Trump’s Visa Crackdown on Nigeria Tied to Refusal to Accept U.S. Asylum Seekers
The recent visa restrictions imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump on Nigerian travelers have been linked to Nigeria’s refusal to serve as a temporary host for asylum seekers deported from the United States, multiple diplomatic sources have revealed.
According to findings by TheCable, Washington had been in talks with several nations, including Nigeria, to accommodate asylum seekers while their applications were being processed—a process that could span up to seven years. While a few countries agreed to the arrangement, Nigeria rejected the proposal, citing various national interests.
In response, the Trump administration introduced a sweeping visa policy change targeting Nigerian citizens. Effective immediately, non-diplomatic and non-immigrant U.S. visas for Nigerians have been cut down to a single entry with a validity of just three months—significantly reducing the previous privileges enjoyed by Nigerian travelers.
The U.S. cited an “imbalance in visa reciprocity” as a driving factor, although the Nigerian government has continued to issue physical visas to U.S. citizens ranging from three months to five years depending on visa category, and recently launched an e-visa system aimed at streamlining access for foreigners.Despite public speculation that Nigeria had ended the issuance of five-year visas to Americans—a claim now debunked—diplomatic insiders insist the core issue lies in broader geopolitical and immigration disagreements.
One of the more controversial sticking points is the U.S. efforts to relocate asylum seekers to third-party nations rather than returning them to their home countries.. The Trump administration had approached countries such as El Salvador, Panama, Rwanda, and South Sudan to accept these individuals, many of whom were facing ongoing asylum proceedings or had criminal records. Nigeria, however, declined the offer.
This model is similar to the UK’s deal with Rwanda under which migrants were to be relocated in exchange for economic support. That arrangement collapsed shortly after Prime Minister Keir Starmer took office, labeling it “dead and buried” despite the UK having paid over £220 million to Rwanda.
In addition to asylum negotiations, Washington has also requested that Nigeria allow U.S. citizens to apply for five-year visas electronically without requiring in-person embassy visits. Nonetheless, Nigerian officials are said to have turned down the request, pointing to the absence of equivalent visa privileges for Nigerian citizens seeking entry into the U.S.
U.S. officials further emphasized that Nigeria must improve its visa reciprocity standing by enhancing the security of its travel documents, effectively tracking visa overstays, and sharing criminal record data with American authorities—raising concerns over sovereignty and data privacy.
The Trump administration’s hardline approach follows the principles laid out in Trump’s book The Art of the Deal, where aggressive negotiation tactics and pressure campaigns are used to gain leverage in global affairs. Nigeria’s growing alignment with BRICS—an economic bloc Trump views critically—has further strained diplomatic ties.
Significantly, Nigeria was excluded from a recent White House meeting with African leaders aimed at fostering economic partnerships, signaling a cooling of U.S.-Nigeria relations under Trump’s renewed presidency.
In an official statement, Nigeria voiced. its disapproval of the U.S. decision, describing it as misaligned with the principles of mutual respect and fairness. The Nigerian government called for a reconsideration of the decision, urging both nations to uphold the spirit of partnership and shared global responsibilities.