Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo on Wednesday met with the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard M. Mills Jr, following the visa reduction policy slammed on Nigerians.
The meeting, which was held in Abuja, was also attended by the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, and the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Kemi Nanna Nandap.
It was gathered that during the meeting, Tunji-Ojo, who led the Nigerian delegation, discussed with the U.S. delegation over a possible resolution of the diplomatic issues.
This was contained in a press statement posted on Tunji-Ojo’s official X handle.
The Minister also revealed that discussions centred on the visa reciprocity policy.
He added that during the meeting, Ambassador Mills Jr. explained to the Nigerian delegation insights into the U.S. revised protocol and alignment with established practices to uphold the integrity of the visa process.
He stated: “I held a constructive meeting with the US Ambassador Richard M. Mills Jr. today (Wednesday), to discuss the recently introduced visa procedures for Nigerian nationals.
“The discussions centred on visa reciprocity, with Ambassador Mills Jr. providing valuable insights into the revised protocol and its alignment with established practices to uphold the integrity of the visa process.
“The Ambassador described the new e-visa policy of the Nigeria Immigration Service as an innovation intended to streamline and enhance the application process for foreign travellers into the country.
“The Ministry of Interior, the Nigerian Immigration Service, and the US Mission in Nigeria agreed to strengthen collaboration, emphasizing adherence to visa regulations and promoting responsible travel practices among Nigerian citizens.
“Our government, under the leadership of President @officialABAT Tinubu (GCFR), will continue to ensure strict compliance across the board in key areas, including: 1. Secure travel documents: Ensuring the issuance of secure travel documents with verified traveller identities. 2. Visa overstay management: Implementing measures to limit overstays by travelers on US visas. 3. Information sharing: Sharing relevant security and/or criminal record information to protect public safety.”
This comes after the U.S. Department of State announced the revision of its visa reciprocity policy, declaring visa reduction for Nigerians.
Starting from July 8, 2025, Nigerian non-immigrants will be eligible only for single-entry visas. Also, the validity period of the visas will now be around three months.
The changes to the Nigerian-U.S. visa validity mark a departure from previous policies that offered Nigerians multiple-entry visas valid for up to two or even five years.
Pan-Atlantic Kompass had reported that the U.S. visa restrictions on Nigerians came after President Bola Tinubu attended a BRICS summit held in Brazil.
Recall that during the BRICS Summit, leaders of the organisation condemned the trade policies of U.S. President Donald Trump.
This prompted Trump to threaten any country that aligns with BRICS with an additional 10% tariff.
