Tanzania has removed Nigeria from its “Referred Visa” category, ending a requirement that subjected Nigerian nationals to additional immigration clearance and a lengthier approval process before they could obtain a visa to enter the country.
The Tanzania Immigration Services Department said the change, published under Government Gazette No. 246 of 2026 and dated September 25, took effect immediately. Chief Spokesperson ACI Paul J. Mselle said Nigerian citizens would now follow Tanzania’s standard visa application procedures, applying either through the country’s official immigration online portal or at designated entry points, the same channels available to most other nationalities.
Under the previous system, Nigerian applicants needed clearance from the Commissioner General of Immigration, or in some cases the Principal Immigration Officer or Director of Immigration Services, before travelling. The process could take close to two months, and applicants were advised against booking flights or non-refundable accommodation until approval was granted. With the change, Nigerians will no longer face that pre-clearance step or the extended waiting period it required.
The immigration department did not outline any transitional arrangements, indicating the new procedures apply immediately to all Nigerian travellers. Countries still subject to Tanzania’s Referred Visa restrictions include Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Chad, Djibouti, Pakistan, Palestine, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia and Somaliland, among others.
News of the change circulated widely on Nigerian social media following the announcement, with the shift viewed by many commentators as a step toward easier travel between the two countries for tourism and business purposes.
