The United States Mission in Nigeria has clarified that its recent decision to reduce visa validity for Nigerians was driven purely by security considerations, not political retaliation over Nigeria’s foreign policy decisions.
This follows a statement by Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, who suggested that the United States may have been reacting to Nigeria’s refusal to accept deported Venezuelan prisoners and illegal immigrants, or possibly President Bola Tinubu’s participation at the 2025 BRICS summit.
However, in a statement issued on Friday, the U.S. Mission dismissed those claims, stating unequivocally that the new single-entry, three-month visa policy was implemented as part of a global review aimed at strengthening U.S. immigration systems.
“This reduction is not the result of any nation’s stance on third-country deportees, introduction of e-visa policies, or affiliations with groups like BRICS,” the U.S. Mission stated.
“The reduction in validity is part of an ongoing global review of the use of U.S. visas by other countries using technical and security benchmarks to safeguard U.S. immigration systems,” it added.
Minister Tuggar had earlier claimed that Nigeria turned down a request from Washington to accommodate illegal Venezuelan migrants, a move reportedly rooted in an earlier policy initiated under former U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump’s administration had sought to resettle deportees in third-party countries, including Nigeria, Libya, and Sudan.
“We have enough problems of our own,” Mr. Tuggar said on Thursday. “We cannot be expected to take on criminals and illegals from other countries.”
His remarks fueled widespread speculation online that the U.S. visa restriction was a direct response to Nigeria’s foreign policy choices, particularly its growing alignment with BRICS and rejection of America’s deportation requests.
But the U.S. Mission reiterated that the revised visa policy is based on objective security measures and not tied to any diplomatic standoff or Nigeria’s position on international alliances.
While the new visa regulation has drawn concern from Nigerian travelers, the U.S. said the policy could be reviewed if Nigeria strengthens its immigration protocols and aligns them with international security standards.
