The Federal Government has announced that the Commonwealth of Nations is planning to introduce a visa free regime for its member states.
The minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru stated this in Abuja on Monday at a meeting with the Secretary General of the organization, Kamalesh Sharma.
Ashiru said as parts of plan to gradually introduce the visa-free policy, ahead of the November Commonwealth Heads of State and Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Colombo, Sri Lanka, “there is a proposal to exempt carriers of diplomatic and official passports from visa procurement.”
The minister said, “We also discussed the issue of free movement to promote people to people contact within the Commonwealth.
“In the past, it used to be that holders of Commonwealth passports could travel within the commonwealth countries easily without having to go and queue for visas. We are now thinking for ways to ensure that we bring back this old tradition of the Commonwealth.
“Already, the council of ministers have recommended for approval at the next CHOGOM meeting in Colombo the exemption of holders of official and diplomatic passports within the Commonwealth from the requirement of a visa if they are travelling within the commonwealth.”
According to Ashiru, other categories of professionals and businessmen would be recommended for similar privileges.
Mr. Sharma said the Commonwealth is also ready to work with the Nigeria government in the area of public administration.