United States President Donald Trump has announced a fresh round of travel restrictions affecting Nigeria and several other countries, citing concerns over terrorism, weak vetting systems and high visa overstay rates.
The decision was contained in a proclamation signed by Trump on Tuesday and released by the White House. According to the statement, the new measures are aimed at “expanding and strengthening entry restrictions on nationals from countries with demonstrated, persistent, and severe deficiencies in screening, vetting, and information-sharing.”
Nigeria was specifically mentioned, with U.S. authorities arguing that ongoing security challenges in parts of the country make effective screening of travellers difficult.
“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.
The proclamation also referenced visa compliance concerns, citing U.S. immigration statistics. It noted that Nigeria recorded a 5.56 per cent overstay rate for B-1/B-2 visas issued for business and tourism, while the overstay rate for F, M and J visas — largely granted to students and exchange visitors — stood at 11.90 per cent.
The new travel restrictions reflect Trump’s renewed hardline stance on immigration, similar to policies implemented during his previous administration, which attracted widespread criticism and legal challenges.
In addition to Nigeria, countries listed in the latest travel ban include Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
As of the time of filing this report, the Nigerian government had not issued an official response to the announcement. The restrictions are expected to affect travellers, students and businesspeople seeking entry into the United States.
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