Visa ban on African countries may soon become a reality as the United States government considers tightening its travel policies, and Nigeria could be among those affected. Reliable reports from Washington reveal that President Donald Trump is reviewing a proposal to add 36 nations to a new visa restriction list.
This list stems from security concerns raised by U.S. officials, who say some of these countries lack proper identity verification systems and fail to share crucial security information. These issues, they claim, make it difficult to screen travelers adequately before entry into the United States.
Out of the 36 countries being considered, 25 are from Africa. The list includes Nigeria, Ghana, Ethiopia, Egypt, Djibouti, and several others. Many of these countries are seen as having weak or incomplete civil registration systems, making background checks difficult.
Here is a breakdown of the African nations being reviewed:
Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
According to an internal memo from the U.S. State Department, many of these countries either lack a cooperative central government or are unable to issue reliable personal identification. In some cases, the U.S. cited instances of widespread document fraud.
Additionally, a significant number of individuals from these countries have reportedly overstayed their visas in the United States, creating further immigration concerns.
The Trump administration has sent formal notices to U.S. diplomats working with the affected nations. Governments on the list are required to submit an initial action plan this week. They are expected to meet newly established benchmarks within 60 days or risk being officially placed on the banned list.
This pending decision follows similar travel bans already enforced on countries like Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Iran, and others earlier this year. U.S. officials maintain that the intent is to improve border security and streamline immigration screening.
