Morocco tightens transit restrictions on Nigerians due to surge in fake Schengen visas

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has attributed Morocco’s increasingly restrictive transit rules for Nigerian passengers to a reported rise in the use of counterfeit Schengen visas by travellers attempting to reach Europe.

Michael Achimugu, NCAA Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, disclosed this in a statement shared on his X account on Saturday, saying the scale and sophistication of fraudulent travel documents had become a growing concern for airlines and immigration authorities.

According to Achimugu, some counterfeit Schengen visas are sophisticated enough to escape detection by inexperienced airport personnel during initial passenger profiling, only to be exposed at transit points or after travellers arrive in Europe.

“I found out, yesterday, about a sharp increase in the volume of fake Schengen visa stamps now being used by passengers to travel to Europe. A lot of them are discovered at transit airports, and others on arrival in Europe,” he said.

He alleged that some passengers transiting through Casablanca deliberately arrange lengthy layovers that make them eligible for hotel accommodation outside the airport, before allegedly disappearing and attempting to make their way illegally into Europe.

“Some of such passengers, during transit in Casablanca, intentionally book long layovers to qualify them for hotel stay in the city. Once they enter the city, they disappear and try to find an illegal way into Europe,” Achimugu added.

Why Casablanca has become a flashpoint

Achimugu said the reported cases help explain why Nigerian passengers without Moroccan visas may be prevented from leaving the airport during long layovers in Casablanca, even when their itinerary would ordinarily qualify them for hotel accommodation.

The issue has become a source of concern for Nigerian aviation authorities and travellers because Casablanca is an important connecting hub for Nigerians heading to Europe and other destinations.

Rather than simply accepting Morocco’s restrictions, Achimugu said Nigerian officials and stakeholders had asked the Moroccan Mission to examine the actual data on Nigerians who allegedly absconded during transit.

The argument is essentially one of proportionality: how many Nigerian passengers have actually disappeared during transit, and is that number large enough to justify restrictions affecting legitimate travellers?

Moroccan officials reportedly told their Nigerian counterparts that the country’s geographical proximity to Europe makes it more attractive to people seeking irregular entry into Europe than countries farther away.

Ethiopia offered as an alternative

Achimugu pointed to Ethiopia as an example of a different approach to long transit periods.

He said Nigerians travelling through Ethiopian Airlines can, in qualifying circumstances, leave the airport for hotel accommodation during lengthy layovers without first obtaining an Ethiopian entry visa. The airline provides transportation between the airport and designated hotels before passengers return for their onward flights.

The comparison has strengthened calls for Morocco to consider arrangements that would protect legitimate transit passengers without compromising immigration controls.

The NCAA itself has a wider consumer-protection mandate covering air travellers. Its official guidance says passengers have rights relating to issues including denied boarding, delays, cancellations and baggage problems, while also emphasising travellers’ responsibility to understand the conditions attached to their tickets.

Royal Air Maroc weighs Nigerian request

The situation has also prompted discussions with Royal Air Maroc, Morocco’s flag carrier.

According to Achimugu, the airline’s country manager told a meeting that Royal Air Maroc had already approached the relevant Moroccan authorities on behalf of Nigerian passengers and that the request was under consideration.

Another proposal was to increase the number of rooms available at hotels near the airport. Achimugu said the existing accommodation capacity was limited to roughly 70 rooms, raising the possibility of creating additional rooms or providing lounge facilities for passengers who have long layovers but cannot obtain permission to enter Morocco.

The NCAA said it would continue engaging through diplomatic and aviation channels in an effort to make international travel easier for Nigerians while also urging passengers not to engage in conduct that could undermine those efforts.

Royal Air Maroc’s relationship with NCAA

The latest development comes after a difficult period between the NCAA and Royal Air Maroc.

The Nigerian aviation regulator had previously taken enforcement action against the Moroccan airline over consumer-protection complaints. In December 2024, the NCAA confirmed that it had initiated enforcement action against Royal Air Maroc and several other airlines over issues involving passenger refunds and other consumer-protection obligations.

The dispute has since moved towards resolution, with the airline engaging the Nigerian regulator over improvements to its services.

Royal Air Maroc's importance to Nigerian travellers has also grown with its expanded Nigerian operations, making Casablanca an increasingly significant gateway for passengers connecting to Europe.

Another warning for Nigerian travellers

The latest dispute illustrates a difficult balance facing Nigerian passengers.

On one side are legitimate travellers who may be caught up in increasingly stringent transit procedures because of the actions of other passengers. On the other is the growing concern among transit countries and European authorities over fraudulent visas and irregular migration.

For travellers, the immediate lesson is clear: a genuine ticket does not cure a defective visa or transit requirement.

Passengers travelling through Casablanca should verify Morocco’s current transit and entry rules with their airline and the relevant authorities before departure, particularly where a long layover involves leaving the airport.

The NCAA has previously intervened in cases involving Nigerian passengers caught in disputes over transit requirements, underscoring the importance of checking visa conditions for every country on an itinerary rather than focusing only on the final destination.

As Morocco reviews requests for greater flexibility, Nigerian authorities face the task of securing fair treatment for genuine passengers while convincing international partners that Nigeria is equally serious about tackling fraudulent travel documents.

For now, the message from the NCAA is a two-way warning: travellers must not abuse transit arrangements, and legitimate passengers should not be made to bear disproportionate restrictions because of the actions of fraudsters.