South Africa’s Consul-General to Nigeria, Prof. Bobby Moroe, has clarified that Nigerian singer Ayra Starr was initially denied a visa because she submitted an incorrect yellow fever certificate, not due to her nationality or celebrity status.
In an interview with Saturday PUNCH, Moroe explained that the incident occurred in February 2024 and resurfaced recently after reports claimed that Starr and her team had been refused entry visas to South Africa. This prompted the South African mission to meet with her team and clarify the necessary requirements.
According to Moroe, the visa application was rejected solely on procedural grounds: One of the challenges was that they did not submit an appropriate yellow fever certificate. They presented a certificate from another country instead of the one from their home country.
He emphasized that the matter was later resolved amicably, with Ayra Starr and her team subsequently granted a one-year visa to perform in South Africa in 2024 an outcome he noted had been omitted in some reports.
Moroe stressed that visa applicants are assessed strictly according to immigration requirements, regardless of their status, fame, or background. If you meet the requirements, whether you are a star or not, you will get the visa. But if you don’t, the immigration section will uphold the law, he said.
He added that all travelers are required to submit relevant documents, including a yellow fever certificate from their home country, as proof of vaccination before traveling to South Africa.
The Consul-General dismissed claims that South Africa had stopped issuing visas to Nigerians, explaining that visa decisions are based solely on compliance with requirements.
The narrative that we have stopped issuing visas to Nigerians is false. We don’t get into politics—if you qualify for the visa, you will be given one, Moroe stated.
He also disclosed that visa applications from Nigerians had increased, rising from an average of 40-60 per month in previous years to 60-80 monthly.
Meanwhile, the South African Consulate in Lagos recently issued visas to five Nigerian disc jockeys traveling to South Africa for an event. One of the DJs, Solomon Akinkunmi, confirmed to Saturday PUNCH that he received a one-year visa, while others were granted three-month visas.
