Reports trending on Nigerian social media had suggested that Qatar imposed a new travel ban, denying male applicants entry into the country unless accompanied by their families.
The viral message also claimed that only females or families could apply for visas, requiring five-star hotel bookings and return flight tickets for travel or transit visas.
However, the Qatar Ministry of Interior has denied these reports. A representative from the ministry’s visa section confirmed to the BBC that there are no restrictions for Nigerians wishing to visit Qatar.
According to reports, the notification allegedly originated from ‘Discover Qatar’, a tourism management company in Qatar working with local travel agencies in Nigeria. The company cited “frequent cases of overstays by Nigerian travelers” as the reason for the supposed restrictions.
In contrast, Hayya, Qatar’s digital platform for e-visa services, assured the BBC that the application process remains normal and regular. “There are no suspensions or changes to the current procedures. Any updates will be announced on our official platforms,” the statement read.
In recent years, Qatar has experienced a significant influx of Nigerian visitors. This growth is partly attributed to diplomatic tensions between Nigeria and the UAE from 2021 to 2024, which led to visa restrictions and flight suspensions. Qatar has transitioned from a mere transit point for West Africans traveling to Europe and Asia into a popular destination for Nigerians hosting events like birthdays, weddings, corporate gatherings, and high-level meetings.
Globally, visa restrictions have become a recurring challenge for African travelers, from the United States to Europe and the Middle East. In July 2025, the US introduced significant changes to its non-immigrant visa policy for Nigeria, Cameroon, Ethiopia, and Ghana. The new policy limits visa validity to single-entry for three months, described by the US Department of State as part of a “global reciprocity realignment.” This marks a departure from previous policies allowing multiple entries over two years or more.
Nigeria has refuted claims that it offers only single-entry e-visas valid for three months to US citizens. Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga stated, “We want to reiterate that the US government’s claim of reciprocity does not accurately reflect the actual situation.” Nigeria offers US nationals five-year multiple-entry visas and will continue to do so. For comparison, US citizens can obtain visas valid for up to one year in Cameroon and 90 days in Ethiopia.
In a separate development, on July 15, 2025, Nigeria’s Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, announced that an agreement had been reached with the UAE to allow Nigerian passport holders to obtain visas for travel to the Arab country. This comes more than two years after the UAE suspended visa issuance to Nigerians.