UK is going fully digital for Nigerian visas. Here's what you need to do before next Tuesday.

In seven days, the UK stops issuing physical visa stickers to Nigerian travellers entirely. All new Visit visas will be issued as eVisas -- digital records stored online, accessible only through a UKVI account. The application process itself doesn't change. Only how you prove you have a visa does.

What you need to do: create a free UKVI account at gov.uk/evisa. Once your visa is approved, it lives there. You generate a share code to show airlines, border officials, or landlords when they need to verify your status. Existing valid sticker visas remain valid until their expiry date -- nothing changes for current holders.

The hidden implication for people already living in the UK: eVisas are now your primary proof of immigration status for both employment and rental purposes. That share code is essential documentation. If your UKVI account email address is outdated or inaccessible, your ability to work or rent legally could be disrupted. Update your UKVI account details now, before February 25.

The system question nobody is asking: when the UKVI portal goes down -- which it has before -- Nigerian travellers have nothing physical to show. The UK says the system is more secure. The practical reality for Nigerians, who navigate visa processes with less margin for error than EU nationals, is that any technical failure now has no paper backup.