Chinese ordinary passport holders need a visa before travelling to Nigeria. Since 1 May 2025, short visits for business, tourism or family are applied for online as e-Visas, and visa on arrival has ended. To work in Nigeria you need an Expatriate Quota, a work visa and a residence card (CERPAC); a business visa does not allow employment.
From the second half of 2025 Nigeria began enforcing overstay and illegal-work rules with daily fines and entry bans. If you are already in the country, the first thing to do is check that your visa and residence papers are valid.
Visa categories at a glance
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) groups visas into short stay, short visit (e-Visa), temporary residence and permanent residence [1]. The categories Chinese residents use most:
| Category | Purpose | Stay (per NIS) |
|---|---|---|
| Business, single entry (e-Visa) | Meetings, site visits, negotiations; invitation from a Nigerian company with its CAC certificate | 30 days, non-extendable |
| Business, frequent executives (e-Visa) | Executives who travel often; investment of at least USD 250,000 with proof from a recognised agency | 1 year, multiple entry, 30 days per stay |
| Tourism (e-Visa) | Tourism; return ticket, accommodation and bank statement | Single entry, 30 days |
| Visiting, single entry (e-Visa) | Visiting family or friends; host’s passport or residence permit | 30 days |
| Transit (e-Visa) | Transit | 1–7 days |
| Temporary Work Permit (TWP) | Short technical jobs such as installation, maintenance or training; Visa Authority Letter from the Comptroller General | 90 days; a 6-month multiple-entry, non-renewable version also exists |
| Employment (Expatriate), R2A | Long-term employment; requires an approved Expatriate Quota | 90-day entry, then usually a renewable 2-year permit |
| Employment (Free Zone), R3A | Work for a free zone company; zone authority clearance | 2 years, renewable; work only inside the zone |
| Permanent residence (investor etc.) | Small to ultra-large investors, oil/gas/power investors, spouses of Nigerians and others | Depends on category |
The NIS page does not publish visa fees. Check the fee shown in the application system or ask the Nigerian embassy or consulates in China.
Applying for an e-Visa
e-Visas are applied for entirely online at evisa.immigration.gov.ng [10]. According to the News Agency of Nigeria on 2 May 2025 [2]:
- The e-Visa regime started on 1 May 2025 with 13 short-visit categories. Visa on arrival was discontinued; visas already issued under it stayed valid only until 30 May 2025.
- Applications are processed within 48 hours, and the approved e-Visa and QR code are emailed to the applicant.
- e-Visas cannot be extended, so choose the right length and purpose when applying.
- Non-Nigerian passengers fill in an electronic landing card before boarding and an exit card before departure, replacing paper forms. The portal is lecard.immigration.gov.ng [10].
The 2025 MOFCOM guide also notes that from September 2025 all foreigners must declare each entry and exit [3].
Business visa versus work visa
A business e-Visa covers meetings, site visits and negotiations only, for 30 days with no extension [1]. Any employment in Nigeria, whether for a Chinese or a local company, needs a quota and a work visa. Technicians coming briefly to install, repair or train can be covered by a Temporary Work Permit (TWP) requested by the inviting company [1]. An International Bar Association article from October 2025 mentions proposed TWP fees of USD 600 (single entry) and USD 1,100 (multiple entry); these were proposals, so confirm the actual fee with NIS [9].
The Expatriate Quota system
Nigeria controls foreign employment through quotas. Companies apply to the Federal Ministry of Interior, and each quota position covers one expatriate employee [3]. Key rules:
- Business Permit first: companies with foreign shareholders (wholly foreign-owned or joint ventures) must hold a Business Permit before applying for a quota; 100% Nigerian-owned companies do not need one [4].
- Duration: an establishment grant is usually 3 years and additional quota usually 2 years; each position can be held for a maximum cumulative 7 years [4]. The MOFCOM guide says each quota lasts 2 years and costs NGN 500,000 plus a variable processing fee [3], which does not fully match the Ministry’s description; the Ministry’s approval letter is what counts.
- Who qualifies: applicants need at least a post-secondary diploma and relevant work experience [3]. The MOFCOM guide says each expatriate usually has to train two Nigerian understudies and the company must show substantial tax payments [3].
- Monthly returns: since January 2022, companies file monthly expatriate returns online including the National Identity Number (NIN) of each expatriate and their Nigerian understudies; new and renewal applications carry a company inspection fee of NGN 45,000–150,000 [8].
For company registration and the Business Permit, see Registering a company in Nigeria.
Step by step
- The company registers with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), registers with the NIPC and obtains a Business Permit from the Ministry of Interior [3][4].
- The company applies to the Ministry of Interior for an Expatriate Quota, submitting immigration form T/1, its certificate of incorporation, current tax clearance, project approval or proof of ongoing projects, and the proposed salary and job description [3].
- With the quota approval, the employee applies for a work visa at the Nigerian embassy or consulate in China, with a diploma (notarised and legalised) and proof of work experience [3].
- The employee then obtains a CERPAC residence card. The MOFCOM guide says within 3 months of arrival [3]; NIS now runs the e-CERPAC, which is processed and issued before the employee arrives and removes the need for post-arrival regularisation [6].
The CERPAC residence card
CERPAC is both a residence permit and an alien identity card. According to NIS, foreigners planning to live in Nigeria for at least one year can apply, including business owners, employees, students, dependants and retirees aged 65 and over; it is usually valid for one year or more and renewable [5]. You apply online, upload documents, pay online and give fingerprints and a photo at a designated NIS office [5].
| Applicant | Fee published by NIS |
|---|---|
| Employed foreigner | USD 2,000 |
| Student | USD 600 |
| Foreign spouse of a Nigerian citizen | Free |
Note: the 2025 MOFCOM guide gives USD 3,200 for the e-CERPAC, about one month to issue and two weeks to renew [3], which differs from the USD 2,000 on the NIS page. Check the amount in the NIS system or with your employer before paying.
Investors and dependants
NIS permanent residence categories include investors by company size, oil/gas/power investors, highly skilled immigrants, spouses of Nigerian citizens and retirees [1], but the page does not publish capital thresholds. Dependants can apply for CERPAC [5]. For investor and dependant residence conditions, ask NIS or the Nigerian embassy in China.
Compliance checks since 2025
On 24 April 2025 the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria announced [7] that Nigeria would launch a new foreigner management system on 1 May 2025. From 1 May to 31 July there was a grace period to regularise documents at NIS; from 1 August, foreigners overstaying or working illegally face fines, deportation and entry bans. The embassy asked Chinese companies and citizens to check their papers.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, from 1 September 2025 overstays are fined USD 15 per day; overstays of three months or more bring a five-year entry ban and overstays of one year or more a permanent blacklist [2]. Holders of expired visas can use the NIS “expired visa holders” channel [10]. If you are detained over documents, contact the Chinese embassy or consulate; see Consular protection guide for what they can do.
Common problems
- Working on a business visa: this is illegal work and has been a focus of enforcement since August 2025 [7].
- Letting CERPAC lapse: renew on time and track quota and CERPAC expiry dates together.
- Agent delays: the MOFCOM guide reports delays, lost files and rent-seeking in residence card processing [3]. Keep copies of everything and all payment receipts; you can check a visa on the NIS e-verify page [10].
- Passport: renew early when validity runs low, since quota, visa and CERPAC are all tied to your passport number. See Renewing a Chinese passport abroad.
Where to apply
- e-Visa, landing/exit card, CERPAC and visa checks: NIS website immigration.gov.ng [10].
- Expatriate Quota and Business Permit: Citizenship and Business Department, Ministry of Interior, candb.interior.gov.ng [4].
- Work visas and other embassy visas: Embassy of Nigeria in Beijing (2 Dong Wu Jie, Sanlitun; tel. 010-65323631/2/3) and the consulates in Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hong Kong [3].
Pages on long-term residence and citizenship are not yet live on this site; ask NIS directly in the meantime. For a general overview see Nigeria guide for Chinese residents, and for security see Nigeria safety guide.
References
- Nigerian Visas (Nigeria Immigration Service, 2025)
- Nigeria introduces e-Visa, digital entry system (News Agency of Nigeria, 2 May 2025)
- Country Guide for Outbound Investment and Cooperation: Nigeria (2025 edition) (MOFCOM / CAITEC / Economic and Commercial Office of the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, December 2025)
- Citizenship and Business FAQ (Expatriate Quota and Business Permit) (Federal Ministry of Interior, Nigeria, accessed 2026)
- Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card (CERPAC) (Nigeria Immigration Service, accessed 2026)
- e-CERPAC (Nigeria Immigration Service, accessed 2026)
- Notice reminding Chinese companies and citizens in Nigeria to regularise their documents (Embassy of China in Nigeria, 24 April 2025)
- Federal Ministry of Interior commences implementation of additional guidelines for administration of Expatriate Quota (KPMG Nigeria, 2022)
- Nigeria Visa Policy 2025 (International Bar Association, 20 October 2025)
- Nigeria Immigration Service official website (e-Visa, residence and landing/exit card portals) (Nigeria Immigration Service, accessed 2026)