The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has begun drafting plans to impose a broad visa restriction on Nigerian nationals, citing concerns over alleged corruption in President Bola Tinubu’s government and inadequate intelligence cooperation between Nigeria and the United States.
According to a Washington Post report published Saturday, a State Department memo signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio listed 36 countries — including Nigeria — that are currently under review for potential U.S. visa restrictions.
The Trump administration pointed to a lack of government transparency and the absence of a reliable database to screen travelers as key reasons behind the proposed restrictions. The initiative is part of broader efforts in Washington to tighten immigration controls.
The memo noted that some countries either lack a competent or cooperative central authority capable of producing trustworthy identity documents or are plagued by extensive government-related fraud. Others were flagged due to high numbers of citizens who have overstayed their visas in the United States.
“The memo, which was signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and sent Saturday to U.S. diplomats who work with the countries, said the governments of listed nations were being given 60 days to meet new benchmarks and requirements established by the State Department. It set a deadline of 8:00 a.m. Wednesday for them to provide an initial action plan for meeting the requirements,” The Post reported.
This proposed travel restriction comes just weeks after the U.S. imposed similar measures on nationals from 12 countries — including Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Iran, and Yemen — over related concerns.
A significant portion of the newly targeted nations is in Africa. Of the 36 countries currently under review, 25 are African, including Nigeria as well as the U.S.’s key military partners on the continent: Egypt and Djibouti.
Other countries reportedly under consideration for visa restrictions include Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Dominica, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Lucia.
Also named in the memo are Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, South Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Nigeria was previously subjected to a similar U.S. visa restriction during President Trump’s first term, a ban that was later lifted following reforms to Nigeria’s immigration system ordered by then-President Muhammadu Buhari.
The renewed scrutiny under President Tinubu’s leadership comes amid international concerns over governance and past controversies involving the Nigerian leader, including allegations of involvement in drug trafficking and unresolved academic credential issues.
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