100 ,000 Nigerians apply for US visa weekly – Embassy

Over 100 ,000 Nigerians apply weekly to visit the United States for various reasons resulting in a backlog of visa applications, the United States Ambassador to Nigeria Terrence McCulley has said. McCulley said this yesterday in Abuja when he visited Nigeria's Minister of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru in Abuja.

He said the US mission was open to discussions with the Nigerian government on whether or not to extend the validity of the visa. He also said that the embassy was working assiduously to finish up the accumulated backlog of applications which it already has. Speaking on the Bi-national Commission between the two countries, McCulley said Nigeria has to work to wipe out corruption with sincerity so that foreign investors can be more confident to invest in various sectors of the country. Speaking earlier, Ashiru said the two countries would keep working on enhancing their bilateral relations in various sectors, especially in energy, power and security. "The US ambassador has also assured me that Nigerians who apply for visas would be treated with dignity and respect and there would be no unnecessary delays. And when in some cases, the visas are denied, it would be done in a dignified manner so that there would be no hard feelings on both sides," he said. Ashiru also said that they discussed the concern of the Nigerian government about the situation in Libya. In another development, the minister has called on the Africa Development Bank (ADB) to assist Nigeria in terms of infrastructural development and agriculture for Nigeria's food sustenance. He said this when the Resident Representative of the bank, Mr. Ousmane Dore, presented his letter of credence. Dore, in his response, said Nigeria's portfolio with the bank is N1.5 bn adding that the bank was ready to help Nigeria remove constraints to Vision 20 : 2020 .
TT Owonubi