Aliko Dangote, a wealthy entrepreneur and until recently the riches man in Africa, has charged African countries to implement visa on arrival policies for Nigerians and citizens of other African nations to boost commercial and business activities across the continent.
In a speech at the 30th Afreximbank Annual Meeting in Accra, Ghana, on June 18, the CEO of the Dangote Group emphasized that embracing visa on arrival would be crucial for the continent to effectively promote intra and inter-African trade and investment opportunities.
“I think what, maybe, African countries need to do is that why don’t you give Africans visas on arrival that will facilitate trade?” he queried, sharing a scenario where one has to get a visa to get into “country A” as an African.
The businessman described a personal experience and expressed his displeasure when “we go with a British guy or maybe, a Nigerian holding a British passport (and) he is allowed in.”
“We were arguing, debating about my visa and I am the one with the money. If you are making life difficult for me, there is no way I will go and invest.” he added
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Nobel laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, and immediate past Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, Niyi Adebayo also graced the occasion, among other dignitaries.
