The United States will stop issuing visas to Nigerian nationals from January 1, 2026, under a new presidential order that places Nigeria among 18 countries facing partial entry restrictions, US authorities said.
The suspension will apply to visa services at the US embassy in Abuja and the affiliated consulate in Lagos, following Presidential Proclamation 10998, which Washington says is aimed at protecting US national security by tightening controls on the entry of foreign nationals.
US officials clarified that the measure is not retroactive. Visas issued before the effective date will remain valid, and Nigerians who already hold valid US visas as of January 1, 2026, will not be affected by the new rules.
“This action does not revoke visas previously issued, nor does it apply to individuals who already possess valid visas,” a US official said, stressing that the policy is designed to address security and vetting concerns rather than penalise existing travellers.
Nigeria is one of several African countries affected by the proclamation, reflecting a broader tightening of US immigration policy that has disproportionately hit developing nations. The list also includes countries in the Middle East and Asia, according to US officials.
The move has already sent ripples through Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country and one of the largest sources of African students and professionals in the United States. Many Nigerians living abroad, particularly students, have chosen not to return home for Christmas and New Year celebrations, citing fears that they may face difficulties re-entering the US amid uncertainty over visa policy changes.
“I would normally come home every December,” said a Nigerian postgraduate student based in Texas. “But with all this confusion around visas, it feels safer to stay put.”
Diplomatic tensions have also surfaced. US Ambassador to Nigeria Richard Mills has been recalled, a development that coincides with Nigeria’s own ongoing process of appointing ambassadors to foreign postings after a prolonged absence of envoys in several key capitals.
More Read
While Washington has not linked the ambassador’s recall directly to the visa suspension, the timing has fuelled speculation in Abuja about strains in bilateral relations. The US remains one of Nigeria’s most important diplomatic and economic partners, with close ties in security cooperation, trade, education and health.
Presidential Proclamation 10998 is part of a broader US strategy to recalibrate entry policies based on what the administration describes as country-level risk assessments, including identity management systems, information sharing and overstay rates. Similar measures in the past have sparked criticism from affected countries, which argue they are unfairly targeted.
Nigerian authorities have yet to issue a formal response, but analysts say the decision could have economic and social implications. The US is a top destination for Nigerian students, business travellers and medical tourists, and visa access has long been a sensitive issue.
“This will clearly affect people-to-people ties,” said a Lagos-based foreign policy analyst. “Even if existing visas remain valid, the signal it sends is significant.”
For now, US officials insist the suspension is partial and subject to review. But for many Nigerians, especially young people with plans to study or work in America, the announcement has cast a shadow over what has traditionally been one of the busiest travel periods of the year.
