The Federal Government has vowed to impose reciprocal measures on American citizens seeking entry into Nigeria, following the introduction of a new set of stringent visa rules by the United States.
Reacting to the development, Kimiebi Ebienfa, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, confirmed that Nigeria had been briefed ahead of the announcement by the US Mission in Abuja.
The Ministry said while the new policy was expected, Nigeria would not hesitate to respond in kind.
“We are aware of the development. It’s part of the new measures they informed us before now.
“On matters of this nature, the best we can do is to carry out reciprocal action. Some people from the US might want to apply for a visa, and we will adopt the same measures,” the statement reads.
He explained that the government would convene an inter-agency meeting involving the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Interior, and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) to determine the country’s coordinated response.
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“The stakeholders involved will have a meeting and agree on our best way to respond to it holistically,” it added.
The US, under President Donald Trump’s administration, in recent months tightened its immigration policies against Nigerians, limiting most non-immigrant and non-diplomatic visas to single-entry permits valid for just three months.
The US State Department justified the move as part of a global visa reciprocity process, aimed at ensuring “the integrity of US immigration systems.”
As part of the latest changes, visa applicants are now required to disclose extensive personal information, including all social media handles, email addresses, usernames, and telephone numbers they have used over the past five years.
The Mission warned that failure to provide accurate information could lead to denial of visas or ineligibility for future applications.
“The regulation is part of efforts by the Trump administration to ensure national security,” the Mission said, noting that the requirement covers every platform, application, and online provider used by applicants for communication and networking.
In addition, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has introduced a new “Good Moral Character” policy that demands a stricter review of naturalisation applicants.
Immigration officers are now expected to assess not just criminal records but also applicants’ everyday conduct, community contributions, employment record, and tax compliance before approving citizenship.
