U.S Visa Restriction: Nigerians Are Victims of Tinubu’s Diplomatic Failure 

In a move that highlights Nigeria’s deteriorating diplomatic standing under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the United States has slashed visa validity for Nigerians from five years to just three months. The decision, announced this week, is a direct response to the Nigerian government’s own restrictive visa policy toward US citizens.

During the Buhari administration, the Nigerian government introduced a five-year multiple-entry visa for U.S. citizens. This gesture improved relations and eased business and personal travel between the two countries. Still, in a puzzling and costly reversal, the Tinubu administration downgraded this to a three-month visa, at a steep $160 per entry.

The U.S., citing the principle of reciprocity, effectively curbed the flexibility of thousands of Nigerians, including students, tourists, business travelers, and visiting families, who rely on the ease of longer visa terms.

This move comes at a time when global partnerships are critical to economic recovery and growth. Instead of building bridges, Nigeria appears to be burning them or, worse, neglecting to maintain them.

The Cost of Diplomatic Neglect

At the heart of this situation is a deeper failure: Tinubu’s administration has shown little diplomatic urgency in engaging global partners. More than two years into his presidency, Nigeria has yet to appoint substantive ambassadors to the United States and other foreign missions.

Without diplomatic representation in Washington, Nigeria has no consistent high-level advocate to shape the narrative, manage crises, or negotiate favorable terms on immigration, trade, or security. In a country grappling with capital flight, insecurity, and an urgent need for foreign direct investment, this gap is staggering.

The global stage is increasingly competitive, and countries are courting capital, innovation, and human resource partnerships. For a country that claims to be “open for business,” Nigeria’s current visa regime is self-sabotaging. The perception that Nigeria is difficult to enter, especially for potential investors, sends the wrong message at the wrong time.

In diplomacy, perception is policy. The Tinubu administration, in failing to sustain the momentum of Buhari’s visa diplomacy and basic ambassadorial appointments, has signaled a lack of seriousness in engaging its most strategic ally.

This decision by the U.S. is not a punishment but a reflection. It reflects how far Nigeria has slipped diplomatically. It reflects a government that’s reactive instead of proactive, insular instead of international. And unfortunately, it reflects on all of us, especially those Nigerians who now face more barriers to opportunity abroad.

For all the talk of renewed hope and national repositioning, the Tinubu government must understand that in today’s world, diplomacy is not optional. It is foundational. Until that lesson is learned, it is Nigerians who will continue to pay the price of Tinubu’s incorrigible failures.

Tinubu’s diplomatic misstep may appear technocratic, but in reality, the consequences will be sharply felt by everyday Nigerians. Visiting family, attending conferences, accessing medical care, or participating in short-term training or religious programs in the U.S. will now require more frequent visa applications, added expenses, and greater uncertainty.

The five-year visa offered a cushion of flexibility, especially important in a country where inflation, insecurity, and unemployment push people to seek opportunities abroad. For students and professionals engaged in travel-heavy sectors (tech, academia, entertainment, and business), this restriction is a practical nightmare. Nigerian parents who make annual trips to see their children studying abroad will now be forced into a costly and time-consuming visa reapplication process each time.

These are not elite problems, because the elite have multiple passports. They are structural constraints that now sit squarely on the shoulders of average citizens, imposed not by a hostile foreign policy but by a failure of our own government to negotiate better terms.