The UK government earned close to £10 million in fees paid by rejected visa applicants from Nigeria and Ghana. Figures from the UK Border Agency show that between 2006 and 2007, of the 247,765 Nigerian visa applicants 125,386 were rejected while the figures for Ghana show 49,025 applications and 27,610 rejections. With a single entry visa application typically costing £65, and a non-refundable payment having to be made when the applications is submitted, the rejected visas netted the UK government close to £10 million.

The visa system has proved very controversial not only because of the expense involved for applicants, for many whom £65 represents a considerable proportion of their income, but lack of any form of screening before payment is deemed by many to be a blatant rip-off. Critics argue that the lack of screening lulls applicants who stand little or no chance of being granted a visa into applying and making payments.

It could well be argued that the UK government's Visa operations in West Africa are primarily a revenue raising operation and their diplomatic operations are almost a distant after thought.

UK Borders Agency Report