South Africa to Nigeria visa requirements

South African ordinary passport holders need a visa for Nigeria, and as of 1 May 2025 it must be obtained online as an eVisa before travel. The old visa-on-arrival scheme has been phased out, so apply through the Nigeria Immigration Service eVisa portal in advance. A South African (ZA) ordinary passport holder traveling to Nigeria (NG) for tourism requires a visa, secured in advance through Nigeria's electronic visa (eVisa) system. Nigeria is not in the Schengen area; the 90/180 Schengen rule and ETIAS do not apply. Following immigration reforms announced in February 2025 and implemented from 1 May 2025, Nigeria discontinued its Visa-on-Arrival (VoA) program and moved to a fully online eVisa platform at evisa.immigration.gov.ng. The Tourism Visa (F5A) is open to citizens of all countries except ECOWAS member states; South Africa is not an ECOWAS member, so South Africans must apply. The eVisa is single entry, valid 90 days from issuance, and permits a stay of up to 30 days; it is not extendable and is for tourism only (no employment). Decisions are typically returned within 24-48 hours by email; the approval must be printed and presented on arrival, where a visa sticker/endorsement is placed in the passport. The official government immigration fee for South African nationals is approximately USD 58 for a single-entry tourist eVisa; passports must have at least 6 months' validity and applicants must show a return ticket, accommodation/host details, and proof of sufficient funds (typically a 180-day bank statement). Travelers should apply only through the official NIS portal to avoid inflated third-party service and biometrics charges.