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Nigeria: British High Commission

Volume 703: debated on Tuesday 22 July 2008

asked Her Majesty’s Government:

How many Nigerian citizens are employed in the administration of visa applications at the British high commission offices in (1) Abuja and (2) Lagos.[HL4684]

The total numbers of locally engaged staff employed in the visa sections at our high commission in Abuja and deputy high commission in Lagos are 56 and 109 respectively. The majority are Nigerian citizens, but the precise number is not available at present, as a breakdown of such staff by nationality is not routinely kept.

Decisions on visa applications are made only by entry clearance officers (ECOs). Both posts in Nigeria employ several locally engaged ECOs. They are all British citizens and have been trained and received security clearance to the same level as ECOs posted from the UK.