Nigeria has emerged among the top 10 African countries with the highest Schengen visa rejection rates in 2024, as data from the European Commission shows a growing trend of refusals.
The country recorded a rejection rate of 45.9%, up from 40.8% in 2023, placing it fourth in Africa and third globally after Bangladesh and Senegal.
The latest statistics reveal that securing a Schengen visa has become increasingly difficult for Nigerian applicants, with nearly one in two being denied entry into the 29-country bloc, which includes major destinations such as France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. The rejection rate highlights mounting scrutiny or persistent documentation issues facing applicants from the region.
Across the board, Schengen visa applications surged in 2024, with over 11.7 million short-stay requests submitted, a 13.6% increase compared to the previous year. Despite this rise, visa issuance has yet to return to pre-pandemic levels. In 2019, approximately 15 million visas were granted, but only 9.7 million were approved in 2024.
While the Schengen Zone was designed to facilitate seamless travel across European borders, applicants from many African nations are increasingly finding themselves blocked by high refusal rates. In Africa, Comoros topped the list with a 62.8% rejection rate, followed by Guinea-Bissau at 47%, and Senegal at 46.8%. Nigeria’s 45.9% places it ahead of Ghana, the Republic of the Congo, Mali, Guinea, Burundi, and Ethiopia, all of which also face significant visa denial challenges.
The data underscores a growing divide in mobility between African countries and the Schengen states, with experts citing administrative hurdles, lack of travel history, and incomplete documentation as recurring factors in visa denials. The trend has sparked concerns over fairness in the visa process and the broader implications for travel, education, and business between Africa and Europe.
