The United Kingdom has launched Africa’s largest visa application centre in Lagos State, in collaboration with its new commercial partner, VFS Global. The centre, which opened on Wednesday, allows Nigerian residents traveling to the UK to book appointments and submit their visa applications at state-of-the-art Visa Application Centres (VAC) in Abuja, Ikeja, and Victoria Island, which began operations on November 19.

British Deputy High Commissioner Jonny Baxter expressed his delight, stating, “Nigeria remains one of the UK’s most important partners, and we hope VFS delivers ever-improving services for those applying for visas to the UK.”

Marc Owen, Director of Visa, Status and Information Services at UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), highlighted the significance of the new Ikeja VAC, marking a milestone in providing world-class UK visa services. He noted that over 225,000 UK visas for Nigerian nationals were processed in the year to June 2024, underscoring the UK’s commitment to efficient and accessible visa services.

Alok Singhal, Head of Sub-Saharan Africa at VFS Global, emphasized the long-standing relationship between Nigeria and the UK, adding, “We are excited to bring best-in-class services to travelers from Nigeria.”