Fake visas tighten Morocco transit rules for Nigerians-NCAA

Morocco has tightened transit arrangements for Nigerian passengers travelling through Casablanca, with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) linking the restrictions to a reported increase in the use of counterfeit Schengen visas and cases of passengers allegedly absconding during long layovers.

The development could increase travel costs and complicate connections for legitimate Nigerian passengers using Casablanca as a gateway to Europe, while Nigerian authorities seek clearer data from Morocco on the scale of the problem and a more proportionate transit arrangement.

Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the NCAA, Michael Achimugu, said authorities had identified a sharp increase in fake Schengen visa stamps among passengers travelling to Europe, with some cases detected at transit airports and others discovered only after passengers reached Europe.

He said some counterfeit visas were sophisticated enough to evade inexperienced airport document profilers.

According to Achimugu, some passengers deliberately book long layovers in Casablanca because they qualify for hotel accommodation, then leave the airport and subsequently attempt to enter Europe illegally.

“This is one reason Morocco does not allow Nigerians without Moroccan visas to enter the country, even when they qualify for hotel accommodation during long transits,” he said.

The development has implications for Nigeria’s air-travel market because Casablanca is an important connecting hub for Nigerians travelling to Europe and other destinations.

The NCAA said Nigerian authorities had asked the Moroccan Mission to provide data showing how many Nigerian passengers had actually absconded during transit, arguing that such evidence would help determine whether the restrictions were proportionate and whether genuine travellers were being unnecessarily affected.

Achimugu said Moroccan authorities had cited the country’s proximity to Europe as a factor making it particularly attractive to people seeking irregular entry into Europe.

Nigeria, he said, had pointed to Ethiopia as an alternative model, where eligible passengers using Ethiopian Airlines can access hotel accommodation during long layovers without first obtaining an Ethiopian visa, subject to the applicable transit arrangements.

Royal Air Maroc has also been asked to explore options for easing the burden on Nigerian passengers.

Achimugu said the airline’s country manager had presented the concerns to Moroccan authorities and that the request was being considered subject to certain conditions.

Another proposal is for the expansion of airport hotel capacity, currently put at about 70 rooms, or the provision of lounge facilities for Nigerian passengers with long layovers who cannot obtain entry permits.

The dispute comes weeks after the NCAA threatened to suspend Royal Air Maroc’s operations in Nigeria over complaints relating to baggage handling, passenger service and complaint resolution.

Relations have since improved, with the airline meeting the NCAA in Abuja and presenting a service-improvement plan.

The airline has also increased its Nigerian operations from five weekly flights to 21 weekly flights, making Casablanca an increasingly important transit hub for Nigerian passengers.

The NCAA said the Federal Government would continue to use diplomatic channels to make international travel easier for Nigerians, but urged travellers to comply with visa requirements and avoid activities that could lead to tighter restrictions.

Royal Air Maroc’s own published transit guidance confirms that passengers with long layovers who are not authorised to leave Casablanca airport must remain in the transit area, while access to hotels outside the airport is subject to a transit visa or exit permit.

For Nigeria’s aviation market, the immediate challenge is to protect legitimate passenger traffic through Casablanca while addressing Morocco’s concerns over irregular migration and document fraud without imposing unnecessary costs and restrictions on genuine travellers.