On Tuesday, Wole Soyinka disclosed that his entry into the United States of America had become impossible following a visa revocation. The letter, dated October 23 2025 and issued by the Non-Immigrant Visa (“NIV”) Section of the U.S. Consulate in Lagos, states that his previously held non-immigrant visa has been revoked in accordance with U.S. Department of State regulations.
Speaking from a media conference at Kongi’s Harvest Gallery, Freedom Park, Lagos Island, Soyinka said he was notified by the Consulate but remains unaware of any act on his part that would justify such action. “I have no visa; I am banned, obviously, from the United States. And if you want to see me, you know where to find me,” he told journalists.
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According to the letter shown to reporters, the revocation was effected pursuant to regulatory authority but no reason was stated. Soyinka said he has no criminal record, felony or misdemeanour, and he is “still looking into my past history… I don’t have any past criminal record or even a felony or misdemeanor to qualify for the revocation.”
He affirmed his decision to hold the press conference so that individuals in the U.S. expecting his participation in events will not expend time or resources in vain. “It is necessary for me to hold this conference so that people in the United States who are expecting me for this event or that event do not waste their time,” he said.
Soyinka’s visa was classified under the B1/B2 category (temporary non-immigrant visa for business or tourism). Previously, in September 2025, he publicly declined an invitation by the U.S. Consulate in Nigeria to attend a visa “re-interview” scheduled for September 11, characterising the letter as bizarre and initially mistaking it for a scam. Sources show he described the process as one he had “more important things to attend to than chase visas for places where I am not wanted.”
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He expressed surprise that the revocation letter provided no prior indication or explanation, observing: “I’m still looking into my past history… I don’t have any past criminal record or even a felony or misdemeanor to qualify for the revocation.”
At this time, the U.S. Consulate in Lagos has not publicly commented on the revocation or forwarded a reason for its action. The effect for Soyinka is that any planned travel to the United States must now be reconsidered unless the revocation is reversed.
