The United States has placed Nigeria on a new list of countries subject to travel restrictions, following a presidential proclamation signed by President Donald Trump aimed at strengthening U.S. border security and national vetting procedures.
According to the White House, the proclamation—based on “data-driven assessments of security, vetting, and immigration compliance risks”—imposes partial travel restrictions on Nigeria, covering certain immigrant and non-immigrant visa categories.
Nigeria has joined 14 other countries under partial travel suspension, while several African and non-African nations remain subject to full bans or ongoing restrictions.
President Trump, in unveiling the policy, stated that it was his duty to take decisive action on border security.
“It is the President’s duty to take action to ensure that those seeking to enter our country will not harm the American people,” the proclamation stated.
The statement noted that the measures are intended to “protect the Nation from national security and public safety threats.”
It further explained that “the restrictions and limitations imposed by the Proclamation are necessary to prevent the entry of foreign nationals about whom the United States lacks sufficient information to assess the risks they pose, secure cooperation from foreign governments, enforce our immigration laws, and advance other key foreign policy, national security, and counterterrorism objectives.”
In explaining Nigeria’s inclusion, the U.S. administration pointed to both security concerns and immigration compliance issues.
The proclamation highlighted the presence of extremist groups in Nigeria, stating that “radical Islamic terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State operate freely in certain parts of Nigeria, creating significant screening and vetting challenges.”
In addition to security risks, the U.S. based its decision on visa overstay data collected by the Department of Homeland Security.
The Fiscal Year 2024 Entry/Exit Overstay Report showed that Nigerian nationals had a B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 5.56%, while students and exchange visitors on F, M, and J visas recorded an overstay rate of 11.90%.
Although these rates are lower than those of several other affected countries, the administration maintained that overstay data must be considered alongside broader issues such as document integrity, identity verification, and regional instability.
The proclamation also noted that “many of the restricted countries suffer from widespread corruption, fraudulent or unreliable civil documents and criminal records, and nonexistent birth-registration systems—systemically preventing accurate vetting.”
Nigeria is not subject to a full travel ban but is under partial suspension, affecting immigrants and non-immigrants applying for B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas.
Exemptions apply to existing visa holders, lawful permanent residents, diplomats, athletes, and travelers whose entry serves U.S. national interests. The administration also stressed that waivers will continue to be considered on a case-by-case basis. However, the proclamation restricts certain family-based immigrant visa categories that U.S. officials say “carry demonstrated fraud risks.”
Thus, Nigerians applying for new visas may encounter stricter screening, longer processing times, and potentially higher rejection rates, especially for student, visitor, and family-based visas.
Nigeria’s partial suspension positions it in an intermediate category compared with other African nations under the policy. Countries subject to full travel restrictions include Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, and South Sudan.
