Residents of Enugu and Port Harcourt now have more direct access to UK visa services, as two new Premium Visa Application Centres have officially started operations in both cities. This move comes as part of ongoing efforts by UK Visas and Immigration to improve service delivery and meet rising demand from Nigerian travellers.
The UK Home Office announced the launch of the centres on Monday, revealing that the Enugu location is based at the Omedel Luxury Hotel, while the Port Harcourt centre is situated inside Hotel Presidential. These additions aim to reduce travel time and simplify the visa process for applicants in and around these regions.
With travel demand from Nigeria continuing to grow—especially ahead of the summer holiday season—the centres are expected to support faster processing and offer more appointment options. Bookings for both locations are available through the VFS Global website.
The new centres join a growing list of UK Visa Application Centres already operating in the country, including those in Abuja, Ikeja, and Victoria Island in Lagos, which have been functioning since late 2024.
The UK Home Office noted that Nigeria is currently one of the top four countries worldwide in terms of UK visit visa applications, making up about six percent of all such requests globally.
Rt. Hon. Lord Hanson, the UK Minister of State at the Home Office, noted the importance of the expansion.
“The government is pleased to be able to reopen the Premium Visa Application Centres in both Port Harcourt and Enugu… These new premium application centres will provide greater convenience for applicants in and around Enugu and Rivers State demonstrating the importance of the UK – Nigeria relationship in these markets as well as Nigeria as a whole,” he said.
Alok Singhal, Head of Sub-Saharan Africa at VFS Global, also noted the added convenience the new locations will bring to applicants. “We are pleased to open the additional, conveniently located touchpoints for our UK visa customers… Our customers will continue to enjoy the same comfort, convenience, and best-in-class services at these locations.”
In addition to processing visa applications, the Premium Centres also offer extra support services. These include help with uploading documents, updates on application status, return courier services, and the ability to retain one’s passport during the process.
VFS Global has managed UK visa services since 2003 and currently oversees operations in 142 countries. As of 2023, the organisation had processed more than 309 million visa applications through more than 3,500 centres worldwide.
