The United States Embassy in Nigeria has begun revoking valid visas previously issued to Nigerian citizens without providing reasons, leaving professionals, entrepreneurs, frequent travellers, and families stranded with cancelled plans and significant financial losses.
Former Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPC Ltd, Olufemi Soneye, raised the alarm in an article published on Sunday titled “The Quiet Revocation: Why is the U.S. Silently Cancelling Nigerians’ Visas?”
He disclosed that several Nigerians received letters from the embassy instructing them to submit their passports to its Lagos or Abuja offices, only for their visas to be cancelled.
According to the notices, the cancellations were carried out under Title 22, Code of Federal Regulations, Section 41.122, which allows visa revocation if “new information became available after the visa was issued.” However, the embassy provided no details, evidence, or appeal process.
Reports indicate that those affected include a prominent journalist, the head of a federal government agency scheduled to deliver an international address, and an Abuja-based entrepreneur with a clean travel record.
Other cases involve professionals and frequent travellers who rely on U.S. visas for education, medical treatment, family visits, and business engagements.
The sudden cancellations have forced many to abandon international trips, refund tickets, and explain missed meetings to partners. In some instances, travellers discovered the cancellations at airports, with a few briefly detained before being turned back.
Neither the U.S. Embassy nor Nigerian authorities have issued an official statement on the development. Many of the affected citizens insist they have never overstayed visas, violated immigration rules, or posed security risks, fueling concerns that the move may represent a deliberate tightening of U.S. visa policy against Nigerians.
The lack of clarity has heightened uncertainty for Nigerians who depend on U.S. travel for professional and personal purposes, raising questions over the future of U.S.–Nigeria visa relations and the potential impact on diplomatic and economic engagements.