The United States has rejected claims that its recent decision to shorten visa validity for most Nigerian applicants is politically motivated or connected to Nigeria’s foreign policy, including its opposition to U.S. deportation programs or its perceived ties to global alliances such as BRICS.
This clarification comes in response to growing accusations from Nigerian officials, who argued that the visa restrictions were imposed due to Nigeria’s refusal to accept undocumented migrants, particularly Venezuelans, deported from the U.S.
Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Yusuf Tuggar, criticized the U.S. move, highlighting Nigeria’s inability to shoulder external migration burdens.
“It would be difficult for countries like Nigeria to accept Venezuelan prisoners into Nigeria. We have enough problems of our own; we cannot accept Venezuelan deportees to Nigeria. We already have 230 million people,” Tuggar stated.
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The visa restrictions, which are part of broader changes affecting several African countries, were initially believed to be linked to those nations’ increasing alignment with BRICS.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump had recently threatened to impose tariffs on countries supporting BRICS in ways that could challenge U.S. trade policies.
Some analysts viewed the visa limitations and trade threats as elements of a broader U.S. strategy to counter what Washington sees as a rising multipolar world order that includes an assertive Africa seeking a new global role.
In a statement released via its official X account, the U.S. Mission clarified that the reduction in visa validity for Nigerians is part of a global review examining how countries use U.S. visas.
“This reduction is not the result of any nation’s stance on third-country deportees, introduction of e-visa policies, or affiliations with groups like BRICS,” the statement said.
“The reduction in validity is part of an ongoing global review of the use of U.S. visas by other countries using technical and security benchmarks to safeguard U.S. immigration systems.”
The U.S. government reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with Nigerian officials and citizens to meet the criteria necessary for restoring longer visa validity.
It emphasized that the decision should not be interpreted as punitive or retaliatory, but rather as standard immigration policy enforcement applied worldwide.
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