The Presidency on Thursday pushed back against claims by the United States government that Nigeria failed to reciprocate its five-year, multiple-entry visa policy, which allegedly prompted Washington’s recent tightening of visa terms for Nigerian citizens.
In a strongly worded statement signed by Presidential Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency also debunked reports that President Bola Tinubu had cancelled five-year visa issuance for U.S. citizens, describing such reports as “misinformation and fake news.”
“We want to reiterate that the U.S. government’s claim of reciprocity as the reason for its current visa policy towards Nigeria does not accurately reflect the actual situation,” the statement read.
The Presidency clarified that Nigeria still grants five-year non-immigrant visas to U.S. citizens under existing bilateral agreements and reciprocal arrangements, countering claims of diplomatic imbalance.
The rebuttal follows a July 2025 decision by the U.S. to reduce most non-immigrant Nigerian visa categories—including B-1/B-2 (tourist/business), F (student), and J (exchange)—to single-entry, 3-month validity, ending the previous practice of issuing two- to five-year multiple-entry visas.
The U.S. Embassy in Abuja had explained the change as part of its global visa reciprocity policy, arguing that Nigeria does not offer equivalent visa terms to U.S. citizens.
However, the Nigerian government insists otherwise. “President Tinubu’s administration, upon taking office, issued a directive mandating implementation of all bilateral agreements and adherence to reciprocity,” Onanuga said.
Addressing further confusion around Nigeria’s recent 90-day e-visa, the Presidency clarified that the short validity only applies to the new digital visa-on-arrival system, not standard visa categories. The e-visa, introduced to replace the outdated and abuse-prone visa-on-arrival, is processed within 48 hours and intended for short-term business and tourist visits.
Nigeria emphasized that while it offers e-visas to U.S. citizens, the U.S. has yet to reciprocate, despite a long-standing relationship.
In conclusion, the Presidency reaffirmed its commitment to resolving the issue diplomatically, stressing that the Tinubu administration values the historic partnership with the United States and is open to further engagement.
