Visa Categories for Entering Nigeria: Which One Does Your Employee Need?
A breakdown of Nigeria's main visa types for business travellers and foreign workers, and how to choose the right one.
Why Choosing the Right Visa Matters
A visa is not just a stamp — it defines what an individual may lawfully do in Nigeria. The wrong visa can:
- Result in refusal of entry at the port of entry
- Result in reduced duration of stay or total denial of entry
- Limit the activities the holder can undertake
- Create complications or blacklisting that negatively affects renewal or subsequent visa applications
- Trigger penalties for both the traveller and the employing company or host
Selecting the right category from the outset is by far the easiest way to avoid these issues.
The Main Visa Categories
Business Visa
The Business Visa is for foreign nationals visiting Nigeria for business activities that do not constitute employment. Typical use cases include:
- Business meetings and conferences
- Contract negotiations
- Site inspections and audits
- Supplier or distributor visits
- Interviews, trade fairs, exhibitions
It is not a work permit, and it should not be used for hands-on project work or anything that resembles employment in Nigeria.
Temporary Work Permit (TWP)
The TWP is for foreign nationals who need to carry out short-term work assignments in Nigeria without holding an expatriate quota position. Typical use cases include:
- Equipment installations and commissioning
- Technical support and field service
- Audits, training, and knowledge-transfer assignments
- Specialist consultants on time-bound projects
The TWP requires pre-approval from the NIS, and is usually issued for a limited period (commonly 90 days, without possible extensions).
Subject to Regularisation (STR) Visa
The STR visa is the long-term work visa category. It is used when an expatriate is taking up a position tied to the employing company's Expatriate Quota. STR visa holders are required to regularise their stay in Nigeria by obtaining a CERPAC within the prescribed timeframe. Under the new visa regulations, STR visa holders will be issued an e-CERPAC embedded in machine-readable QR codes prior to arrival in Nigeria.
This is the visa most commonly used for permanent or multi-year expatriate roles.
How Consulat Supports Visa Applications
Consulat manages e-visa applications across all relevant categories — business visas, TWPs, tourist visas, and visa-on-arrival processing for both business and TWP. We assess eligibility, prepare documentation, submit applications, and follow them through to approval.
Whether you are bringing in a single technical specialist or coordinating an entire international deployment, we can help ensure every visa is the right one — and that it arrives on time.
To discuss your visa needs, contact us and we will take it from there.