'Nigeria, others risk UK visa restrictions over reparations demands'
Several African and Caribbean countries, including Nigeria and Jamaica, could face visa restrictions to the United Kingdom if Reform UK wins the next general election. The proposed policy targets countries
- By Samuel Oamen
Several African and Caribbean countries, including Nigeria and Jamaica, could face visa restrictions to the United Kingdom if Reform UK wins the next general election.
The proposed policy targets countries that have formally demanded reparations for slavery, a move the party says should attract stricter immigration measures.
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According to a report by the Daily Mail, Reform UK’s home affairs spokesperson, Zia Yusuf, defended the proposal, saying, “A growing number of countries are demanding reparations from Britain. They ignore the fact that Britain made huge sacrifices to be the first major power to outlaw slavery and enforce this prohibition.
“Astonishingly, these countries have received 3.8 million visas and £6.6 billion in foreign aid over the past 20 years. Enough is enough.”
Other countries identified by the party include Kenya, Haiti, Guyana, Barbados and The Bahamas, raising the possibility that their nationals could face entry restrictions.
The development comes weeks after the United Nations adopted a resolution urging former colonial powers to provide reparations for slavery. The resolution described the forced displacement of Africans as one of the “gravest crimes against humanity,” a vote from which the UK abstained.
Reacting, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage criticised the UN’s stance, saying, “It is now the UN telling us we should go bankrupt, to apologise for what people did in 1775 or whatever it might have been. Forget it. The UN has no legitimacy over this country whatsoever.”
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The party also pledged to cut foreign aid spending to £1 billion annually, representing about a 90 per cent reduction from current levels.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the UK Foreign Office acknowledged the historical impact of the slave trade but maintained that the government’s position on reparations remains unchanged. Similarly, opposition leader Keir Starmer has ruled out both an apology and financial compensation, stating, “I want to look at the future rather than spend a lot of time on the past.”
Reparations debate gains momentum
The issue of reparations has gained renewed global attention, with African and Caribbean nations intensifying calls for justice over the transatlantic slave trade.
Countries such as Ghana have taken a leading role, alongside regional blocs like the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the African Union, advocating for formal apologies, restitution of cultural artefacts and broader reparatory justice.
In March and April 2026, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution recognising the trafficking of enslaved Africans and racialised chattel slavery as among the gravest crimes against humanity. The resolution, backed by over 120 countries, called for dialogue and measures to address the lasting impact of slavery.
Countries and groups actively pushing for reparations include Ghana, CARICOM nations, the African Union, as well as Antigua and Barbuda, Guyana and Haiti.
