The British High Commission has announced a collaborative effort with the Nigerian government to establish new immigration rules, aiming to streamline bilateral migration processes and address evolving global mobility challenges. The initiative, launched on May 12, 2025, in Abuja, reflects a mutual commitment to enhancing legal migration pathways while tackling issues like irregular migration and visa compliance.
The partnership comes in response to recent UK policy changes, notably the suspension of overseas recruitment for social care visas, which significantly impacted Nigerian workers, who comprised a substantial portion of the 120,000 visas issued in 2024. The new framework seeks to create alternative visa categories, improve application transparency, and align with Nigeria’s economic priorities, such as remittance flows, which reached $20 billion in 2024. The British High Commission emphasized that the collaboration will prioritize skilled migration, student exchanges, and business travel, while ensuring compliance with UK immigration caps set to reduce net migration from 685,000 in 2024.
Negotiations involve Nigeria’s Ministry of Interior and the Nigeria Immigration Service, focusing on reciprocal agreements to ease travel restrictions and enhance data sharing to combat visa fraud. The UK aims to address concerns raised by Nigerian professionals about lengthy visa processing times, which averaged 12 weeks in 2024, and to introduce digital application systems to improve efficiency. The initiative also responds to Nigeria’s call for fair treatment of its citizens, particularly after reports of exploitation in the UK care sector, where some workers faced substandard wages and conditions.
The collaboration aligns with broader UK-Africa diplomatic efforts, including trade and security partnerships, and follows a 2024 agreement to repatriate irregular Nigerian migrants with dignity. Both parties are exploring a points-based system for Nigerian applicants, similar to the UK’s model for other nations, prioritizing qualifications, language proficiency, and job offers. The rules are expected to be finalized by October 2025, with pilot programs for priority sectors like technology and healthcare.
Challenges remain, including public skepticism in Nigeria about UK immigration motives, given recent visa restrictions, and the need to balance domestic labor demands in both countries. The British High Commission has committed to regular consultations with Nigerian stakeholders, including diaspora groups, to ensure the rules reflect mutual interests. The partnership marks a step toward strengthening UK-Nigeria ties, with potential to influence migration policies across West Africa.