Trump Administration Eyes Visa Ban on Nigeria and 35 Other Nations Over Security Concerns

The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has initiated steps toward implementing a broad visa ban on Nigerian citizens.

According to The Washington Post, an internal memo signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday outlines a proposal that could lead to visa restrictions or outright travel bans for up to 36 additional countries.

These nations, including Nigeria, are expected to comply with new requirements set by the U.S. State Department within a 60-day period or risk facing travel sanctions.

President Trump is reportedly considering adding Nigeria and several other primarily African nations to a list of countries subject to the potential travel ban. These countries must meet the updated criteria laid out by the State Department or face consequences.

The memo reportedly lists the following African countries as under review: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Egypt, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

The document cites a range of issues contributing to these potential restrictions, including the lack of a reliable central government authority capable of issuing trustworthy identity documents, as well as high levels of government corruption or document fraud.

Other non-African countries mentioned include Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Bhutan, Cambodia, Kyrgyzstan, Syria, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.

Countries on the list are required to submit an initial action plan to the State Department by Wednesday, outlining how they intend to meet the new standards.

Earlier in March, Trump had considered implementing a travel ban covering 43 nations, though Nigeria was not included at the time. Those countries were categorized into three tiers:

• Red group: 11 countries whose citizens would be completely barred from U.S. entry.

• Orange group: 10 countries facing significant visa restrictions.

• Yellow group: Nations given 60 days to resolve U.S. concerns to avoid penalties.

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