The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is reportedly preparing to impose visa restrictions or entry bans on Nigeria and 35 other countries, primarily in Africa, according to a memo obtained by The Washington Post.
The internal document, signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday, outlines a proposal that could affect countries deemed non-compliant with newly established security and identification standards set by the U.S. State Department.
The memo states that the affected countries will have 60 days to meet specific benchmarks or face potential travel restrictions. These benchmarks include the ability to produce reliable identity documents and a demonstrated willingness to cooperate with U.S. immigration enforcement. Countries with widespread fraud or lacking a competent central government authority may be particularly targeted.
Nations listed in the proposed visa ban include Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Egypt, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
In addition to the African nations, others on the list include Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Bhutan, Cambodia, Kyrgyzstan, Syria, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.
As part of the review process, the countries are expected to submit initial compliance plans to the State Department by Wednesday.
This development comes after earlier considerations in March, when the Trump administration had reviewed potential travel restrictions on 43 countries. At that time, Nigeria was not among them. Those countries were categorized into three groups—red, orange, and yellow—based on the severity of proposed restrictions, ranging from outright bans to limited visa issuance.
The Trump administration has defended such measures as part of broader national security efforts, though critics argue they disproportionately target African and developing nations.
