Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema has called for the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (UK) to refund African nations for non-refunded visa application fees following widespread rejections, labeling the practice as exploitative.
In a statement, Hichilema highlighted that African countries collectively lost over $70 million in 2024 due to rejected visa applications to Europe, with an additional £44 million ($59 million) lost to UK visa fees.
Hichilema emphasized the unnecessary impact on Zambians, noting that many who applied for European visas were denied, resulting in significant financial losses with no tangible benefits.
“That’s money European countries are pocketing from Africans without offering any return,” the statement read.
He criticized the EU for later offering loans to African nations like Zambia, describing them as a “tiny fraction of our own money” that must be repaid, perpetuating a cycle of dependency.
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Data from the LAGO Collective, cited by CNN on May 21, 2025, confirms African countries lost 60 million euros ($67.5 million) in rejected Schengen visa fees in 2024, with Nigerians alone losing $5 million.