Mr. Daniel Krulls, Consul-General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Lagos, has announced plans to significantly accelerate visa processing for Nigerians, with a maximum turnaround time of three weeks for all visa types. Krulls, speaking at a media event to describe his aims as the next Consul-General, stated that the move is part of a larger effort to improve German-Nigerian commercial, cultural, and educational collaboration.
According to him, the Lagos Consulate presently processes over 10,000 visa applications each year, but plans to expand capacity through a series of reforms aimed at improving efficiency.
“Our main objective as a consulate is to be a facilitator — helping people from Germany and Nigeria connect,” Krulls said. “One of the most important services we provide is the visa process, and we are expanding our office capacity to double the number of visa counters. With new counters and more staff, we aim to shorten processing times to no more than three weeks.”
He also stated that the consulate intends to collaborate with external service providers for specific visa categories and build a verification system for academic degrees to facilitate faster processing for students.
Krulls noted that the document verification program had already been tested in New Delhi, India, where it effectively accelerated study visa determinations, and will shortly be implemented in Nigeria.
Beyond visa changes, the envoy highlighted Germany's desire to strengthen partnership in technology and the creative industries, noting prospects for German IT companies to invest in Nigeria's burgeoning digital environment.
He also stated that Germany is looking into film co-productions and other collaborations with Nigeria's Nollywood business, recognizing the global importance of Nigerian cinema.
“Language barriers may have limited Germany’s presence in Nigeria’s film sector so far, but there’s significant room for improvement,” Krulls said, adding
Germany is prepared to assist Nigerian creators in obtaining royalties from worldwide streaming platforms such as YouTube, Google, and Netflix.
On cultural exchange, he stated that both nations already conduct several people-to-people programs, including a film workshop in which young film students from Germany and Benin City work together on joint projects.
Krulls emphasized Germany's commitment to strengthening bilateral relations, citing Nigeria as a vital partner in Africa's social, cultural, and economic growth.
