Nigerians have emerged as the leading applicants and recipients under the United Kingdom’s Global Talent visa route for literature, surpassing countries such as the United States, Canada, and Australia.
According to a report by The Telegraph UK, this lesser-known visa route enables writers, poets, oral storytellers, and graphic novelists to relocate to the UK based on proven exceptional literary talent. Endorsements for the visa are provided by Arts Council England, a government-backed body responsible for evaluating applicants’ creative merit before final approval by the Home Office.
In the past five years, Nigerian nationals have submitted 125 applications under the literature category, more than double the number submitted by US citizens (61), and exceeding the combined total of applications from Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.
Of the 125 Nigerian applications, 54 were endorsed while 70 were rejected.
The visa scheme, which also covers other creative sectors, has drawn criticism from some political quarters in the UK.
“The last thing we need is to import more foreign poets and bloggers,” said Lee Anderson, a lawmaker from the Reform UK party, as quoted in the report. “As the country boasting some of the world’s best literature, the last thing we need is to import more foreign poets and bloggers. What we urgently need are doctors, builders, and entrepreneurs. We need people who will contribute directly to our economy and public services.
“Our soft-touch immigration policies have allowed for total abuse of the system. And one where everyone benefits except the hard-working taxpayer.
“Reform will implement a freeze on all immigration. Then, gradually, we will welcome the world’s best and brightest, those who will adhere to our culture and contribute to our workforce. Reform will not continue to treat this country like a charity.”
Successful recipients of the Global Talent visa may reside in the UK for up to five years and are allowed to bring family members as dependents.
The report linked the spike in Nigerian interest to the global recognition of literary figures such as Ben Okri, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀, and the late Chinua Achebe, whose novel Things Fall Apart is still widely studied in British schools.
The trend is not limited to literature. Since 2019, Nigerians have submitted 729 applications across the broader Global Talent visa categories covering dance, fashion, film, theatre, and visual arts. This places Nigeria as the second-highest applicant country after the US (977).
Nigerian applications rose from just 12 in 2019 to 279 in 2024, representing a staggering 2,225 percent increase. However, only 59 percent of Nigerian applicants were endorsed, the lowest success rate among the major applicant countries aside from Ghana.
Since 2019, over 5,000 applications have been made under the scheme by applicants of all nationalities, with Arts Council England issuing more than 3,600 endorsements. The Home Office has not released data showing how many of these endorsements led to successful visa grants.
The release of the report comes amid renewed political pressure on the UK’s Labour government to reduce immigration levels.
