Nigeria: Govt Seeks Extension of Amnesty for Overstayed Nigerians in India

What the report says

Nigeria and India used the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi to discuss a range of bilateral issues, according to a Daily Trust report distributed by AllAfrica. Nigeria’s foreign affairs minister, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, met with India’s foreign minister, S. Jaishankar, as both sides said they wanted to deepen cooperation in trade, consular affairs, education and culture.

A key item in the talks was the situation of Nigerians living in India who have overstayed their visas. The Nigerian side asked for an extension of the current amnesty arrangement so affected nationals could leave voluntarily without facing penalties. The report said this was raised as part of broader consular discussions about the welfare of Nigerians abroad.

The ministers also discussed the possibility of a bilateral agreement on the transfer of sentenced persons, which would provide a framework for moving eligible prisoners between the two countries in an orderly and humane way. In addition, they reviewed opportunities to expand trade and investment and to strengthen people-to-people ties through education and cultural exchange.

The meeting reflects Nigeria’s use of the BRICS platform to support wider diplomatic and economic engagement. More broadly, it shows how consular issues, mobility and commercial cooperation remain central to the Nigeria-India relationship, which both governments have described as important for South-South cooperation.