Nigeria, Aug. 27 -- South Africa's Consul-General in Lagos, Bobby Moroe, has dismissed claims that visa denials for Nigerians are rooted in xenophobia.

Mr Monroe insists that most applications are approved and that rejections arise only from non-compliance with immigration requirements.

Mr Moroe spoke on Wednesday at the 25th anniversary of the Nigeria-South Africa Chamber of Commerce (NSACC) in Lagos, where the Chamber also unveiled a new logo to mark the milestone.

"One of the greatest pandemics facing South Africans and Nigerians is perception," he said.

"South Africans have perceptions about Nigerians, and Nigerians have perceptions about South Africans. Over time, these perceptions become a lived experience, even when they do not...