A growing number of Nigerian citizens are finding themselves barred from entering the United States despite holding valid visas, as sudden and unexplained visa revocations quietly mount. The development has disrupted the lives of professionals, entrepreneurs, frequent travelers, and families across Africa’s largest economy, leaving many stranded and humiliated.
The revelation was made by Olufemi Soneye, former Chief Corporate Communications Officer of Nigeria’s national oil company, NNPC Ltd, in an article published in The Cable. Soneye detailed a troubling pattern of cancellations that has left many Nigerians blindsided.
According to him, individuals who had traveled to and from the U.S. for years without issues are now receiving terse revocation notices.
“Each had to abruptly cancel engagements, refund tickets, and explain to partners abroad why they could no longer show up. In some cases, the humiliation has been unbearable: travelers discovering at the airport, sometimes even at boarding gates, that their visas had been quietly invalidated. A few were briefly detained by immigration authorities before being sent home in shame,” Soneye said.
The cancellation letters, citing Title 22, Code of Federal Regulations, Section 41.122, simply state that “new information became available after the visa was issued.” Beyond this line, no evidence is provided, no explanations are shared, and no avenue for appeal is offered. The only option left to recipients is to reapply—an expensive and uncertain process that provides little assurance for entrepreneurs, business executives, or families who had made plans around U.S. travel.
The revocations are not just personal setbacks but also a blow to Africa’s business and professional networks. Entrepreneurs are losing access to U.S. markets, executives in oil, gas, and technology are facing disrupted international operations, while students and families are left in limbo.
“For many, this is not just about stamps on a passport. These visas are lifelines for education, family reunions, medical treatment, and critical business. To have them snatched away without explanation is to leave lives suspended in confusion and despair,” Soneye emphasized.
The timing of these visa cancellations is drawing attention. The Trump administration has rolled out new visa restrictions targeting several African countries, citing security and immigration risks. Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation and one of the continent’s largest economies, appears to be increasingly caught in this tightening web.
Although Washington has not directly linked the Nigerian revocations to the policy shift, observers argue the trend fits into a broader pattern of stricter U.S. entry controls on African nationals.
Yet, what troubles many is the lack of transparency. Neither the U.S. Embassy in Abuja nor Nigerian authorities have issued any public explanation, leaving those affected in uncertainty.
For now, speculation ranges from unannounced security screening measures to fallout from U.S.–Africa relations. But without official statements from Washington or Abuja, thousands of Nigerians remain stranded—holding visas that no longer open doors.
