Subscribe: Gist E-Paper
The United States is considering a major overhaul of its visa processing operations across Africa, a move that could see its Consulate in Abuja lose visa-processing responsibilities as Washington consolidates services into a smaller number of regional hubs.
According to an internal U.S. State Department memo obtained by The Associated Press, the number of American embassies and consulates across Africa authorised to process visa applications will be reduced from nearly 50 to just 20 under a restructuring plan expected to begin this month.
The proposed changes are part of a broader effort by the administration of President Donald Trump to tighten immigration controls, streamline diplomatic operations and reduce operational costs across U.S. missions worldwide.
Under the plan, Lagos will remain one of the designated visa-processing hubs on the continent, while Abuja is expected to lose its role in handling visa applications if the proposal is fully implemented.
For Nigerians seeking immigrant or non-immigrant visas to the United States, the development would mean travelling to Lagos for visa interviews and related services, potentially increasing travel costs and logistical challenges for applicants from northern and central parts of the country.
Other African cities selected as regional visa-processing hubs include Abidjan in Côte d’Ivoire, Accra in Ghana, Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, Cape Town and Johannesburg in South Africa, Dakar in Senegal, Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, Kampala in Uganda, Kigali in Rwanda and Nairobi in Kenya.
The list also includes Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Luanda in Angola, Lomé in Togo, Monrovia in Liberia, Malabo in Equatorial Guinea, Port Louis in Mauritius, Praia in Cape Verde, Yaoundé in Cameroon and Djibouti City.
Although no official implementation date has been announced, U.S. officials familiar with the plan said the changes could take effect in June. The officials reportedly spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the matter publicly.
Sources indicated that U.S. diplomats and consular officials were informed during a conference call last week that visa services across Africa would be significantly scaled back, with operations concentrated in the designated hub locations.
The restructuring follows a directive reportedly approved by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, mandating the reduction of full-scale consular operations in all but 20 strategic locations across the continent.
The initiative comes amid a broader crackdown on immigration, with the U.S. government seeking to curb visa overstays and tighten screening procedures for both temporary and permanent visa applicants.
Visa processing in parts of Africa has already faced disruptions in recent months due to travel restrictions affecting some countries, enhanced security requirements and public health concerns.
If implemented, the new arrangement would require citizens of countries without designated visa hubs to travel abroad or to another city within their country to complete visa application procedures.
However, U.S. missions that lose visa-processing authority will not be entirely shut down. Consular sections in those locations will continue to provide services to American citizens, including passport renewals, emergency assistance and selected diplomatic or national-interest visa cases.
The U.S. State Department did not directly confirm the contents of the leaked memo but said it routinely reviews overseas operations to ensure resources are deployed efficiently and in line with America's strategic priorities.
According to the department, the objective is to maintain rigorous security screening standards while aligning staffing levels and operational capacity with U.S. national interests.
Should the plan proceed as outlined, it would represent one of the most significant restructurings of American consular services in Africa in recent years, with direct implications for thousands of visa applicants across the continent, including those in Nigeria.
