MBABANE – Africans collectively lost nearly E1.3 billion (US$67.5 million) in visa application fees to European countries in 2024 alone, with a large chunk of these payments made without receiving the visas they applied for.
New data released by the European Commission and analysed by the UK-based LAGO Collective shows African applicants bear the brunt of short-term visa denials, with rejection rates in some countries such as Nigeria, Ghana and Senegal exceeding 40%.
In Nigeria, over 50,000 short-stay Schengen visa applications were rejected last year, accounting for nearly half of all submissions from the West African country. With each applicant paying a non-refundable €90 (roughly E1,800), Nigerians alone lost over E87 million (US$5 million) to unsuccessful visa applications.
The figures reflect a growing concern across the continent over what many see as a discriminatory and opaque visa application process. The Schengen Area comprises 29 European countries including Spain, France and Germany, among others.
Among those affected was Nigerian gaming consultant Joel Anyaegbu, 32, whose two applications to attend a business conference in Barcelona were turned down despite submitting bank statements and proof of property ownership. The rejection letter cited “unreliable justification” for his intended stay. His attempts to get further clarification from the Spanish consulate in Lagos have gone unanswered.
In South Africa, Cameroonian regional executive Jean Mboulé also ran into visa troubles despite holding permanent residency and being married to a South African. In 2022, the French embassy in Johannesburg denied his Schengen visa, accusing him of submitting fake documents, while approving a visa for his unemployed wife. Mboulé took the matter to court in France and won, forcing the embassy to issue his visa and pay €1,200 in damages.
While Mboulé eventually succeeded, most Africans do not appeal. Instead, they reapply and pay again — a cycle the LAGO Collective describes as “reverse remittances”, where funds flow from the poorest regions to the richest through rejected visa fees.
Across the continent, frustration is mounting. Ugandan engineer Julius Musimeenta, 57, was denied a visa along with his entire family to attend an engineering fair in Germany. Despite having travelled previously to Europe and holding reputable positions, their applications were all turned down.
For many Africans, these stories are familiar. Travellers to European destinations often speak of inconsistencies and unexplained rejections. With Schengen visa fees increasing from €80 to €90 in July 2024, and UK visa costs also rising twice in less than a year, families, professionals, and students alike face growing financial strain.
The European Commission maintains that visa decisions are made on a case-by-case basis by trained officials assessing applicants’ financial means, purpose of travel and likelihood of returning home. They cite reasons such as forged documents or insufficient ties to the applicant’s home country as grounds for refusal.
In Nigeria and elsewhere in Africa, younger applicants have become particularly vocal online, sharing rejection experiences and calling for greater transparency. Yet even older, established professionals are not spared.
South African academic Sikhumbuzo Maisela believes some of the scrutiny stems from past behaviour by some travellers who overstayed their visas. He argues that visa issuance is ultimately an act of trust, and abuse by a few has consequences for many.
Meanwhile, the cost of rejection continues to rise. UK visa rejections cost African applicants an estimated £50.7 million (US$68.8 million) in 2024, with Nigerians paying over £2 million more than in previous years.
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