The United States Consulate in Lagos has stated that visas issued by the country are a privilege and not an entitlement, following reports that Nobel laureate Professor Wole Soyinka’s visa had been revoked.
Responding to an inquiry from The PUNCH on Thursday, a spokesperson for the U.S. Mission in Nigeria confirmed the development but declined to provide details, citing confidentiality laws.
“Under U.S. law, visa records are generally confidential. We will not discuss the details of this individual visa case,” the spokesperson said in an emailed statement.
The Mission further emphasized that the U.S. government reserves the right to withdraw any visa at its discretion. “Visas are a privilege, not a right. Every country, including the United States, can determine who enters its borders. Visas may be revoked at any time whenever circumstances warrant,” the Mission added.
Earlier in the week, Prof. Soyinka revealed that his B1/B2 visa had been revoked by the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos. Speaking during a press conference at Freedom Park, Lagos, the 91-year-old Nobel laureate said the revocation was communicated to him in a letter dated October 23, 2025.
“I have no visa; I am banned, obviously, from the United States. And if you want to see me, you know where to find me,” Soyinka told journalists.
He also recounted two minor past incidents in the U.S.—one involving an undeclared pack of chilies at an airport and another, a decades-old dispute with a police officer in Atlanta—but said he doubted either was linked to the visa decision.
According to the U.S. Consulate’s letter, Soyinka’s non-immigrant visa was revoked under 22 CFR 41.122 of the U.S. Department of State regulations after “additional information became available” post-issuance. The Consulate also requested that he submit the document for physical cancellation.
Soyinka, who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1986, has been a frequent visitor to the U.S., where he previously held teaching positions at several universities. The revocation has since sparked discussions about Washington’s recent tightening of immigration measures affecting African nationals.