Nigeria should end visa barriers for africans — Lumumba
Renowned Kenyan scholar and Pan-Africanist Prof. PLO Lumumba has called on Nigeria and other African countries to scrap visa restrictions for Africans travelling within the continent, arguing that such barriers hinder regional integration, trade and the goals of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Lumumba made the call on Monday while speaking at the 2026 Delta State Economic and Investment Summit in Asaba.
Addressing Vice President Kashim Shettima and other dignitaries, the former Director of the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission said Africa could not achieve meaningful economic integration while maintaining restrictive immigration policies.
He said he looked forward to a time when African investors could travel freely across the continent without having to obtain visas or complete unnecessary immigration documentation.
According to Lumumba, Nigeria, as one of the continent’s largest economies, should lead efforts to remove such barriers and make it easier for African investors to move between countries.
Drawing comparisons with Europe, he said Africans should adopt policies that encourage greater cross-border mobility to strengthen trade and investment.
He noted that while Europeans can travel between countries with relatively few restrictions, movement between African nations remains unnecessarily difficult, leaving the continent economically fragmented.
Lumumba also urged African governments to place greater emphasis on attracting investment from within the continent rather than relying heavily on foreign capital.
He encouraged African investors from countries including Kenya, Ghana, Ethiopia, Morocco and Egypt to participate more actively in investment opportunities across the continent.
He said Africans should develop greater confidence in their own intellectual and financial capacity to drive the continent’s development.
The Pan-Africanist also challenged the Delta State Government to consider adopting Norway’s approach to managing petroleum revenues by investing a significant portion of the resources for long-term economic benefit.
He pointed to Norway’s sovereign wealth fund as an example of how oil-producing regions can preserve and invest natural resource revenues for future generations.
Lumumba said the key issue for Delta State was not simply how much oil it produces, but how effectively the revenue generated from its natural resources is managed.
He noted that Delta State’s economy is already larger than that of more than 20 African countries, but said the state must make strategic use of its resources in areas such as agriculture, minerals, oil, pharmaceuticals and the blue economy.
He also identified energy as a critical driver of industrialisation and economic development.
According to Lumumba, reliable and affordable electricity should remain one of Delta State’s top priorities because sustainable economic growth cannot be achieved without adequate energy supply.
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