Nigerians filed record number of Europe visa applications in 2024; nearly half denied

Nigerians filed a record number of Schengen visa applications in 2024, but nearly half were rejected, according to data from the European Commission analysed by Pluboard.

A total of 111,201 visa applications were submitted by Nigerians last year, the highest in over a decade. Of that number, 45.9% were denied, making Nigeria one of the African countries hardest hit by Europe’s increasingly restrictive visa policies.

In financial terms, Nigerians lost an estimated €4.5 million (N7.65 billion; $5 million) in non-refundable application fees. The current Schengen visa fee stands at €90 per applicant, and is forfeited regardless of outcome.

The trend highlights what migration experts call a growing imbalance: applicants from lower-income countries often face higher rejection rates while bearing disproportionate financial risks. A CNN report based on analysis by the London-based LAGO Collective found that Africans collectively lost €60 million ($67.5 million) in Schengen visa fees due to rejections in 2024 alone.

“The poorest countries in the world pay the richest countries in the world money for not getting visas,” said LAGO founder Marta Foresti, describing the dynamic as a form of “reverse remittances.”

One applicant, Joel Anyaegbu, a Nigerian gaming consultant, told CNN he was denied a Spanish visa twice despite submitting extensive documentation. “I felt humiliated,” he said, adding that his emails to the embassy were never answered. He had to cancel planned meetings in Barcelona.

Worsening economic conditions

A Schengen visa is a short-stay visa that allows individuals to travel freely within the Schengen countries of Europe. It grants access to some 29 European countries, including Germany and France. Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland are not EU members but participate in the Schengen Area.

Visa rejection rates for Nigerians have risen steadily over the past decade. In 2014, only 35.4% of applications were rejected. By 2017, that figure peaked at 52.5%. Since then, rejection rates have remained high, hovering between 40% and 50%, excluding the COVID-era years of 2020–2021 when global travel shut down.

Despite these, visa demand continues to grow. The 2024 application volume surpassed pre-pandemic levels, beating the previous high of 102,322 in 2019.

Analysts say worsening economic conditions – from rising inflation and youth unemployment to persistent insecurity – are pushing more Nigerians to explore travel or emigration as lifelines.

Also, high rejection rates raise questions about access equity, transparency in consular decisions, and the true openness of European borders.

The European Commission insists each visa application is assessed “on its own merit,” considering the applicant’s documentation, purpose of travel, and ability to return home after the visit.

Still, critics say the opacity of the process and the lack of meaningful appeal options mean visa denials can be arbitrary, and costly.

Exchange rate used: $1= N1530