Nigeria, Angola Sign Diplomatic Visa Waiver as Shettima Concludes AU Summit Engagements
Nigeria and Angola formalized a bilateral visa waiver agreement for diplomatic passport holders during the 39th African Union summit in Ethiopia, as Vice President Kashim Shettima represented President Tinubu at the continental gathering.
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Nigeria and Angola signed a bilateral agreement eliminating visa requirements for diplomatic and official passport holders during the 39th Ordinary Session of the African Union Assembly in Addis Ababa, advancing regional mobility initiatives among Africa's largest economies.
The visa waiver arrangement, concluded while Vice President Kashim Shettima represented President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the continental summit, marks a diplomatic milestone between West Africa's most populous nation and Southern Africa's second-largest oil producer. According to Business Day, the agreement specifically targets holders of diplomatic and official passports, streamlining travel for government officials and diplomatic personnel between the two countries.
The agreement positions Nigeria and Angola—both significant petroleum exporters and OPEC members—to deepen bilateral cooperation beyond existing energy sector ties. Angola, with a population exceeding 35 million, represents a strategic partner for Nigeria in advancing continental integration objectives outlined in the African Continental Free Trade Area framework. The visa waiver follows similar arrangements Nigeria has pursued with other African nations as part of broader efforts to facilitate intra-African movement and strengthen diplomatic relations across regional economic communities.
Vice President Shettima's participation at the AU summit encompassed multiple diplomatic engagements beyond the Angola agreement. The Nation Newspaper reported that Shettima returned to Abuja following his representation of Nigeria at the assembly, which convened African heads of state and government to address continental priorities including security challenges, economic integration, and climate adaptation strategies.
The 39th AU summit occurred against a backdrop of heightened continental focus on economic sovereignty and regional cooperation. Nigeria's diplomatic outreach at the gathering aligns with the Tinubu administration's emphasis on strengthening African partnerships while navigating complex security situations in the Sahel region and the Lake Chad Basin. The visa waiver with Angola specifically addresses longstanding calls from business communities and diplomatic circles for reduced travel barriers among African nations, where visa restrictions have historically impeded the movement objectives enshrined in the AU's Agenda 2063.
Diplomatic passport waivers represent an incremental approach to continental free movement, distinct from broader visa liberalization affecting ordinary passport holders. Several African countries have adopted similar bilateral arrangements, with the AU's 2016 launch of the African passport initiative seeking to eventually facilitate barrier-free travel across all 55 member states. Nigeria has previously signed comparable agreements with South Africa, Kenya, and several ECOWAS member states, though implementation timelines and reciprocal arrangements have varied.
The Angola agreement emerges as both nations navigate economic diversification imperatives beyond petroleum dependence. Nigeria's economy, Africa's largest by GDP, has pursued deeper continental trade relationships as global energy transitions threaten long-term oil revenue sustainability. Angola, which recently exited OPEC before rejoining, similarly seeks expanded economic partnerships to stabilize post-conflict development gains and reduce vulnerability to commodity price volatility.
The visa waiver's practical impact will depend on implementation mechanisms and whether the arrangement extends beyond diplomatic missions to include broader official travel categories. Previous bilateral agreements in Africa have faced challenges including inconsistent application at border posts, inadequate information systems integration, and limited awareness among eligible travelers. The AU's Protocol on Free Movement of Persons, adopted by member states in 2018, provides a continental framework, though fewer than half of AU members have ratified the binding instrument.
Nigeria's diplomatic engagement at the AU summit reflects the country's positioning as a continental anchor state, with responsibilities spanning ECOWAS leadership, Lake Chad Basin security coordination, and advocacy for African representation in global governance structures. The Tinubu administration has emphasized economic diplomacy as a foreign policy pillar, seeking to leverage Nigeria's demographic weight and market size to attract investment and strengthen regional value chains.
The bilateral agreement with Angola adds to a growing network of intra-African travel facilitation measures, though comprehensive visa liberalization across the continent remains constrained by security concerns, economic protectionism, and administrative capacity limitations. The African Development Bank has identified restrictive visa regimes as significant impediments to the $3.4 trillion intra-African trade potential projected under full AfCFTA implementation.