The Federal Government of Nigeria has called on the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to expedite the signing of the long-delayed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the Exchange of Sentenced Persons between both countries.
The appeal was made by Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, during a diplomatic meeting with the Ethiopian Ambassador to Nigeria, Legesse Geremew Haile, at the Ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu expressed deep concern over what she described as continued harassment and mistreatment of Nigerians— including holders of official and diplomatic passports—by Ethiopian authorities in Addis Ababa. She reminded the Ethiopian envoy that Nigeria had already incorporated Ethiopia’s observations into the draft MoU and questioned the delay in signing, despite reassurances at a previous meeting on March 6, 2025.
Highlighting the urgent need for action, the minister lamented the poor conditions faced by Nigerian inmates in Ethiopian prisons, particularly the lack of access to medical care. She condemned the recent death of a Nigerian citizen in Ethiopian custody, calling it an unacceptable consequence of diplomatic inaction.
“Our people don’t want to hear that another Nigerian inmate died in Ethiopian prison,” Odumegwu-Ojukwu said, emphasizing Nigeria’s commitment to citizen diplomacy and the protection of its nationals abroad.
The minister also criticized Ethiopia’s failure to fully return funds seized from Nigerian travelers at Bole International Airport. Despite an amnesty announcement by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed during the 40th Session of the African Union Executive Council in February 2022, only two out of 25 affected Nigerians have recovered their confiscated money.
One particularly tragic case involved Mr. Francis Chukwuma Uzoh, whose $70,000 was seized despite reportedly fulfilling all requirements for a refund. Odumegwu-Ojukwu painted a grim picture of his current condition—homeless, abandoned, and destitute.
“I urge you to push for his refund while he is still alive—so they don’t end up using his money to bury him,” she told the Ethiopian Ambassador.
On the issue of visa waivers, Odumegwu-Ojukwu linked Ethiopia’s alleged withdrawal from the mutual visa-free agreement for diplomatic and official passport holders to the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA). She stated that Ethiopia failed to notify Nigeria of its decision, which is particularly concerning given that Addis Ababa is a major transit hub for Nigerians using Ethiopian Airlines.
Nevertheless, she reaffirmed Nigeria’s dedication to bilateral relations and confirmed that preparations are underway for the 4th Session of the Nigeria-Ethiopia Joint Commission, to be held in Abuja.
In response, Ambassador Legesse Geremew Haile clarified that the visa waiver agreement was still active but pending ratification by Ethiopia’s House of Representatives. He added that Nigerian holders of diplomatic and official passports are still being issued visas, and visa-on-arrival policies for regular passport holders remain unchanged.
“Ethiopia views Nigeria as a very strategic partner,” the Ambassador stated, expressing gratitude for Nigeria’s recent approval of seven additional flight slots for Ethiopian Airlines on the Lagos route.
