The United States Embassy in Abuja has cancelled all visa appointments in the Nigerian capital following the withdrawal of non-essential personnel over rising security concerns.
In a notice issued on Thursday, the Embassy directed affected applicants to check their emails for updates on rescheduled interview dates, noting that visa services would now be handled at the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos.
The Embassy stated that American citizen services in Abuja would remain available strictly by appointment or in emergency situations.
The development comes hours after the U.S. Department of State authorised the departure of non-emergency government staff and their families from Abuja, citing what it described as a “deteriorating security situation” across Nigeria.
“On April 8, 2026, the Department of State authorized non-emergency U.S. government employees and U.S. government employee family members to leave U.S. Embassy Abuja due to the deteriorating security situation,” the advisory read.
In its updated travel advisory, the Department urged American citizens to reconsider travelling to Nigeria, warning of risks linked to crime, terrorism, kidnapping, civil unrest, and limited access to healthcare in some areas.
“Reconsider travel to Nigeria due to crime, terrorism, unrest, kidnapping, and inconsistent availability of health care services. Some areas have increased risk,” it added.
The advisory placed Nigeria under a “Level 3: Reconsider Travel” category, while several states were classified under the more severe “Level 4: Do Not Travel” warning.
States listed under Level 4 include Borno, Jigawa, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Plateau, Taraba, Yobe, and parts of Adamawa, largely due to terrorism and kidnapping threats. Others such as Bauchi, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, and Zamfara were also flagged over heightened risks of unrest, crime, and abductions.
The move signals growing concern among foreign missions over Nigeria’s security landscape, even as authorities continue efforts to address threats across different regions of the country.
