South Africa Now Visa-Free For NigerianPassport Holders

Nigeria and South Africa on Tuesday signed
an agreement aimed at ending visa
acquisition by holders of official and
diplomatic passports.
Ministers from both countries have been
charged to ensure the effective
implementation of the newly signed
instruments and the conclusion of outstanding
agreements.
Both Presidents, Jacob Zuma and Goodluck
Jonathan met in Cape Town, South Africa
where various issues were discussed on how
to improve on relationship between both
countries as they agreed on so many issues
aimed at boosting development in the
continent.
Beside the visas waiver agreement both
countries also signed eight other bilateral
agreements which include, cooperation in
legal field, oil and gas sectors, power sector
development, environment,defence
cooperation, women development and
empowerment as well as child development.
The bilateral agreements also cover geology,
mining, mineral processing and metallurgy
and fields of information and communication
technology.
For both presidents, stronger ties between
both countries is necessary if the continent's
fortune is to be improved.
In his view, President Zuma said, "we have a
duty to take this historic relationship further.
Our two countries have already grown very
warm bilateral relations structured through
the bi-national commission that was officially
inaugurated in 1999,".
The meeting also afforded President Zuma
the opportunity to express his joy also the
number of South African companies doing
businesses in Nigeria, the biggest investment
being in the telecommunication sector.
He further noted that it is the intention of
South Africa to expand to other sectors such
as engineering, construction, banking, oil and
the media.
He also advocated for both countries to
promote people to people relationship
especially through tourism which he said has
generated huge Foreign Direct Investment for
the country.
"Last year alone, South Africa received a total
of 73,282 Nigerian tourists which is an
13.8percent increase from 2011 contributing
about 720million Rands to the South African
economy within the period."
In his responding, President Jonathan,
described the signing of nine bilateral
agreements between the two countries is a
major achievement that would enhance the
critical role of Nigeria and South Africa in
transforming the continent,
The President later addressed joined session
of the South African parliament where he re-
echoed the need for the two countries to
strengthen partnership in growing the
continent's economy.