Trump Imposes Partial Travel Restriction On Nigeria
United States President Donald Trump has imposed a partial travel restriction on Nigeria, as part of a series of new actions.
This was contained in a statement titled “Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security Of The United States,” signed by the US president and published on the website of the White House on Tuesday.
The restriction, which takes effect in January, 2026, will affect Nigerians hoping to travel to the US, as it cites security concerns and difficulties in vetting nationals.
The travel restrictions also affect citizens of other African as well as Black-majority Caribbean nations.
According to the statement, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Attorney General, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Director of National Intelligence, had been directed by Proclamation 10949 of June 4, 2025 (Restricting the Entry of Foreign Nationals To Protect the United States From Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats), to submit a report to the President, through the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security, describing his assessment and recommending whether any suspensions and limitations imposed by the proclamation should be continued, terminated, modified, or supplemented.
“After reviewing the report described in subsection (d) of this section, and after accounting for the foreign policy, national security, and counterterrorism objectives of the United States, I have determined to partially restrict and limit the entry of nationals of the following 15 countries: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Cote d ‘Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
“These restrictions distinguish between, but apply to both, the entry of immigrants and nonimmigrants,” the president stated.
Insecurity
Trump stated that “radical Islamic terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State operate freely in certain parts of Nigeria,” creating substantial screening and vetting difficulties.
He, therefore, said that the entry into the US by Nigerians as immigrants, and as nonimmigrants on B-1, B‑2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas, “is hereby suspended,” while consular officers shall reduce the validity for any other nonimmigrant visa issued to Nigerians to the extent permitted by law.
“According to the Overstay Report, Nigeria had a B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 5.56 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 11.90 percent.
“The entry into the United States of nationals of Nigeria as immigrants, and as nonimmigrants on B-1, B‑2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas, is hereby suspended.
“Consular officers shall reduce the validity for any other nonimmigrant visa issued to nationals of Nigeria to the extent permitted by law,” Trump said.
