The United States has announced that it will partially suspend visas for citizens of Nigeria and 18 other countries starting January 1, 2026, citing security concerns.
The US Embassy in Nigeria said the action was in accordance with Presidential Proclamation No. 10998, which aims to strengthen immigration controls to protect the national security of the United States.
The new restrictions bar the entry of green card holders or Nigerians seeking to enter the United States on B‑1, B‑2, B‑1/B‑2, F, M, or J visas.
This means that Nigerians holding business (B‑1), tourism (B‑2), combined business and tourism (B‑1/B‑2), academic study (F), professional or non-academic study (M), and exchange program (J) visas will be prohibited from entering the United States under the new restrictions.
The President’s proclamation also applies to all immigrant visas except for limited exemptions.
The U.S. mission to Nigeria said in a statement that the suspension will go into effect on January 1, 2026, and will only apply to foreign nationals who were outside the United States on that date and do not hold a valid visa.
The countries affected by the restrictions are Nigeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Ivory Coast, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Venezuela, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
U.S. officials have clarified that visas issued before the effective date will not be revoked, and foreign nationals who already hold a valid visa as of January 1, 2026 are not subject to this proclamation.
Visa applicants from affected countries may continue to submit applications and attend interviews, but may be deemed ineligible for a visa or admission to the United States, the statement said.
The declaration provides exemptions for lawful permanent residents, dual citizens applying with passports from unaffected countries, U.S. government employees eligible for special immigrant visas, and participants in major international sporting events.
Ethnic and religious minorities facing persecution in Iran will also be exempted.
Last week, Premium Times reported that the proclamation suspends the entry of Nigerians seeking to travel to the United States as immigrants or on B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas for business, tourism, academic, vocational, and exchange programs.
The White House cited the activities of Islamic extremist groups, Nigeria’s continuing security crisis, and difficulties in verifying applicants’ backgrounds as reasons for the decision.
He also noted the high rate of visa overstays by Nigerian nationals.
The Trump administration also directed consular officials to shorten the validity of other nonimmigrant visas issued to Nigerians to the extent permitted by law.
The restrictions come weeks after the United States designated Nigeria as a country of particular concern after President Donald Trump accused the country of supporting Islamic extremists who persecute Christians. The Nigerian government denied the claims and described the crisis as complex.
Diplomatic engagement on Nigeria’s security situation continues, with high-level delegations exchanged between the two countries last month.
According to the White House, the restrictions are intended to encourage foreign government cooperation, reduce visa overstay rates, and advance immigration enforcement, national security and counterterrorism objectives.
“The restrictions and restrictions imposed by this proclamation are necessary to obtain cooperation from foreign governments, including to reduce overstay rates of their nationals, to enforce immigration laws, and to advance other important foreign policy, national security, and counterterrorism objectives,” the proclamation states.
Also read: Why the US imposed visa restrictions on Nigerians – Special Envoy
The U.S. government also imposed blanket travel bans on Burkina Faso, Chad, Niger, Syria, and Sudan.
The report said these countries are problematic because they have a record of presenting “fraudulent or unreliable civil documents, criminal records, and widespread corruption.”
The U.S. government maintains the travel ban is a way to protect the country from foreign terrorists and other security threats.
U.S. officials also said they have difficulty adequately investigating or verifying the background, safety, and risks of people coming from these countries.
The administration also said these countries “generally lack stability and government control,” making them difficult to scrutinize.
“The restrictions and restrictions imposed by this proclamation are necessary to prevent the entry of foreign nationals for whom we lack sufficient information to assess the risks posed by the United States, to enlist the cooperation of foreign governments, and to further our immigration enforcement and other important foreign policy, national security, and counterterrorism objectives,” the White House proclamation reads.
