The United States (U.S) has seen a 50% drop in interest from Nigerian applicants for study opportunities, according to recent data from Keystone Education Group.
This sharp decline in interest from Nigerian applicants follows the U.S government’s expansion of travel restrictions in December 2025, which took effect on January 1, 2026, effectively barring new student visa issuances (F, M, and J categories) for Nigerian nationals.
The change stemmed from Presidential Proclamation 10998, which added Nigeria to a list of countries facing partial restrictions on nonimmigrant visas, including those for students and exchange visitors.
As a result, prospective Nigerian students can no longer obtain new U.S study visas, prompting many to pivot to alternative destinations.
According to the data from Keystone Education Group, the U.S saw 50% drop in interest from Nigerian applicants immediately after the announcement, with search volumes for American universities and programs falling to more than half of peak levels seen in August 2025.
Nigeria has long been one of the top sources of international students to the U.S., ranking as the eighth-largest sender overall and the leading African nation.
Thousands of Nigerian students have pursued higher education in American institutions, contributing to campus diversity, research innovation, and the U.S. economy through tuition and living expenses.
However, the new policy has created uncertainty and dashed plans for many aspiring students who viewed the U.S. as a gateway to advanced degrees and career opportunities.
“We continue to see audiences responding very quickly to actions and announcements from the US government and Nigeria is no exception,” said Mark Bennett, Keystone’s VP of research & insight.
“These announcements don’t discourage Nigerians from studying abroad, but they will prompt them to look for opportunities elsewhere. Crucially, that doesn’t have to mean elsewhere in the big four,” added Bennett.
European destinations have absorbed the most Nigerian student interest pivoting away from the US, with France and Italy seeing search growth of 40% and 33% respectively during the same period.
China has also seen a 17% boost in interest from Nigerian students, while interest in Australia grew by 21%.
Previously, the challenge was navigating long wait times and backlogs. Now, there is no pathway at all
Speaking also on the development, the founder of a Nigerian education consultancy, Bimpe Femi-Oyewo, said the level of uncertainty caused by the ban was “incredibly destabilising” for students and the institutions that admitted them.
“Previously, the challenge was navigating long wait times and backlogs. Now, there is no pathway at all,” she said – adding that she was encouraging students to consider alternative pathways in Europe and Canada.
This is evident in Keystone’s survey data, which found the proportion of students expressing low confidence in the ease of U.S visa and entry requirements increasing from 14% to 21% following the expanded travel ban.
