Tinubu responds to President Trump over U.S. tough visa rules
President Bola Tinubu.
Tinubu responds to President Trump over U.S. tough visa rules.
President Bola Tinubu has strongly reacted against widespread misinformation suggesting that he halted the issuance of 5-year multiple-entry visas to United States citizens.
According to a statement released on Thursday by Mr. Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, President Tinubu clarified that he has never suspended or revoked the existing visa policy for U.S. nationals, affirming that the 5-year non-immigrant multiple-entry visa for Americans remains in place.
The statement faulted the false reports as misleading and a misrepresentation of Nigeria’s current visa policy, especially in the context of Nigeria-U.S. bilateral relations.
“Immediately after assuming office, President Tinubu issued a service-wide directive that all bilateral agreements with foreign nations be respected, and that Nigeria’s visa policies must align with the principle of reciprocity,” the statement said.
Emphasizing further, he said that Nigeria continues to honour its long-standing bilateral commitments with the U.S., and has made no move to revoke or alter the 5-year multiple-entry visa arrangement extended to American citizens.
The Presidency explained that the confusion likely stems from the recent introduction of Nigeria’s new e-Visa regime, which offers a 90-day single-entry visa for short-term travel.
The e-Visa system, launched as part of President Tinubu’s broader reforms to enhance trade, tourism, and ease of doing business, is a completely separate category from the standard visa process, and does not affect existing visa reciprocity agreements with the United States or any other country.
“The e-Visa replaces the now-defunct Visa-on-Arrival policy, which had become inefficient and vulnerable to abuse. With the e-Visa, applicants can apply online, skip embassy queues, and receive their travel document within 48 hours,” the statement noted.
This new digital visa option is targeted at tourists and business visitors who seek faster, simplified entry into Nigeria without the need for in-person processing.
While defending Nigeria’s stance, the Federal Government also questioned the United States’ recent changes to its own non-immigrant visa policy towards Nigerians, which it said were unjustly justified under the guise of reciprocity.
“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,” Onanuga stated.
He stressed that Nigeria continues to issue 5-year multiple-entry visas to Americans, a gesture that, as of yet, has not been fully reciprocated by the U.S. government.
In light of these concerns, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other senior government officials are actively engaging with their American counterparts to seek a fair and balanced resolution.
The Tinubu administration affirmed its commitment to diplomatic dialogue and mutual respect in addressing the visa issue.
“President Tinubu remains committed to promoting international cooperation, deepening economic partnerships, and fostering stronger diplomatic ties with the United States,” the statement emphasized.
Below is the full statement from the Federal Government of Nigeria
PRESIDENT TINUBU NEVER STOPPED THE 5-YEAR NON-IMMIGRANT VISA FOR US CITIZENS
Contrary to misinformation and fake news circulating online, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has never stopped issuing 5-year multiple-entry visas for US citizens, in accordance with the principle of subsisting bilateral agreements and reciprocity.
Immediately after assuming office, President Tinubu’s administration issued a service-wide directive that Nigeria implement all bilateral agreements with other nations and adhere to the principle of reciprocity in diplomatic relations.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has clearly stated the position of the Federal Government of Nigeria on the recent adjustment made by the United States’ non-immigrant visa policy for Nigerians.
The Ministry and other senior government officials will continue to engage with the United States to address the unfavourable restrictions in a just and fair manner that reflects the mutual respect and partnership that so exist between our two friendly nations.
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.
The Nigerian government has not deviated from granting US citizens a 5-year multiple-entry non-immigrant visa, just as the US has continued to grant the same to Nigerians.
The 90-day single-entry Visa validity period only applies to the newly introduced e-Visas, a short-term visa category for tourists and business people who may not wish to undergo the standard visa application process and wait. The e-visa replaces the now obsolete Visa-on-arrival, which was inefficient and often used as a means of extortion. The e-visa is a fast, online process that does not require the applicant to go to the embassy. Applicants receive the e-Visa within 48 hours of submitting their application.
The e-visa policy aligns with President Tinubu’s efforts to boost investment, trade, and tourism in the country, as well as promote the ease of doing business for non-nationals. Moreover, e-visas are a widely adopted global policy in dozens of countries.
Although Nigeria has an e-visa policy for citizens of the US and several other countries, the US has not reciprocated this gesture for Nigerians.
In the spirit of cooperation, mutual understanding, and partnership that have characterised the relationship between Nigeria and the United States over the decades, the Tinubu-led administration will continue to dialogue and engage with US authorities to resolve any issues that have led to the recent developments.
Bayo Onanuga
Special Adviser to the President
(Information and Strategy)
