left Christianity for Ifa – Ex-pastor

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An Ondo State-based pastor, Olabanjo Felix, who renounced Christianity and embraced Isese, an indigenous Yoruba spiritual tradition, has explained that the “deceit in Christianity” prompted him to abandon the faith to become an Ifa priest.

Felix, who spoke with Sunday PUNCH on Saturday, alleged that there was “no true pastor of the Bible in Nigeria”, adding that many pastors in the country had turned Christianity into personal and family businesses.

He said he became fed up with Christianity and what he described as the brainwashing of Christians by some pastors.

Felix, who previously founded the Image of God Evangelical and Prophetic Ministries in Ibaka, Oka Akoko area of the state, renounced Christianity and declared his allegiance to Isese in a video which went viral on Thursday.

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Announcing his transition from Christian ministry to Ifá practice, the former cleric also revealed his new spiritual identity.

“I’m now Ifawamiri Aworanolodumare, Babalawo of Ifá,” he declared in the video.

Felix expressed gratitude to his new spiritual mentor, the Araba of Isara-Remo, Olusegun Aifuwape, and his spiritual sons for guiding him.

He maintained that he publicly announced his decision to stop people from continuing to address him as a pastor even after he had stopped practising Christianity.

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“I did that video to announce to the world that I’m no longer a pastor because people kept addressing me as pastor, but I cannot continue to accept that. I don’t support deceit, so people have to know that I’m now an Ifa adherent,” he said.

Felix, who said he was a pastor for more than three years, noted that his decision followed a two-year “soul-searching journey” during which he became increasingly disturbed by what he described as contradictions in the Bible and deception among some Christian leaders.

According to him, his decision was not sudden, noting that he consulted several pastors in an attempt to examine his convictions before eventually leaving Christianity.

He said, “I became fed up of Christianity because there is no true pastor of the Bible in Nigeria aside from Pastor Gbile Akanni. I’m a Bible student and I understand the Bible very well, but I was arrested by Ifa. I did not just change my religion overnight.

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“I changed from Christianity to Ifa worshipping two years ago when I was on a soul-searching journey. I was very disturbed with the confusion in the Bible and the deceit in Christianity. Before taking my decision, I tried consulting with other pastors to check myself because I thought maybe I was not truly born again, but I still could not continue with Christianity even with their attempts to change my mind.”

Felix also disclosed that he considered converting to Islam before eventually settling on Ifa.

“I even tried converting to Islam because I consulted a cleric who advised me to go and study the Quran. I downloaded the Yoruba version of the Quran and I read, but I discovered that it is the same deceit.

“After this, I made up my mind to learn Ifa and become an Ifa priest and I started looking for genuine Ifa priests to mentor and lead me. My conviction was further rooted in the potency of herbs and roots,” Felix added.

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According to him, his conviction was strengthened by his experience with herbs and roots, which he said contributed to his decision to embrace traditional Yoruba practice.

Felix said he eventually found the Araba of Isararemọ, Oluṣẹgun Latunji Aifuwapẹ, on Facebook and contacted him about his intention to learn Ifa.

He dismissed the perception that traditional religion was fetish, insisting that his practice of Ifa was centred on prayers, supplications and the use of herbs and roots, rather than fetish activities.

“I found Araba of Isararemọ, Oluṣẹgun Latunji Aifuwapẹ on Facebook and I told him of my intention to learn Ifa. And since I joined him, I have never engaged in any fetish act. We have only been praying and doing supplications,” he said.

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Felix added that foreigners from different parts of the world visit the centre to learn about Ifa.

The former pastor further alleged that some Christian clerics secretly consult Ifa practitioners for divination despite publicly condemning traditional religious practices.

“There is too much deceit in Christianity. The so-called men of God have used the religion to brainwash a lot of people. I cannot count the number of pastors that contact us for Ifa divination.

“But I cannot do that, and that is why I came out openly to renounce Christianity and declared my allegiance to Ifa,” he said.

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