The United States mission in Nigeria has announced the closure of visa appointment services at the U.S. Embassy in Abuja.
The development was disclosed on April 9, 2026, via the mission’s official handle on X.
The closure comes hours after the United States Department of State ordered non-emergency embassy personnel and their families to leave its Abuja mission over rising security concerns.
The U.S. Mission stated that visa services in Abuja have been temporarily halted, advising applicants to await further communication regarding their appointments.
It, however, clarified that visa processing activities remain ongoing in Lagos, while emergency services for American citizens are still accessible under specific conditions.
The suspension of visa appointments in Nigeria’s capital comes shortly after the U.S. government directed its citizens and non-essential staff to depart Abuja due to worsening security conditions.
In an earlier advisory, the embassy urged Americans to reconsider travel to Nigeria, citing risks including crime, terrorism, civil unrest, and kidnapping, as well as inconsistent healthcare access.
The latest move follows a string of recent security alerts issued by the U.S. Mission in Nigeria.
Subsequently, on March 10, the embassy issued another alert warning of a possible terrorist threat targeting diplomatic facilities and U.S.-affiliated schools, underscoring ongoing concerns about the security environment in the country.