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Why Nigerian Visa Applications Are Rising – UK Envoy

Published

3 years ago

November 20, 2022

The British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing, has said the number of Nigerians applying for visas to the United Kingdom has increased in recent times.

Laing made the disclosure on Sunday in Abuja when she featured at the News Agency of Nigeria Forum.

She noted, however, that the UK government was mindful of the situation and was in talks with the Nigerian government to avoid causing brain-drain, especially in the health sector.

The High Commissioner expressed her delight that the UK had become an attractive destination for Nigerians, especially students, adding that the UK was ready to welcome talents.

“You know, there is obviously people of Nigerian origin in the UK. So, people like to go where they have family or where they have friends. Secondly, the English language obviously makes it a lot easier.

“Thirdly is the education; and people who have studied, they will want to return. And I think you know, we are a welcoming country and we want to welcome talents, whether it’s people coming to study, or people coming to work.

“So, a lot of Nigerians will be tuned to the UK and we have seen actually a very big increase in requests for Nigerian student visas. That is partly because we have changed our policy.

“So it is now easier for Nigerians, students to remain after their studies, they can stay for, I think, up to two years if you have done a masters or a PhD, which will enable people to look for work after they have studied.

“We have labour shortage in the UK at the moment. But we have to balance that because we do not also want to be responsible for a massive brain-drain from Nigeria because you also need talented people.

“So the health sector is an example where there is a lot of Nigerian medics, both nurses and doctors in the National Health Service,” Laing said.

Responding to why the UK is sending asylum seekers to Rwanda, Laing said it was to enhance migration in partnership with Rwanda.

“We have a policy we have designed, to enhance migration in partnership with the government of Rwanda. But it is actually under legal challenge at the moment.

“So that is just one element of trying to deal with what is frankly a huge problem.

“Like you see in the news, each day, these boats are coming across the channel with migrants from many different countries, and it is a huge, huge problem.

“Because when they arrived they have to find accommodation, it takes a long time to process their applications.

“So we absolutely recognise there are many genuine refugees from countries like Syria; in Africa, it is mostly Eritrea, South Sudan – the people who are fleeing horrible persecution.

“So the Rwanda policy is just one component of many that we are trying to put in place to address this very challenging problem,” Laing said.
NAN

Headline

Russia Blacklists Yale University In Latest Crackdown

Published

6 hours ago

July 8, 2025

Editor

Russia has labelled Yale University an “undesirable organisation”, authorities said Tuesday, part of the Kremlin’s crackdown on critics that has accelerated during Moscow’s campaign in Ukraine.

Being declared “undesirable” effectively bans entities from operating in Russia and makes anyone who works with them liable to prosecution.

According to the prosecutor general, Yale’s activities were aimed at “violating territorial integrity of the Russian Federation, imposing an international blockade on the state and undermining its economic foundations.”

The prosecutors singled out Yale’s School of Global Affairs, accusing it of preparing opposition activists to organise protests in the country.

President Vladimir Putin’s top contender, late opposition activist Alexei Navalny who died in prison in unclear circumstances in February 2024, was among the school’s fellows.

The US university joins international organisations and nonprofits such as Amnesty International, British Council, Greenpeace, Elton John’s AIDS Foundation which Moscow has labelled as undesirable.

Russia has also put on the list independent media outlets such as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Meduza.

AFP

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Man Dies After Being Sucked Into Plane Engine

Published

7 hours ago

July 8, 2025

Editor

A man died after being sucked into the engine of a plane preparing to take off at Bergamo Airport in northern Italy Tuesday, an airport spokesperson told AFP.

The victim, who was “neither a passenger nor an airport employee”, forced his way onto the runway, where he was “pursued” in vain by airport security, according to the spokesperson for airport management company SACBO.

According to Italy’s Corriere della Sera daily, the man — in his thirties — burst into the airport, then used an emergency exit to rush onto the runway toward an aircraft preparing for take-off.

Earlier in the day, Spanish airline Volotea wrote on social media that its flight from Bergamo to Asturias in Spain was involved in an “incident” at 10:35 am (0835 GMT).

“One person not onboard and not affiliated with the company was seriously injured. All 154 passengers and six crew are safe,” it said on X.

“We are doing everything possible to support the affected passengers and crew, providing them with psychological support, while working in close coordination with the Italian authorities.”

The plane was an Airbus A319, according to tracking website Flightradar24.

Flights were suspended at Bergamo Airport, Italy’s third largest by passenger volume, following the incident, but resumed at midday, according to SACBO.

Headline

Full List: 3 African Countries Ranked Among World’s Best Countries

Published

7 hours ago

July 8, 2025

Editor

Three African countries: Egypt, Morocco, and South Africa have earned spots among the world’s top-ranked countries in the 2024 Best Countries Rankings, published by U.S. News & World Report in collaboration with the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and global marketing firm WPP.

According to the report, Egypt leads the continent at 35th globally, followed by Morocco at 39th and South Africa at 40th.

The rankings are determined not by economic statistics alone but by global perceptions.

Over 17,000 people—including business decision-makers, university-educated elites, and general citizens—evaluated 87 countries across 73 different attributes, grouped into ten key categories: Adventure, Agility, Cultural Influence, Entrepreneurship, Heritage, Movers, Open for Business, Power, Quality of Life, and Social Purpose.

To qualify for inclusion, countries needed to meet certain thresholds in GDP, tourism, and foreign direct investment (FDI). Final scores were correlated with GDP per capita (PPP), providing a snapshot of a nation’s perceived prosperity and global standing.

“This project is based on a proprietary perceptions survey that reaches thousands of citizens across the globe,” said Elliott Davis, a reporter for U.S. News & World Report.

“How a nation is viewed by others can play a big role in its global standing.”

Switzerland took the top spot for the third consecutive year, praised for its stability, entrepreneurship, and high quality of life.

“It’s no surprise that a stable, consistent country like Switzerland would top our rankings seven times in nine years,” Davis added.

The United States made its highest-ever appearance in the rankings at third, driven by improvements in its “Open for Business” and “Movers” subrankings, while Japan claimed second place for its innovation, influence, and advanced economy.

Other noteworthy shifts included China, which rose to 16th, and Ukraine, which fell 12 places to 80th—the biggest drop in this year’s report.