The Presidency has clarified that President Bola Tinubu’s administration has not suspended the issuance of five-year multiple-entry visas to United States citizens.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, issued a statement on Thursday reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to existing bilateral agreements and the principle of reciprocity in its diplomatic relations with the United States.
He stated that, upon assuming office, Mr Tinubu’s administration directed all relevant service departments to implement bilateral agreements with foreign nations and ensure strict adherence to diplomatic reciprocity.
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Mr Onanuga further disclosed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has formally communicated Nigeria’s position on the recent changes to the United States’ non-immigrant visa policy for Nigerian citizens.
He added that the Ministry, in collaboration with other senior government officials, would continue to engage with U.S. authorities to address what Nigeria regards as unfavourable restrictions, with the aim of achieving a resolution founded on mutual respect and partnership.
“We want to reiterate that the US government’s claim of reciprocity as the reason for its current visa policy towards Nigeria does not accurately reflect the actual situation,” Mr Onanuga stated.
He stressed that the Nigerian government has not stopped issuing five-year multiple-entry non-immigrant visas to U.S. citizens, mirroring the continued issuance of the same visa type to Nigerians by the United States.
He clarified that the newly introduced 90-day single-entry visa validity applies solely to the new e-Visa category.
According to him, the e-Visa is a short-term option tailored for tourists and business travellers who wish to avoid the often lengthy and cumbersome standard visa application process.
He explained that the e-Visa replaces the Visa-on-Arrival system, which had been widely criticised as inefficient and frequently exploited for extortion.
The e-Visa, he noted, offers a swift online application process that eliminates the need for embassy visits, with approvals typically granted within 48 hours.
Mr Onanuga added that this policy aligns with President Tinubu’s broader agenda to boost investment, trade, and tourism in Nigeria, while improving the ease of doing business for foreign nationals.
He also pointed out that the adoption of e-Visas is a common global practice.
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Although Nigeria currently extends the e-Visa facility to U.S. citizens and several other nationalities, Mr Onanuga observed that the United States has yet to reciprocate this specific measure for Nigerian applicants.
“In the spirit of cooperation, mutual understanding, and the long-standing partnership between Nigeria and the United States, the Tinubu-led administration affirmed its commitment to continued dialogue and engagement with U.S. authorities to resolve any issues that have contributed to the recent developments in visa policy”, he said.
