BUA Boss Rabiu: South Africa Denied Me Entry, Europeans Allegedly Enter Visa-Free
The Chairman of BUA Group, Abdulsamad Rabiu, has raised concerns over what he describes as unequal treatment in international travel procedures, after he was refused entry into South Africa while, according to him, European travellers were admitted without visas.
He spoke on the matter at the “Africa at Scale: Capital, Policy and the Architecture of Growth” session at the Africa CEO Forum held in Kigali, Rwanda.
Rabiu explained that the incident occurred in February 2025 when he travelled from Lagos to Cape Town for the Mining Indaba conference. On arrival, immigration officials stopped him after discovering that his visa had expired by just one day.
He said he accepted responsibility for the situation, noting that his team failed to properly verify his travel documents before departure. He added that he and his entourage were delayed for several hours at the airport before he was eventually sent back to Nigeria.
However, Rabiu said his concern was not the refusal itself, but what he observed while waiting at the immigration desk. According to him, several passengers arriving from European flights were allowed into South Africa without visas.
He described the situation as troubling, arguing that it reflects wider inconsistencies in how mobility rules are applied, even within Africa and between regions.
Rabiu urged African leaders to reconsider visa and immigration systems across the continent, saying that easier movement within Africa is essential for deeper economic integration and growth.
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