Key Takeaways:
- Nigerian applicants spent approximately €72.5 million (N130 billion) on Schengen visa applications between 2014 and 2024.
- The rejection rate for Nigerian applicants reached 45.9% in 2024, more than triple the global average.
- €4 million (N7.1 billion) was lost to rejected applications in 2024 alone, as fees are non-refundable.
- France received the most applications, while Belgium had the highest rejection rate for Nigerian travelers.
A Costly Barrier to Europe
Nigerian travelers have spent a staggering sum trying to reach Europe's Schengen Area over the past decade. Official data shows that between 2014 and 2024, applicants paid approximately €72.5 million in visa fees. This translates to roughly N130 billion at current exchange rates—a massive financial outflow for non-refundable applications.
The figures reveal a persistent and growing barrier. Between 2009 and 2024, Nigerian applicants submitted about 1.1 million Schengen visa applications. Nearly half a million of these—491,844—were rejected.
Spending peaked in the pre-pandemic years (2014-2019) at €43.9 million. Despite global travel restrictions, Nigerians still spent €11.3 million during the pandemic period (2020-2022). The trend continued sharply upward in 2024, with €8.9 million spent on applications in that single year.
Soaring Rejection Rates
The financial loss is compounded by one of the world's highest visa rejection rates. In 2024, 50,376 out of 111,201 Nigerian applicants were denied visas—a rejection rate of 45.9%. This marked a significant increase from 40.8% in 2023 and represented both the highest number of applications and rejections in the 15-year data set.
Nearly one in every two Nigerian applicants was refused entry into the 29-country European bloc.
Nigeria's rejection rate is more than three times the global average of 14.8%. This placed Nigeria as the country with the third-highest Schengen visa rejection rate globally in 2024, behind only Bangladesh (54.9%) and Senegal (46.8%).
The highest rejection rates in the 15-year period were recorded in:
- 2017: 53%
- 2019: 51%
In 2022 and 2023 combined, 89,344 Nigerians were denied Schengen visas out of 192,741 applications—a rejection rate of 46.35% for those two years.
The Financial Burden Beyond Fees
The standard visa application fee increased from €80 to €90 (approximately N160,000) in June 2024. However, the financial burden extends far beyond this non-refundable fee.
Many Nigerian applicants incur substantial additional costs, including:
- Service charges from visa application centers
- Travel expenses to interview locations (often in major cities)
- Professional document preparation and translation services
- Deposits on flights and hotels booked in anticipation of approval
For rejected applicants, all these costs are lost. In 2024 alone, Nigerians lost approximately €4 million (N7.1 billion) to rejected applications. During the pandemic years, despite reduced travel, they still lost €5.2 million to rejections.
Which Countries Are Most Difficult?
France remained the top destination for Nigerian applicants in 2024, receiving 55,833 applications—about half of all Nigerian applications to the Schengen Area. However, 24,301 of these were rejected, representing a 43.5% denial rate.
The most challenging countries for Nigerian applicants were:
- Belgium: 62.32% rejection rate
- Denmark: High rejection rate (specific percentage not provided in data)
- France: 43.5% rejection rate
Conversely, Switzerland proved the most accessible, with an approval rate of 79.40% for Nigerian applicants.
A Broader African Pattern
Nigeria's situation reflects a wider trend across the African continent. In 2024, Nigeria ranked fourth among African countries in Schengen visa rejection rates. Other African nations with high rejection rates include:
- Comoros
- Guinea-Bissau
- Senegal (46.8%)
- Ghana
- Congo-Brazzaville
- Mali
- Guinea
- Burundi
- Ethiopia
According to analysis by the LAGO Collective, a UK-based research group, African applicants collectively lost an estimated €60 million in visa fees to European consulates in 2024 alone through rejected applications.
Marta Foresti, founder of LAGO Collective, summarized the inequity: "The poorest countries in the world are paying the richest countries not to let them in. The poorer the country of origin, the higher the rejection rates."
Why Are Rejection Rates So High?
European consulates cite several common reasons for denying Schengen visa applications from Nigerian and other African applicants:
- Incomplete or inconsistent documentation: Missing or contradictory paperwork remains a primary cause of rejection.
- Doubts about return intention: Consular officers must be convinced applicants will return home after their visit.
- Lack of prior international travel: First-time travelers often face greater scrutiny.
- Weak ties to home country: Insufficient evidence of employment, family, or property connections.
- Insufficient financial means: Inability to demonstrate adequate funds for the trip.
The Expanding Schengen Zone
The Schengen Area continues to grow, potentially offering more entry points but maintaining consistent standards. In January 2025, Romania and Bulgaria joined the Schengen zone, bringing the total to 29 member countries.
Globally, Schengen-area consulates received over 11.7 million short-stay visa applications in 2024—a 13.6% increase from 2023. Of these, 9.7 million visas were issued, while the global average rejection rate stood at 14.8%.
For Nigerian travelers, the data paints a clear picture: accessing Europe's border-free zone remains an expensive gamble with increasingly unfavorable odds. As rejection rates climb and fees increase, the dream of Schengen travel becomes more costly and elusive for many.