Larry Madowo fumes at Nigeria for denying a Kenyan a visa despite paying Ksh10K
By Charles Ouma, March 17, 2026Renowned journalist Larry Madowo has expressed his disappointment at Nigeria denying a Kenyan citizen a visa while citizens from the West African nation come to Kenya visa-free.
Madowo lamented that despite applying and paying $80, which is the equivalent of Ksh10368, a visa is not guaranteed even when one meets all the requirements and submits all the required documents.
He questioned how the practice is acceptable in a statement on Facebook on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, especially at a time when countries like Kenya allow Nigerians into the country visa-free.
“Nigerians come to Kenya visa-free, but Nigeria is denying Kenyans visas after applying, paying $80, submitting flight + hotel bookings, invitation letters, etc. How is this acceptable?” Madowo stated on X on Tuesday, March 17, 2026.
Screenshot of denied application
He shared a screenshot of an applicant whose visa application had been denied by Nigeria, redacting personal details from the image shared.
The award-winning journalist first raised issues with Nigeria visa challenges in a scathing video uploaded to his X account on Monday, March 9, 2026.
“Why is Nigeria still charging Kenyans ~$80 for a single-entry visa even though Kenya is visa-free for all Nigerians (and all Africans)? Is it time to match their energy and reintroduce visas for them?” he captioned the video.
He called out the Nigerian government for what he describes as an expensive visa system that appears to punish Kenyan passport holders, adding that the country only provides a single-entry visa even when applicants apply for a multiple-entry visa.
Breakdown of expensive Nigerian visa application
Madowo broke down the cost, saying that while the visa itself is Ksh3240 (25 dollars), Ksh6480 (50 dollars) is charged for online applications, with the platform used to process the payments charging Ksh648 (5 dollars), bringing the total cost to Ksh10368, which is equivalent to 80 dollars.
“Even if you apply for a multiple-entry visa, you are getting a single-entry visa. The visa itself is just $25, but you’re paying $50 because you’re applying online and another $5 to the payment provider. Abeg, Naija no dey carry last, but you’re carrying last in terms of visa openness for other Africans,” Madowo lamented.