The United States government has imposed new travel restrictions on Nigerian nationals, barring entry under several immigrant and non-immigrant visa categories, citing security risks and high rates of visa overstays.
The announcement, made via a presidential proclamation published on the White House website, targets visa types commonly issued to Nigerians, including B-1 (business), B-2 (tourism), combined B-1/B-2, F (academic studies), M (vocational studies), and J (exchange programmes).
The White House stated that Nigeria’s prolonged security challenges, including the activity of extremist groups such as Boko Haram and Islamic State affiliates, complicate screening and vetting procedures.
The proclamation also referenced US visa compliance data, noting a B-1/B-2 overstay rate of 5.56 per cent and an overstay rate of 11.90 per cent for F, M, and J visa holders.
Additionally, US consular officers in Nigeria have been instructed to reduce the validity of other non-immigrant visas “to the extent permitted by law.”
This policy follows the US’s recent redesignation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” regarding religious freedom, a classification rejected by Nigerian authorities, who attribute security issues primarily to insurgency and criminality rather than religious persecution.
Despite the restrictions, diplomatic engagement continues, with US Ambassador Richard Mills meeting Nigeria’s Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar to discuss mutual concerns.
The proclamation extends similar partial travel restrictions to 14 other countries, including Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Restrictions are set to take effect on January 1, 2026, and will apply to foreign nationals outside the US who do not hold valid visas at that time.
Exemptions are granted for lawful permanent residents, diplomatic visa holders, athletes attending major international events, certain special immigrant visa holders, and persecuted ethnic and religious minorities from Iran.
In addition, the US has imposed full travel bans on five countries, Burkina Faso, Chad, Niger, Syria, and Sudan, due to concerns over fraudulent documentation, weak criminal record systems, corruption, and instability.
A ban was also announced on holders of passports issued by the Palestinian Authority, citing security concerns linked to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
These measures build on earlier bans introduced in June, which fully restricted travel from 12 countries and applied heightened restrictions on six others.
The expanded visa restrictions have drawn criticism from Nigerian leaders. Former Kaduna Central lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani, described the policy as exclusionary toward “third world migrants” and questioned its selective application.
Sani highlighted that the most affected countries are African and Caribbean nations, noting that Arab countries were largely exempt despite the cited security concerns.
Sani urged Nigerians and other nationals affected by the ban to focus on national development and address domestic challenges rather than relying on overseas opportunities.
President Donald Trump defended the restrictions as necessary to ensure the safety of US citizens and enforce immigration laws, stating that they help mitigate risks posed by inadequate vetting and insufficient information sharing from foreign governments.
