According to Punch, Nigerians have spent an estimated ₦130 billion on Schengen visa applications over an 11‑year period, underscoring how costly cross‑border mobility has become for travellers and businesses.
The numbers are driving renewed questions about processing transparency, appointment bottlenecks, and what applicants actually receive in service quality for the fees paid.
SchengenVisaInfo’s reporting on Schengen application statistics notes the scale of fee revenue generated by applications, while Business Insider Africa highlighted how denied visas still leave applicants out of pocket through non‑refundable fees.
Expect the conversation to intensify as fees rise and more Nigerians weigh alternative destinations, longer-term visas, or travel routed through less restrictive hubs.
Echotitbits take: Expect the conversation to intensify as fees rise and more Nigerians weigh alternative destinations, longer-term visas, or travel routed through less restrictive hubs.
Source:The Punch — January 3, 2026 (https://punchng.com/nigerians-spent-n130bn-on-schengen-visa-applications-report/#:~:text=According%20to%20figures%20compiled%20by,countries%20between%202014%20and%202024.)
The Punch January 3, 2026
Photo Credit: The Punch
