Less than 24 hours after the United States of America imposed new Visa fees on Nigerians, the Federal Government of Nigeria on Wednesday, responded by reducing the visa application fees for American citizens.

Nigeria's Ministry of Interior, in a statement on Wednesday, announced that the visa fee of Americans had been reduced, saying that starting from 29 August, 2019, US citizens can now pay $160 for visa application.

According to the Ministry of Interior, Nigeria had engaged with the United States Embassy on the issue and in the aftermath, a Committee was set up to conduct due diligence in line with the Ministry’s extant policy on reciprocity of Visa fees.

The Committee had concluded its assignment and submitted a Report but the issuance of authorisation for its recommendations was delayed due to transition processes in the Ministry at the policy level.

However, the Nigeria's Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola on Wednesday, approved the decrease of Visa charges payable by US citizens in line with reciprocity policy as

recommended by the Committee.

The United States had on 27 August, 2019, imposed new visa fees on Nigerian applicants to reciprocate a similar fee by the Nigerian government on American citizens applying for Nigerian visa.

The new reciprocity fee range from $80 to $110 (28,8000 to N39,600) depending on the visa category, and can only be paid at the U.S. Embassy or the U.S. Consulate General.

It is not yet known whether the United States will reciprocate this gesture from Nigerian Government by reducing its visa fees for Nigerian citizens.