•Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo
The federal government has announced that beginning August 2025, travellers who overstay their visas in Nigeria will face a daily fine of $15 and risk being banned from re-entering the country for up to five years.
Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed this during a stakeholders’ engagement session held yesterday at NECA House in Lagos, reports Saturday Tribune.
The engagement focused on ongoing immigration reforms spearheaded by the Ministry of Interior and the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), including updates to the Nigeria Visa Policy (NVP) 2025 and the Expatriate Quota system.
According to the minister, although the new penalties will technically take effect in May 2025, a grace period will be observed until August to allow affected individuals ample time to comply.
This, Mr Tunji-Ojo said, “will allow visa holders time to adjust to the new policy before the full enforcement begins in August.”
The Nigeria Visa Policy 2025 introduces a structured penalty system designed to curb visa abuse. Under the new rules, visa overstayers will incur a $15 fine for each extra day they remain in the country after their visa expires.
In addition to daily fines, extended overstays come with harsher consequences: travellers who overstay for three months will receive a five-year re-entry ban, while those who overstay for a year or more will be banned from returning to Nigeria for ten years.
According to the minister, these measures are part of a wider strategy to improve migration governance.
“The penalty system is part of broader efforts to ensure compliance, protect national security, and promote responsible migration,” Mr Tunji-Ojo stated.
He added that the Nigeria Immigration Service will be charged with enforcing the new policy and ensuring its effectiveness.
