In a significant move impacting international travel, the administration of United States President Donald Trump has announced a partial suspension of visa issuances to Nigeria and fourteen other countries. The proclamation, signed on Monday, 16th December 2025, cites national security concerns as the primary reason.
Details of the New Travel Restrictions
The new policy specifically targets several classes of visas for Nigerian applicants. The affected visas include the B-1 (business), B-2 (tourism), B-1/B-2 combination, F (student), M (vocational student), and J (exchange visitor) categories. According to the US government, this action is a response to identified deficiencies in screening, vetting, and information-sharing protocols in the listed nations.
Official statements pointed to the threat posed by radical Islamic terrorist groups, such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State, operating in parts of Nigeria. Furthermore, the US referenced its Overstay Report, noting that Nigeria had a 5.56 per cent overstay rate for B-1/B-2 visas and a more concerning 11.90 per cent rate for F, M, and J visas.
Expanded List of Restricted Countries
The proclamation not only continues existing restrictions from a previous order but also adds new nations to the list. The original twelve countries facing full restrictions are:
- Afghanistan
- Burma
- Chad
- Republic of the Congo
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Haiti
- Iran
- Libya
- Somalia
- Sudan
- Yemen
Based on a recent analysis, the Trump administration has now imposed full restrictions on five additional countries:
- Burkina Faso
- Mali
- Niger
- South Sudan
- Syria
Context and Escalating Rhetoric
This latest action follows a pattern of policies from the Trump administration. In June 2025, the President restored travel restrictions from his first term, updating them with a fresh assessment of global security risks. The move also comes after the US, on October 31, 2025, redesignated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern (CPC)” for the persecution of Christians by violent Islamic groups.
President Trump's rhetoric on the matter has been notably sharp. In a post on his Truth Social platform, he hinted at drastic measures, stating the US would halt all aid to Nigeria and could intervene militarily in a manner that would be “fast, vicious, and sweet.” He has also used inflammatory language in recent weeks, criticizing immigrants from what he termed “shithole countries” and suggesting a preference for immigrants from places like Norway and Sweden.
The legal foundation for such restrictions was solidified during Trump's first term when the US Supreme Court upheld the travel ban, ruling it was within presidential authority to protect national security by preventing entry of nationals who cannot be adequately vetted.
The new proclamation represents a significant escalation in US immigration policy, directly affecting thousands of Nigerian students, business travelers, tourists, and exchange participants, while further straining diplomatic relations.
