By Ameh Gabriel
Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs has urged the Ethiopian Ambassador to expedite efforts for the Ethiopian government to refund $70,000 owed to a Nigerian citizen, Mr. Francis, while he is still alive — cautioning that “they shouldn’t end up using the money to bury him when he is gone.”
The minister also addressed issues surrounding the visa waiver for holders of official and diplomatic passports, clarifying that it was linked to the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) signed between both nations.
Expressing Nigeria’s displeasure, the minister accused Ethiopia of unilaterally withdrawing from the existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) without prior notification, particularly after the mistreatment many Nigerians experienced at Addis Ababa airport. She emphasized that Addis Ababa remains a major transit hub, and Ethiopian Airlines is widely used by Nigerian travelers.
Nevertheless, the minister reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening bilateral ties with Ethiopia, announcing that preparations are underway for the 4th Session of the Nigeria-Ethiopia Joint Commission meeting, scheduled to take place soon in Abuja.
In response, Ethiopian Ambassador Awall Wagris Haile insisted that the visa waiver agreement remains active but still awaits ratification by Ethiopia’s House of Representatives. He clarified that Nigerian holders of official and diplomatic passports are still being issued visas, but challenges persist mainly for ordinary passport holders.
Ambassador Haile further stressed that “the visa-on-arrival policy has neither been suspended nor revoked,” reaffirming Ethiopia’s view of Nigeria as a strategic partner. He also expressed appreciation to the Nigerian government for approving an additional seven flight slots for Ethiopian Airlines on the Lagos route.
