Nigeria, Angola sign diplomatic passport visa-exemption pact

Nigeria and Angola have signed an agreement granting visa-free entry to holders of diplomatic and official/service passports, a move both countries say will deepen official exchanges and strengthen bilateral cooperation.

The pact was signed on 15 February 2026, on the sidelines of the 39th Ordinary Session of Heads of State and Government of the African Union in Addis Ababa.

Nigeria’s delegation was led by Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, while Angola was represented by its Minister of International Relations, Tete António.

Tuggar said the agreement had been long overdue and would remove administrative obstacles to official travel, allowing government officials from both countries to engage more freely.

According to him, the visa waiver “will facilitate smoother official exchanges, deepen institutional cooperation and create broader opportunities for joint initiatives and dialogue.”

He noted that ties between the two countries date back to Angola’s ideological conflict between the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola and the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola, during which Nigeria openly supported Angola’s independence struggle.

The minister recalled the historic address “Africa Has Come of Age” delivered by former Nigerian Head of State Murtala Muhammed as a defining moment that cemented Nigeria’s solidarity with Angola.

In his remarks, António thanked Nigeria for its longstanding diplomatic backing during the anti-colonial struggle, describing the new agreement as a practical step towards consolidating historic relations and expanding cooperation.

He said the arrangement would open fresh channels for closer engagement between both governments.

Officials said the visa exemption will strengthen policy coordination, improve mutual understanding and modernise diplomatic engagement by removing travel barriers for authorised officials, turning decades of political goodwill into sustained collaboration.