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The United States will end routine visa processing at its embassy in Abuja and 24 other diplomatic missions across Africa beginning August 1, 2026.
The U.S. Department of State announced the decision as part of a major restructuring to centralise routine visa operations into regional hubs.
Officials stated that the overhaul aligns with President Donald Trump’s policy to prioritise national security, trim operational costs, and enforce stricter, more consistent screening protocols.
Besides Abuja, the affected diplomatic posts are located in Asmara, Bamako, Banjul, Brazzaville, Bujumbura, Conakry, Cotonou, Durban, Freetown, Gaborone, Harare, Juba, Libreville, Lilongwe, Lusaka, Maputo, Maseru, Mbabane, N’Djamena, Niamey, Nouakchott, Ouagadougou and Windhoek.
The State Department expanded on the operational goals of the realignment:
“The Department of State is constantly evaluating its overseas operations to advance America’s priorities as efficiently and effectively as possible. This includes a visa process that maintains rigorous standards of security screening and vetting and aligns resources and operational capacity with America’s national interests.”
Reaffirming its commitment to citizen protection, the statement added: “The Trump administration has no higher priority than the safety and security of Americans, and the State Department will continue to provide Americans with appropriate consular services and assistance at diplomatic posts around the world.”
Under the new arrangement, visa applicants in Nigeria and 24 other affected African nations must route their routine applications through designated regional processing hubs.
The State Department emphasised that the decision does not invalidate existing visas or shut down embassy operations, and all diplomatic posts will continue offering emergency assistance to American citizens alongside standard diplomatic functions.
