Trump Order May Delay 5,000 Nigerians Planning to Migrate

No fewer than 5,000 Nigerians planning to relocate to the United States may face delays following a new immigration restriction announced by President Donald Trump on Wednesday.

The restriction includes a pause on immigrant visa processing for 75 countries, Nigeria included. A State Department spokesperson confirmed the policy, stating that immigrant visa processing is being paused for the affected countries.

The pause is scheduled to begin on January 21, 2026, and will continue indefinitely until the U.S. completes its review.

Why Nigerians may be hit hard

U.S. consulate data from Lagos show that 5,626 immigrant visas were issued in 2023, up from 4,219 in 2022, an increase of 1,407 in one year. Based on those recent numbers, at least 5,000 immigrant visas granted to Nigerians annually could be affected if immigrant visa processing is halted for Nigeria during the review period.

Beyond immigrant visas, the overall scale of Nigerian visa traffic is large. In 2024, a total of 70,621 Nigerians were issued U.S. immigrant and non-immigrant visas.

A breakdown of that figure shows 63,313 non-immigrant visas and 7,308 immigrant visas issued during the year. Abuja issued 30,222 of the non-immigrant visas, while 33,091 were issued in Lagos.

What Washington says the policy is about

The U.S. State Department said the policy is part of a broader entry suspension targeting countries it believes pose screening and vetting challenges or produce migrants who rely heavily on public benefits.

In a statement shared on X on Wednesday, the State Department said it would pause immigrant visa processing for 75 countries “until the U.S. can ensure that new immigrants will not extract wealth from the American people.” 

It said the affected countries include those whose immigrants allegedly become public charges at “unacceptable rates,” adding that the Trump administration would “always put America First.”

The list of affected countries spans regions, including 27 African countries, 22 Asian countries, 8 European countries, 13 North American and Caribbean countries, three South American countries, and one Oceania country.

Nigeria is listed alongside African countries such as Algeria, Cameroon, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Liberia, Morocco, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, and others.

This comes after a $15,000 visa bond policy

The new pause comes barely a week after the Trump administration announced a visa bond requirement of up to $15,000 for nationals of 38 countries, including Nigeria.

That policy is also expected to take effect on January 21, 2026, and is aimed at countries flagged for high visa overstay rates and security concerns.

A tightening trend Nigeria already saw in December

The latest pause follows an earlier U.S. announcement in December of a partial visa ban on Nigeria alongside other countries.

For Nigeria, the policy cited persistent security challenges and overstays on temporary visas. It also referenced extremist activity in parts of the country, arguing that such conditions “create substantial screening and vetting difficulties.”

The proclamation ordered the suspension of entry into the U.S. for Nigerian nationals as immigrants, and also as non-immigrants under B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visa categories. It also directed consular officers to reduce visa validity periods for other non-immigrant categories issued to Nigerians.

The State Department stated that visas issued before the effective date would not be revoked. However, Nigerians outside the United States without valid visas when the policy begins would be affected by the suspension.

Reactions: Nigeria–US ties and the bigger signal

Former Nigerian Ambassador to Mexico, Ogbole Amedu-Ode, described the sweeping action as a contradiction of America’s long-standing support for globalisation and free movement. 

He said it was difficult to justify banning citizens of 75 countries and argued that travel is a natural human activity, especially in an age of easier movement.

Former ambassador Godknows Igali acknowledged America’s right to set its immigration rules but urged Washington to consider the implications for bilateral relations. 

He argued that Nigerians in the U.S. are not a burden, describing them as disciplined, hardworking, and largely skilled. He called for Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to sustain engagement with the U.S. to push for Nigeria’s removal from the affected list.

Foreign affairs analyst Charles Onunaiju said the latest restriction reflects a deeper shift in U.S. domestic politics and foreign posture, pointing to visible immigration tensions in American cities. He warned that further tightening may follow and argued that the current moment in U.S. global relations is unusually unpredictable.

Ex-ambassador Rasheed Akinkoulie, however, said the move does not amount to a total stop to Nigerian visa applications, insisting that the conditions are simply tighter, citing the $15,000 visa bond. He added that government officials and diplomats still obtain visas without major problems.

What this means now

With the immigrant visa processing pause set to begin January 21, 2026, and with no stated end-date, Nigerians planning to relocate to the U.S. could face longer timelines, uncertainty, and postponed travel plans, especially those relying on immigrant visa categories expected to be affected by the pause.

For thousands of Nigerians already in the pipeline or preparing to apply, the next major determinant is how long the U.S. review lasts, and whether Nigeria remains on the restricted list after the assessment is complete.