The Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has faulted some embassies for delaying the return of passports after visa applications.
She also advocated partial refunds for applicants whose visa requests are denied.
Dabiri-Erewa made this known while reacting to concerns raised by social media personality Japheth Omojuwa, who criticised embassies for holding onto applicants’ passports for extended periods without timely decisions.
Omojuwa argued that embassies should return passports if they are unable to conclude visa processing within a reasonable timeframe, noting that such delays disrupt travel plans and affect applicants’ schedules.
Backing his position, Dabiri-Erewa described the situation as unacceptable, stressing that applicants deserve fair treatment. She added that embassies should consider refunding visa fees—at least partially—when applications are rejected.
The remarks have sparked renewed conversation around transparency, efficiency, and accountability in embassy visa processes affecting Nigerians.
