The Nigerian government has called on the United States of America to consider the long-standing relationship between the two countries and reverse its visa restrictions on Nigeria.
The Minister of Interior, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, made the call on Wednesday when he received the American Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Leonard, and her team at his office in Abuja.
According to a statement from the ministry, the government of Nigeria believes that the cooperation with the United States will help address immigration and consular issues in control of persons seeking to enter both countries through the issuance of visa, passport, and other travel documents.
It recalled the role of Aregbesola as the chairman of the Presidential Committee on Citizen Data Management and Harmonisation.
The minister revealed that Nigeria has complied with most of the issues of concern raised by the US, stressing that Nigeria is not a pariah nation.
He listed some of the issues raised to include the uploading of over 700 stolen and lost passports on the database of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).
Aregbesola, therefore, appealed to the US to review its visa validity to Nigerians from two years limit to at least five years.
He also called for the establishment of a third office in the country, in reciprocity with Nigeria which has establishments in Atlanta, New York, and Washington DC.
