Nigeria affirms continued issuance of five-year multiple-entry visas to US citizens amidst US ban

Abdullateef Fowewe

The Nigerian government, under President Bola Tinubu, has firmly denied circulating misinformation that it has ceased issuing 5-year multiple-entry visas to US citizens.

In a clear statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasised that Nigeria remains committed to honouring bilateral agreements and the principle of reciprocity in diplomatic relations.

Addressing recent concerns, Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, clarified, ”The Nigerian government has not deviated from granting US citizens a 5-year multiple-entry non-immigrant visa, just as the US has continued to grant the same to Nigerians.”

The statement also explained the introduction of a new 90-day single-entry e-visa for tourists and business travelers as a modern replacement for the outdated Visa-on-arrival system, which was often inefficient and prone to abuse.

The e-visa allows applicants to receive authorisation within 48 hours without visiting the embassy, aligning with President Tinubu’s vision to boost investment, trade, tourism, and ease of doing business in Nigeria.

Onanuga further noted, “The e-visa policy aligns with President Tinubu’s efforts to boost investment, trade, and tourism in the country, as well as promote the ease of doing business for non-nationals.”

Despite Nigeria’s introduction of e-visas for US citizens and others, the US has yet to reciprocate this measure for Nigerian nationals.

Onanuga thereby reiterated that Tinubu administration remains committed to ongoing diplomatic engagement with the United States to address visa policy concerns in a manner that reflects the longstanding partnership between the two nations.

”The Tinubu-led administration will continue to dialogue and engage with US authorities to resolve any issues that have led to the recent developments,” he concluded.