Qatar has not introduced new visa restrictions on Nigerian men

Visa rumours resonate deeply in Nigeria, particularly when they involve Gulf countries, where many people travel for work, pleasure, and transit. In recent years, some of those worries have been real, such as tighter rules for Nigerians in the United Arab Emirates, so it is easy to see why many believed the story about Qatar without asking more questions.

In September 2025, a viral Instagram post claimed that Qatar had stopped issuing tourist and transit visas to Nigerian men travelling alone, and that only women or families could apply. The post went further, saying that applicants had to prove a return flight and book only five-star hotels before any visa would be granted. Nigerian news outlets picked up the story and repeated it, and the Africa service of German broadcaster Deutsche Welle, known as DW Africa, also published the same claim, which gave the rumour extra weight for many readers who trust big international brands.

Once people started to ask if the story was true, basic checks already showed that something was wrong. Hayya, Qatar’s official online system for e-visa applications, still lists Nigerians as eligible for tourist visas, with no rule that treats single men differently from women or families. The official Qatar tourism website also continued to list Nigeria among the countries that can apply for tourist visas, and there was no notice from the interior ministry about any new restriction aimed at Nigerians. A representative of Hayya told AFP Fact Check that the visa process for Nigerian applicants had not changed.

Independent fact-check organisations then stepped in to clear the air. AFP Fact Check and Africa Check both published detailed reports explaining that there was no evidence of a ban on single Nigerian men and no trace of such a decision on official Qatari platforms. BBC Pidgin also spoke to an official from Qatar’s interior ministry who said clearly that no special visa rule had been issued against Nigerians. In other words, DW Africa and several other Nigerian outlets had helped spread the ban story were wrong.

This episode is a reminder that a screenshot or a headline is not enough, even when it comes from a famous media name or a popular Instagram page. For Nigerians trying to plan trips or support family abroad, false stories like this can cause fear, shame and rushed decisions, so it is important to pause and check official sites such as Hayya and the Qatar tourism portal, and to read what fact-checking groups, like the Africa Check, have found. The correction position today is simple: Nigeria remains on the list of countries whose citizens can apply for tourist visas to Qatar, and there is no special ban on single Nigerian men.

Editor’s note: A previous version of this article carried the viral false claim that Qatar had tightened visa restrictions for Nigerian men. We regret the error and have corrected the information in this updated version.