by Isi Esene

Private and business travellers hoping to obtain visas at the point of entry into Zambia are in for a surprise. This is because the Zambian authorities have included Nigerian citizens among citizens of other countries who have to apply for visas at Zambian missions abroad.

This new directive, however, exempts individuals visiting on confirmed government business who are given the luxury of making a choice between applying for their visas in Zambia’s missions abroad or do same at the country’s point of entry provided they can tender their official invitation letters.

According to the BusinessDay Newspapers, Zambia’s minister of Foreign Affairs and Tourism, Given Lubinda, admitted that Nigeria deserves to be in the country’s preference list whose citizens can choose to obtain visa at the point of entry and promised to look into the perceived anomaly.

The minister noted that it is in the interest of the Zambian economy to allow more Nigerians visit the country without unnecessary diplomatic encumbrances.

It is not clear why Nigeria has been added to the countries required to apply with Zambian missions abroad but sources say it might not be unconnected with the increasing level of insecurity in Nigeria which Zambia seeks to protect itself from.