AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMMISSION IN NIGERIA

Australian High Commissioner Ian Mcconville

Australian High Commission in Nigeria is located at 5^th Floor, Oakland Centre, 48 Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja.

Mr. Ian McConville is the Australian high commissioner to Nigeria.

Mr McConville is a career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. He led with distinction the Government's response to the tragic Sundance air crash in the Republic of the Congo and has extensive experience in the Department and has previously served overseas as Australia's High Commissioner to Mauritius. He has had earlier postings to Cambodia and Pakistan.

Mr McConville holds a Bachelor of Arts degree, an LLB and a Master of Arts degree in Foreign Affairs and Trade from Monash University. He also holds a Graduate Diploma in Foreign Affairs and Trade from the Australian National University and is a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Victoria. Mr McConville speaks French. He is married with three children.

Visa Application:

The Australian Government does not provide visa services in Nigeria. The Australian High Commission in Nigeria does not have any staff trained in immigration or visa issues.

All visa applications for Australian visas are assessed, decided and processed at the Australian High Commission in Pretoria, South Africa.

Starting from 1 June 2010, a new arrangement was established where applicants for Australian visas are required to submit their applications at a VFS Global office. One is located at Plot No. 42, Door No. 38, Lobito Crescent, Wuse 2, Abuja. Another at No. 16, Billings Way, Ground and 1st Floor, Oregun Industrial Area, Ikeja, Lagos.

Working hours: submission of application opened from Mondays- Fridays 8 am to 3 pm. Collection of passports from 10 am to 3 pm Mondays to Fridays. Offices are closed during Nigerian and Australian public holidays.

Visa fees:

Migration application  $1790, Migration application (orphaned relative & carer)  $1090, visitor visa  $110 , temporary business entry  $110 , visitor electronic travel authority (restricted eligibility)  $95, business electronic travel authority (short validity)  95, temporary residence (form 147/ form 1066)  $270, temporary residence (form 147 for New Zealand citizen (family relationship) only/ form 1150)  $240,  temporary residence - nomination for 457 long stay (form 1196)  $70, temporary residence - 457 long stay sponsorship (form 1196)  $360 

Others are student visa  $565, resident return visa  $270, re-evidencing of a resident return visa  $125,  declaratory visa  for child  $175, citizenship by decent (under 25 years)  $125,  first child  $125; additional children registered at the same time  $100, citizenship by decent (adults)  $125, declaratory certificate of Australian citizenship  $55  and resumption of Australian citizenship  70 

Australia-Nigeria bilateral relationship

Australia’s relationship with Nigeria is based on Nigeria’s position as a leading African nation and important member of the Commonwealth. Diplomatic relations were established in 1960 and Australia opened a High Commission in Lagos in the same year. The mission was relocated to Abuja in 2003. Nigeria maintains a High Commission in Canberra.

Australia’s bilateral relationship with Nigeria is friendly, and underpinned by a history of cooperation in international fora such as the Commonwealth. Nigeria and Australia have shared interests in areas such as United Nations peacekeeping in Sudan, where a Nigerian force commander is appointed to head the United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur. Australia is contributing nine military officers to this mission.

Australian trade with Nigeria was valued at A$34 million in 2007. This was dominated by Australian exports to Nigeria of which the main items were plastics, dairy products, animal oils and fats, medicinal products and wine. No significant imports were recorded from Nigeria during the same period. While Australian investment in Nigeria remains modest, some companies are now showing interest in the growing minerals and petroleum resources sectors. In June 2008, an Austrade-led business mission visited Nigeria, aimed at exploring opportunities for future cooperation on the trade front.

Aid

Australia's aid to Nigeria is provided through the African Regional Small Activities Scheme, the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP), the United Nations and Commonwealth. The Small Activities Scheme supports community -based activities implemented by NGOs promoting sustainable economic and social development. The scheme has funded the construction of latrines in 30 communities, the purchase of medical equipment for a mobile surgery and laboratory, rehabilitation of a health care centre and construction of boreholes to supply safe drinking water.

The ANCP has provided funding to the Christian Blind Mission Australia to support a hospital, rehabilitation services for people with disabilities and the Right to Sight support program. The ANCP also funded the Leprosy Mission for a leprosy control and technical support project.

The Australian government through its direct aid program operates a flexible, small grants scheme to help fund development projects in the Federal Republic of Nigeria and some other West African countries.

Under the scheme, grants are available for individuals, community groups and non-governmental organizations engaged in development activities on a non-profit basis.

It is aimed at supporting small-scale projects and activities that are participatory in nature and have involved beneficiaries in their identification, design and management.

Special attention may be given to gender issues, children and other disadvantaged groups. Eligible activities should normally be implemented over a relatively short period of time and not more than one year.

Examples of areas where grants may be given are: community health, education, small-scale infrastructure, rural development and environment. In certain cases, consideration may be given to contributions to disaster relief operations, activities of cultural significance and sporting equipment.