International airlines operating from Nigeria are witnessing a steady and worrying decline in the number of passengers on their flights. This downturn is a direct consequence of stringent visa sanctions imposed by the United States government, which have severely limited the number of Nigerians eligible to travel to the North American nation.
Timeline of the U.S. Visa Restrictions
The situation began when President Donald Trump, on January 1, 2026, initiated a partial suspension of visa issuance to Nigerians. This action was part of a new presidential proclamation aimed at tightening border controls and enhancing national security. The policy was further escalated on January 14, when the U.S. announced it would suspend visa processes for all intending immigrants from Nigeria and 74 other countries, including Ghana, Russia, Yemen, and Venezuela, effective from January 21.
Impact on Airline Load Factors and Key Routes
Travel industry experts in Nigeria immediately predicted that this wave of policy changes would lead to a sharp fall in passenger numbers on Nigeria-U.S. routes. Investigations confirm that due to the initial sanctions which started two weeks prior, aircraft load factors on major routes from Nigeria to the United Kingdom, Germany, Dubai, and Turkey have already dropped.
Flights that previously departed from Nigerian airports at high or full capacity are now taking off with noticeably fewer passengers. While Nigeria currently has no direct flight links with the U.S., two American carriers—Delta Air Lines and United Airlines—operate regular services into the country. However, the ripple effects of the visa clampdown are being felt most acutely on other lucrative corridors.
The United Kingdom route, widely considered the most profitable for airlines, is experiencing significant strain. Both British Airways and Virgin Atlantic Airways, the two primary operators on the Nigeria-UK corridor, are reporting reduced traffic. The impact is widespread, affecting other major carriers like Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, and Qatar Airways. These airlines typically transport Nigerian passengers to their various global hubs before connecting them to final destinations in the United States.
Travel Agents Confirm Widespread Disruption and Fear
Mrs. Susan Akporiaye, the Managing Director of Topaz Travels and Tours and immediate past President of the National Association of Nigerian Travel Agents (NANTA), confirmed the alarming trend. She stated that traffic on U.S.-bound routes has reduced drastically in recent weeks, directly attributing the slump to the visa sanctions.
Akporiaye lamented that travel agents have recorded an unprecedented number of visa denials during this period. “People have stopped buying tickets,” she revealed. “Even visa renewals are being refused. That has never happened at this scale before and it is creating fear among travellers.”
The former NANTA president added that the uncertainty is causing a chain reaction. Nigerians living abroad are cancelling trips back home, while students and professionals within Nigeria are shelving their travel plans due to fears around visa issuance and the possibility of being denied re-entry.
The combined effect paints a challenging picture for the aviation and travel sectors in Nigeria, with no immediate relief in sight as the stringent U.S. policies remain in force.
