The United States has moved to address growing concerns in Nigeria over reports of a sweeping visa policy, clarifying that the proposed review affecting 36 countries is not a blanket travel ban on Africa or Nigeria.
According to Business Insider Africa, the clarification came during a press briefing held on Monday, June 17, in Washington, D.C., where US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce stated unequivocally that the initiative should not be interpreted as a universal travel ban.
“The continent or location of a country is not a consideration,” Bruce said. “This is about whether we can trust the visa information provided by each country.”
Bruce explained that the review stems from national security directives outlined in Executive Order 14161, issued under former President Donald Trump.
The order calls for enhanced scrutiny of visa applicants to ensure they pose no threat to public safety in the United States.
The current effort aims to evaluate how well foreign governments handle key areas such as identity verification, information sharing on security matters, management of visa overstays, and cooperation with US deportation procedures.
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She emphasized that no country is being singled out because of geography and that the intention is to strengthen security protocols, not to impose punitive travel restrictions.
Bruce also debunked reports of an 18th June deadline for affected countries to submit action plans.
“They will have a considerable amount of time to rectify whatever the situation is,” she said.
“The goal is to reach a point where we can trust the process and the information provided by these countries. That’s how we determine visa eligibility.”
Nigeria, which was previously subjected to a similar review in 2020 that led to restrictions on certain visa categories, is expected to continue cooperating with US authorities.
At the time, Nigeria was flagged over concerns involving data sharing and terrorist watchlist information, but was later removed from the list after high-level diplomatic engagement and system upgrades.
This latest policy review follows a similar structure, giving countries an opportunity to address security-related gaps rather than triggering immediate travel bans.
For Nigerians pursuing student visas, work permits, or tourism access to the United States, the implications hinge on the government’s ability to maintain strong collaboration with Washington on identity verification and other security processes.
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