Nigeria’s Interior Minister, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, met with Richard Mills, the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, on Wednesday in Abuja to discuss recent changes to American visa procedures for Nigerian nationals.
The meeting included Kemi Nanna Nandap, comptroller-general of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), and Magdalene Ajani, the permanent secretary in the ministry of interior.
In a statement, Tunji-Ojo said the recently introduced visa procedures by the US government for Nigerian nationals were discussed during the “constructive meeting”. The discussion comes just one day after the US embassy announced significant restrictions on visa policies for Nigerian citizens.
The interior minister explained that the US ambassador provided “valuable insights into the revised protocol and its alignment with established practices to uphold the integrity of the visa process”. The new measures represent a major shift in how America handles visa applications from Nigeria.
During the meeting, both sides discussed Nigeria’s own immigration reforms. “The ambassador described the new e-visa policy of the Nigeria Immigration Service as an innovation intended to streamline and enhance the application process for foreign travellers into the country,” the statement reads.
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The two countries agreed to work more closely together on immigration matters. “The Ministry of Interior, the Nigeria Immigration Service, and the US Mission in Nigeria agreed to strengthen collaboration, emphasising adherence to visa regulations and promoting responsible travel practices among Nigerian citizens,” according to the statement.
Tunji-Ojo outlined several areas where Nigeria would improve its processes under President Bola Tinubu’s administration. “Our government under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu (GCFR) will continue to ensure strict compliance across the board in key areas, including secure travel documents, ensuring the issuance of secure travel documents with verified traveller identities,” he said.
The minister also highlighted other commitments, including “Visa overstay management: Implementing measures to limit overstays by travellers on US visas” and “Information sharing: Sharing relevant security and/or criminal record information to protect public safety.”
The meeting followed Tuesday’s announcement by the US embassy in Nigeria of major changes to its visa policy. The embassy revealed it would be reducing the validity period and entry allowance for most non-immigrant and non-diplomatic visas issued to Nigerian citizens. Most of the affected visas will now be limited to single entry with a three-month validity period, a significant reduction from previous arrangements.
