WASHINGTON: The United States government has added Nigeria to a list of countries facing partial travel restrictions, following a new proclamation signed on Tuesday by President Donald Trump
The decision was announced in a White House fact sheet titled President Donald J. Trump Further Restricts and Limits the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States, released on December 16, 2025.
According to the proclamation, Nigeria is among 15 additional countries placed under partial entry restrictions due to what the U.S. government described as demonstrated, persistent, and severe deficiencies in screening, vetting, and information-sharing” that pose risks to U.S. national security and public safety.
Explaining Nigeria’s inclusion, the White House cited the activities of radical Islamist groups, including Boko Haram and the Islamic State, which it said operate in parts of the country and complicate screening and vetting processes.
The fact sheet also referenced visa compliance concerns, noting that Nigeria recorded a B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 5.56 per cent, while the overstay rate for F, M and J visas stood at 11.90 per cent, according to U.S. overstay data.
President Trump had earlier, on October 31, designated Nigeria a “country of particular concern” following allegations of persecution of Christians in the country.
The White House described the latest action as a move to strengthen national security through common-sense, data-driven restrictions.
Under the new proclamation, full entry restrictions remain in place for nationals of the original 12 countries listed under Proclamation 10949 Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.
Five additional countries Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan and Syria were also placed under full restrictions, alongside individuals holding Palestinian Authority-issued travel documents.
Laos and Sierra Leone, previously under partial restrictions, were upgraded to full restrictions.
Meanwhile, Burundi, Cuba, Togo and Venezuela remain subject to partial entry limitations.
Nigeria joins other countries newly placed under partial restrictions, including Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The proclamation allows for exemptions for lawful permanent residents, existing visa holders, certain visa categories such as diplomats and athletes, and individuals whose entry is deemed to serve U.S. national interests. Case-by-case waivers also remain possible.
However, the White House said family-based immigrant visa categories associated with demonstrated fraud risks had been narrowed.
Justifying the move, the fact sheet stated that the restrictions are intended to prevent the entry of foreign nationals for whom the United States lacks sufficient information to properly assess security risks, enforce immigration laws, and advance counterterrorism and foreign policy objectives.
President Trump was quoted as saying it is the responsibility of his administration to ensure that individuals entering the United States do not pose a threat to Americans.
The White House added that the restrictions are country-specific and designed to encourage cooperation, citing challenges such as corruption, unreliable civil documentation, weak birth-registration systems, high visa-overstay rates, refusal to accept deportees, and the presence of extremist and criminal networks.
The proclamation also noted that Turkmenistan, which previously faced restrictions, had made progress in cooperation with U.S. authorities, leading to the lifting of non-immigrant visa restrictions, while immigrant entry limitations remain.
