Photo: Christine and Hagen Graf / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Tanzania has removed Nigerian citizens from its referred-visa category, ending the requirement for special immigration clearance before they can pursue a visa to enter the country.
What has changed
Tanzania’s Immigration Services Department said the move took immediate effect after amendments published in Government Gazette No. 246 of 2026.
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Nigerian nationals can now use the standard visa application route through Tanzania’s official online system or designated entry points, rather than first undergoing the extra referral clearance. The department’s public notice was dated 25 September.
Previously, applicants in the referred category were advised not to commit to flights or accommodation before receiving approval. Tanzania’s High Commission in Abuja says that referral decisions had been issued from immigration headquarters within six weeks of an application.
Not visa-free travel
The rule change does not mean Nigerians may enter Tanzania without a visa. Nigeria is not listed among the nationalities exempt from Tanzania’s visa requirement, and travellers must still meet the relevant entry conditions.
Tanzania’s official guidance says visitors should hold a passport valid for at least six months. A standard single-entry visa may cover visits such as tourism, leisure, study or business for up to three months, subject to the terms granted by immigration authorities.
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Nigerian travellers should use the official Tanzanian immigration portal or consult the Tanzanian mission before booking travel, particularly as visa requirements and entry decisions remain subject to immigration officers.
Why it matters
The change removes a significant administrative hurdle for Nigerians travelling to one of East Africa’s major tourism and commercial destinations. It could make planning easier for visitors heading to Tanzania’s safari circuit, Mount Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar, as well as students, conference delegates and business travellers.
For Black communities and businesses across the continent, easier movement between Nigeria and Tanzania also matters beyond tourism. Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country and a major creative, consumer and investment market; Tanzania offers a strategic link to East African trade, services and regional networks.
The decision is a practical, if limited, step towards reducing barriers to intra-African mobility. It does not erase the wider visa restrictions faced by many African passport holders, but it gives Nigerian travellers a more straightforward route to Tanzania than they had previously.
What travellers should do
Applicants should confirm their visa type, fees, documentation and processing arrangements directly with Tanzania’s Immigration Services Department. They should also remember that possession of a visa does not automatically guarantee admission at the border.
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The immediate reform is the removal of the referral requirement—not a blanket waiver of visas or other entry rules.