The United States has expanded its travel restrictions, adding Nigeria to a list of countries whose nationals now face partial entry limitations, following a new proclamation signed by President Donald Trump on Tuesday.
According to a White House fact sheet released on December 16, 2025, the decision is part of what the administration described as “common sense restrictions” aimed at strengthening U.S. national security and public safety. The proclamation targets countries said to have persistent deficiencies in screening, vetting and information-sharing systems, which the U.S. government argues hinder its ability to properly assess security risks.
Nigeria is among 15 countries newly placed under partial restrictions. Others include Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The new measures build on earlier travel limitations imposed under Proclamation 10949, which maintained full entry restrictions on nationals from 12 countries, including Afghanistan, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. Five additional countries—Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan and Syria—were also moved into the category of full restrictions, alongside individuals using Palestinian Authority–issued travel documents. Laos and Sierra Leone, previously under partial restrictions, were upgraded to full restrictions.
The White House stated that the policy includes exemptions for lawful permanent residents, existing visa holders, diplomats, athletes and individuals whose entry is deemed to serve U.S. national interests. Case-by-case waivers remain available, although certain family-based immigrant visa categories considered to carry high fraud risks have been narrowed.
Explaining the rationale behind the decision, the administration cited widespread corruption, unreliable civil documentation, weak birth registration systems, high visa overstay rates and poor cooperation with U.S. law enforcement authorities in several of the affected countries. The fact sheet also pointed to concerns about terrorist, criminal and extremist activity in some jurisdictions.
President Trump was quoted as saying it is the duty of the presidency to ensure that those seeking entry into the United States do not pose a threat to the American people. The White House added that the restrictions are intended to encourage affected countries to improve cooperation and strengthen their vetting systems.
Nigeria had earlier been designated a “country of particular concern” by the Trump administration in October, following allegations related to religious violence, a move that heightened diplomatic attention on the country.
The proclamation also noted that Turkmenistan, previously subject to travel restrictions, had shown improved cooperation with U.S. authorities, leading to the lifting of restrictions on its non-immigrant visas, while immigrant entry limitations remain in place.
The White House framed the move as part of President Trump’s broader effort to restore and expand travel restrictions, citing previous Supreme Court rulings that upheld similar policies as being within presidential authority when premised on national security concerns.
