Pleas to reduce visa fees dominate Entebbe-Abuja route launch

The launch of Uganda Airlines' new direct flight from Entebbe International Airport to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja was dominated by concerns over high visa fees, raised by travelers from Uganda.

During the Nigeria-Uganda Trade and Business Forum on Friday in Abuja, State Minister for Works Fred Byamukama, who led the Ugandan delegation, expressed concerns about the high visa costs despite the newly established direct flights.

“There is still more that we must do to improve visa facilitation to fully realize the potential for travel within Africa. While liberalizing air travel, as Nigeria has done by signing up for a single African air market, is a good step, visas remain expensive and present a significant barrier to travel,” Byamukama noted.

He added: “For instance, a Ugandan needs to pay around $200 (about Shs743,179) to acquire a visa to Nigeria. That’s too costly for us. This amount represents the cost of two to four nights’ accommodation for someone wishing to visit Nigeria. If I intended to come here for six days, I would have to cut my trip short because I’d need to use part of my budget for the visa.”

Byamukama appealed to the Nigerian government to consider revising visa fees for Ugandans, citing that Nigerians pay only $50 (about Shs185,794) for a Ugandan visa.

Similarly, Hajat Hawa, the president of Nigerians living in Uganda, echoed concerns about high visa costs, stating, “You have opened the skies, but at the same time closed doors because the visa application process is hectic and very expensive. These business barriers should be removed.”

In response, Uganda’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Nelson Ocheger, assured attendees that the two governments are in discussions to resolve the visa issue.

“The challenges regarding visas are being addressed. Both the Ugandan and Nigerian governments are engaged in talks to find solutions to these issues,” Ocheger said.

Last Thursday, Uganda Airlines made its inaugural landing at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, marking the beginning of direct flights between Entebbe and Nigeria’s administrative capital.

The Uganda Airlines aircraft, UR900, left Entebbe at around 4:30 pm and landed at 6:22 pm Nigerian time. Uganda is two hours ahead of Nigeria. Upon arrival, the aircraft was greeted with a water cannon salute, a traditional gesture in civil aviation to celebrate milestones such as the opening of new routes.

The direct flights to Abuja come a year after Uganda Airlines launched services to Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial hub. These flights, which will operate on Thursdays and Sundays, are linked to the existing service to Lagos and will be conducted using the flagship Airbus A330-800 neo aircraft.

As Uganda Airlines marks its fifth anniversary, the national carrier plans to expand its network further, with new routes to Harare, Zimbabwe, and Lusaka, Zambia, expected to launch later this month.

Utility

The anticipated benefits of the new direct flight between Entebbe and Abuja include:

• Reduced travel time and enhanced business opportunities between Uganda and Nigeria, cutting travel from over 10 hours to just 3.5 hours.
• Increased tourism opportunities by five-fold.
• Open access to Nigeria's 223 million-strong market and East Africa’s population of over 300 million, with a combined GDP of $305 billion and a growth rate of 7 percent.
• More Nigerian businesses are expected to establish operations in Uganda, adding to those already operating, such as United Bank for Africa, Guaranty Trust Bank, and several restaurants.
• An increase in student exchanges, with more university students expected to study in Uganda.

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