The Tanzanian government has removed Nigeria from its Referred Visa Category, easing the visa application process for Nigerian travellers visiting the East African country.
The change, announced by Tanzania’s Immigration Services Department, means Nigerian nationals will no longer require additional immigration clearance before applying for a Tanzanian visa.
The decision followed amendments published in Government Gazette No. 246 of 2026 and took effect immediately.
According to the Immigration Services Department, Nigerians travelling to Tanzania will now follow the country’s standard visa application procedures through the official immigration online portal or designated entry points.
What has changed for Nigerian travellers?
Before the latest change, Nigeria was included in Tanzania’s Referred Visa Category, a system that subjected citizens of certain countries to an additional approval process before they could obtain a visa.
Applicants under the referral system were required to obtain clearance from Tanzania’s Commissioner General of Immigration or the Commissioner of Immigration in Zanzibar.
They were also advised to apply well ahead of their intended travel dates and wait for approval before making flight or accommodation arrangements.
With Nigeria removed from the category, Nigerian travellers no longer have to go through that additional referral clearance.
Nigerians still need a visa
The policy change does not mean that Tanzania has introduced visa-free entry for Nigerian passport holders.
Nigerians will still need to obtain a Tanzanian visa, but applications will now be processed under the country’s ordinary visa procedures rather than the more restrictive referred-visa system.
Tanzania’s tourism authorities list the countries whose nationals require referral visas separately from those eligible for ordinary visa procedures.
New process expected to make travel easier
The removal of Nigeria from the referred category is expected to make travel planning easier for Nigerians visiting Tanzania for tourism, business, family visits and other legitimate purposes.
The previous requirement for additional immigration clearance could make the visa process more complicated and require travellers to plan considerably further in advance.
Under the new arrangement, Nigerian applicants can use Tanzania’s official online visa system or designated entry points under the standard application procedure.
The development was announced in a public notice dated September 25, 2026, signed by ACI Paul J. Mselle, Chief Spokesperson of Tanzania’s Immigration Services Department.
Nigeria removed from Tanzania’s referral list
The change means Nigeria is no longer among the countries whose nationals are subject to Tanzania’s additional referred-visa restrictions.
Other countries remain under the referred visa system, including Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Chad, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Equatorial Guinea, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Palestine, Senegal, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sierra Leone, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
For Nigerian travellers, the immediate effect is a simpler visa application process, with the additional referral clearance no longer required.
The development also comes as Nigeria and Tanzania continue to strengthen economic, investment and diplomatic ties.
