Nigeria and the Commonwealth of the Bahamas have agreed to sign a visa waiver agreement for Diplomatic and Official Passport holders of both countries.
This disclosure was made by the Prime Minister of the Bahamas, Philip Davis when Ambassador Benaoyagha Okoyen, the High Commissioner of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the Commonwealth of The Bahamas paid him a courtesy visit.
A statement from the Nigerian Embassy in Havava on Wednesday stated that Okoyen paid Prime Minister Davis a courtesy visit, in the presence of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Bahamas, Mr Fred Mitchel, at Nassau on Monday.
Okoyen is Nigeria’s Ambassador to Cuba with concurrent accreditation to the Bahamas, Republic of Nicaragua and Honduras.
Potential benefits of the visa waiver agreement
The proposed visa waiver agreement between Nigeria and the Bahamas is to facilitate the entry of citizens of both countries.
According to the statement, holders of valid diplomatic and official passports of both countries would easily gain entry into their respective countries.
Furthermore, the arrangement, once concluded, intends to protect the interests of both countries and strengthen their friendly relations.
- “The Agreement once concluded would further protect the interest of both countries and strengthen their friendly relations,” the statement read in part.
More Insights
As part of his diplomatic duties, Ambassador Okoyen attended the various sessions of the Bahamas 2023 Diplomatic Week that celebrated “50 years of Foreign Relations and beyond in an independent Bahamas” from 22nd to 27th October 2023, and also participated in a hybrid High-Level Panel Discussion on “Diplomacy and the Next Generation” along with other representatives of the Bahamas, China, Indonesia, USA, and participating students from various schools in the country.
The Nigerian envoy, while in Nassau, also visited the Governor-General of the Bahamas, H.E. Ms. Cynthia Pratt, who bid Okoyen farewell as he took formal leave of the host authority in the Bahamas.
