Author: Nigeriabrief

Immigration news updates for all regions Americas United States: H-1B fee clarification As previously noted, under the new Executive Order, a $100,000 surcharge will apply to new H-1B applications if the beneficiary is outside the United States and does not already hold a valid H-1B visa. This applies to both capped and uncapped applications. Fees are due at the time of application unless alternative payment options are announced. The petition is exempt from the surcharge if the beneficiary is: You have valid status in the United States and your petition is for a change, extension, or modification of your status…

MTN Group’s long-discussed plan to reduce its shareholding in MTN Nigeria is no longer on the immediate schedule. The Nigerian unit has returned to profitability and resumed paying dividends, but changing tax dynamics complicate the path to a public sale. MTN Group President and CEO Ralph Mupita indicated during the company’s Q3 2025 results conference in November that recent changes to Nigeria’s capital gains tax (CGT) regime make short-term reductions in the group’s stake uncommercially attractive. As a result, plans to dilute ownership in favor of local investors have effectively been halted. “Changes in tax law have complicated the situation,”…

The U.S. Department of State has revised its visa policy for Nigerian citizens, introducing more restrictive conditions for most nonimmigrant, nondiplomatic visas.Effective immediately, most Nigerian citizens who wish to enter the United States will be issued a primary visa valid for just three months.The changes, announced Monday, mark a major change to the U.S.-Nigeria visa reciprocity agreement and come as part of a broader effort by the U.S. government to align global visa standards with immigration and security protocols.Visas issued before July 8, 2025 will remain valid with their original terms and conditions, the U.S. Mission to Nigeria has confirmed.…

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…

A composite image of Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. More than 10,000 Nigerians working on sponsorship certificates or skilled worker visas could be deported when their contracts with sponsors end, after the UK government excluded more than 100 jobs, including skilled worker roles, from CoS status. London’s Mr Feelers said the new reforms, which will come into effect from July 22, 2025, are part of Britain’s efforts to control immigration and tighten standards for skilled worker visas. These changes include increasing skill requirements to RQF Level 6. This means that only degree-level jobs are eligible…

Eddie Hearn says Anthony Joshua needs time to grieve before making a decision about his boxing future, but believes the former heavyweight champion will return to the ring.Joshua’s close friends and team members Sheena Ghami and Latif “Rats” Ayodele were killed in a traffic accident on December 29 near Lagos, Nigeria, when the vehicle they were traveling in collided with a stopped truck.Joshua was also a passenger and suffered minor injuries.The incident occurred 10 days after the 2012 Olympic gold medalist defeated Jake Paul in Miami. The fight was his first since September 2024, when he lost to fellow Briton…

The US airstrikes on Nigeria on Christmas Day were supported by information provided by the Nigerian government, the country’s foreign minister said on Friday.Donald Trump announced an attack against the Islamic State group in northwestern Nigeria, after spending weeks accusing the group of targeting Christians.Nigeria’s Foreign Minister Yusuf Tugar said Friday that he had “extensive” phone conversations with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio before and after the attack.He said Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu had given the “green light” for the airstrike. Mr Tager did not rule out the possibility of further strikes, saying it was an “ongoing process” involving…

The 2025 edition of the Africa Cup of Nations follows a simple script for the most part. A tournament often defined by small animals enjoying a fairytale run, this time there was no true underdog story. Instead, the traditional powerhouses appear to be acknowledging their authority in the continent’s most prestigious tournament. From Brahim Dias, who made a breakthrough for Morocco in the absence of Achraf Hakimi, to Ademola Lookman, who topped the goal contribution rankings, to Amad Diallo, who has emerged as one of the frontrunners for the tournament’s Player of the Year award, this is shaping up to…

Linus Aleke of Abuja Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, a former Enugu State governor and elder statesman, says the worsening multifaceted poverty, astronomical unemployment and deteriorating security across Nigeria are compelling reasons for voters to remove President Bola Tinubu’s All Progressives Congress (APC) from power in the 2027 general elections.He noted that widespread hardship, job losses and persistent security threats continue to erode public confidence in government, arguing that the current government has failed to address the country’s deepening socio-economic challenges.Nwodo maintained that Nigerians should be given credible alternatives that prioritize economic security, job creation and protection of lives and property. In…

This is one reason Donald Trump always seems to be in a bad mood. Perhaps he realizes that the America of his dreams is out of reach.No matter how many immigrants he deports or prevents from entering the country, the white paradise he promises at the MAGA base, free of Somalis, Mexican “rapists” and generally people from “shithole countries” with shades similar to the America he was born in, is not what he will deliver.However, he can do a lot of damage. Although he is doing his best to make America intolerable to foreigners and, more generally, to people of…