ABUJA, Dec. 17, 2025 (Naija247news) – The administration of United States President Donald Trump has imposed fresh travel restrictions on Nigerian nationals, barring them from entering the United States under several immigrant and non-immigrant visa categories, citing security concerns, challenges in vetting travellers and high visa overstay rates.
The restrictions were announced in a presidential proclamation published by the White House on Tuesday and apply to Nigerians seeking entry as immigrants as well as those applying for non-immigrant visas in categories including B-1 (business), B-2 (tourism), combined B-1/B-2, F (academic studies), M (vocational studies) and J (exchange programmes).
“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,” the proclamation stated.
The US government said Nigeria’s prolonged security crisis and the activities of extremist groups were central to the decision, arguing that the situation has created significant difficulties in screening and vetting travellers.
“Radical Islamic terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State operate freely in certain parts of Nigeria, which creates substantial screening and vetting difficulties,” the White House said.
Washington also cited visa compliance data, noting that Nigeria recorded a B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 5.56 per cent and an overstay rate of 11.90 per cent for F, M and J visas, according to the US Overstay Report.
In addition to suspending the listed visa categories, the Trump administration directed US consular officers in Nigeria to reduce the validity period of any other non-immigrant visas issued to Nigerians “to the extent permitted by law.”
The move comes amid rising diplomatic tension between both countries following Washington’s recent decision to redesignate Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” over religious freedom. President Trump has accused the Nigerian government of failing to protect Christians, an allegation Nigerian authorities have strongly rejected.
The Nigerian government has repeatedly maintained that the country’s security challenges are complex, multifaceted and not driven by religious persecution, stressing that attacks by armed groups have affected communities across religious and ethnic lines.
Despite the tensions, diplomatic and security engagements between both countries have continued. On Monday, the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills, met with Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, to discuss security cooperation and other issues of mutual concern.
Restrictions Extended to Other Countries
The proclamation also imposed partial travel restrictions on 14 additional countries, expanding a list first introduced in June. The affected countries are Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
According to the White House, the restrictions will take effect from January 1 and apply only to foreign nationals who are outside the United States and do not hold valid visas on the effective date.
“The restrictions and limitations imposed by this proclamation are necessary to garner cooperation from foreign governments, including reducing overstay rates of their nationals, enforce our immigration laws, and advance national security and counterterrorism objectives,” the statement said.
The administration noted that lawful permanent residents, holders of diplomatic visas, athletes participating in major international sporting events and certain special immigrant visa holders are exempt from the restrictions. The US also announced exemptions for persecuted ethnic and religious minorities from Iran.
Full Travel Bans on Five Countries
Beyond the partial restrictions, the Trump administration imposed full travel bans on Burkina Faso, Chad, Niger, Syria and Sudan, citing concerns over fraudulent or unreliable civil documentation, weak criminal record systems, corruption and political instability that complicate vetting processes.
The proclamation also announced a ban on holders of passports issued by the Palestinian Authority, referencing the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and the presence of Hamas in Palestinian population centres.
In June, the administration had earlier imposed full travel bans on 12 countries, including Afghanistan, Myanmar, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. Heightened restrictions were also placed on Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.
US officials said the expanded travel restrictions are intended to protect national security by limiting entry from countries where effective screening, vetting and information-sharing systems cannot be reliably guaranteed.
Emma Tochi ✔
Godwin Okafor is the Publisher & CEO of Naija247news Media Group LLC, an independent investigative news platform delivering accurate, data-driven reporting on Nigerian and global politics, economy, finance, and business. Founded in October 2010, Naija247news specializes in developmental journalism, providing timely insights and analysis to readers across Nigeria and the diaspora.
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