Keypoints:
- US demands five years of Nigerians’ social media data
- Nigeria vows reciprocal checks on American applicants
- Policy under review by foreign, interior and intelligence agencies
NIGERIA has announced plans to impose reciprocal visa requirements on US citizens after Washington introduced new rules compelling Nigerian applicants to disclose their social media activity for the past five years.
US tightens visa vetting with social media demand
The United States Mission in Nigeria confirmed at the weekend that all applicants must now provide details of their digital footprint. Travellers are obliged to list social media usernames or handles from every platform used since 2020, as well as associated email addresses and phone numbers.
This information must be submitted on the DS-160 visa application form and certified as accurate. The mission warned that failure to disclose could result in visa denial and possible ineligibility for future applications.
Officials described the requirement as part of wider national security measures. It expands earlier rules for international students, who had already been directed to share their social media details and reduce privacy settings to allow greater scrutiny.
Nigeria vows to mirror Washington’s approach
In response, the Nigerian Foreign Ministry confirmed on Monday that it would introduce a matching policy. Spokesman Kimiebi Ebienfa said US citizens applying for Nigerian visas would be required to provide equivalent disclosures.
‘Some people from the US might want to apply for a visa, and we will adopt the same measures. Anything visa is reciprocal. What you are mandating our nationals to do, we will also mandate your citizens applying for our visa to do,’ Ebienfa said.
He added that the Foreign Ministry would hold a joint meeting with the Interior Ministry and the National Intelligence Agency to finalise the policy. ‘We will have a meeting and agree on our best way to respond to it holistically,’ he noted, stressing that Nigeria had been informed of Washington’s plan in advance.
Domestic pressures drive Nigeria’s decision
The move comes as Abuja faces growing pressure to shield Nigerians from restrictive foreign immigration rules. Analysts say it underscores Nigeria’s long-standing stance on visa reciprocity, signalling a readiness to push back against measures viewed as discriminatory.
Prominent news outlets Punch and Vanguard reported the comments widely, reflecting strong public interest in how Nigeria manages international mobility and defends citizens’ rights abroad.
In July, Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar made clear that Nigeria would not bow to US pressure to accept deported Venezuelans, a position that highlighted simmering tensions between Abuja and Washington.
Potential impact on US–Nigeria relations
The tit-for-tat step could complicate travel for American business leaders, students, and tourists entering Africa’s most populous nation. It also risks adding strain to a bilateral relationship that has historically relied on cooperation in areas such as counterterrorism, trade, and investment.
Observers warn that without careful handling, the visa dispute could deepen into a wider diplomatic rift.
