FG pledges to work towards reversal of US visa restriction on Nigerians

…as RMAFC targets $1bn revenue from Gas

Chinazor Megbolu |

The Federal Government of Nigeria has pledged to work towards reversing the United States of America Visa restrictions.

President Muhammadu Buhari disclosed this on Thursday while receiving the report of the committee on Citizen Data Management and Harmonisation headed by the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, stating the Federal Government had already commenced moves towards ensuring the reversal of the United States’ Visa restriction on Nigerian citizenry.

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Femi Adesina, the President said the committee was set up in February to address issues that led to the US temporary Visa restrictions on Nigerians.

Recall the US authorities had on February 21, 2020 imposed visa restrictions on Nigerians and citizens of three other countries in a bid to prevent permanent residence in America.

He noted that two out of the six areas of concern raised by the US had been fully addressed.

According to him; ‘‘I also note the progress made by Nigeria towards the removal of the Visa restrictions as two out of the six areas of concern raised by the United States had been fully addressed, two are substantially satisfied while some progress is being made on the remaining two.

‘‘I am delighted that this progress, especially the uploading of lost and stolen passport and travel documents has been acknowledged by the United States government.”

Meanwhile, in another development, the
Chairman, Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, (RMAFC), Mr. Elias Mbam, had said Nigeria could generate over $1 billion annually from the development of the gas infrastructure.

He urged stakeholders and organisations to focus more towards gas exploration.

Mbam added that the focus could lead to enhance revenue generation to the federation account.

He pointed out that the potentials of gas to revenue generation was huge and needed to be properly exploited.

Mbam posited that the continuous flaring of gas in the country was not in the best interest of the country in view of the abundance of gas deposits measuring more than two trillion cubic tons, which makes the country the ninth largest gas reserves globally.

He, however, maintained that flared gas could be converted and channeled towards industrial purposes including power generation, that could boost employment opportunities for millions of people.