ABUJA — Nigeria has announced plans to impose reciprocal visa requirements on American citizens, following a controversial directive by the United States demanding that Nigerian visa applicants disclose their social media activity from the past five years.
The move, confirmed by Foreign Ministry spokesperson Kimiebi Ebienfa on Monday, signals a sharp escalation in diplomatic tensions between Abuja and Washington. Ebienfa stated that Nigeria would apply the same conditions to U.S. nationals seeking entry into the country, citing the principle of reciprocity in international visa policy.
“What you are mandating our nationals to do, we will also mandate your citizens applying for our visa to do,” Ebienfa told Punch, one of Nigeria’s leading publications.
The U.S. Mission in Nigeria had issued the directive over the weekend, instructing visa applicants to submit all social media usernames, handles, email addresses, and phone numbers linked to accounts used within the last five years. The requirement, part of broader vetting measures introduced under former President Donald Trump, aims to enhance national security through digital scrutiny.
“Applicants certify that the information in their visa application is true and correct before they sign and submit. Omitting social media information could lead to visa denial and ineligibility for future visas,” the Mission stated via X on August 18.
Nigeria’s response was swift. Ebienfa confirmed that the Foreign Ministry would convene with the Interior Ministry and the National Intelligence Agency to finalize the retaliatory framework. He emphasized that the government had been previously briefed on the U.S. measures and would now act accordingly.
“On things of this nature, the best we can do is to carry out reciprocal action,” he said.
The development adds to a growing list of diplomatic frictions between the two nations. In July, Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar publicly rejected pressure from Washington to accept deported Venezuelan nationals, a move that further strained bilateral relations.
Analysts say the tit-for-tat visa policy could complicate travel and diplomatic engagement between Nigeria and the United States, especially for business leaders, academics, and officials who frequently shuttle between the two countries.
While Abuja has yet to release the full details of its proposed visa requirements, the message is clear: Nigeria will not accept unilateral impositions without a proportional response.
As global travel becomes increasingly entangled with digital identity, the standoff between Abuja and Washington may mark a new chapter in how nations negotiate privacy, sovereignty, and reciprocity in the age of social media.
