Keypoints:
- ECOWAS urges US to lift entry curbs
- Rare earth, energy deals at stake
- Visa rules seen as trade barriers
WEST African nations are seeking energy and mineral trade partnerships with the United States, but the Trump administration’s widening visa restrictions could derail those ambitions, Nigeria’s foreign minister has warned.
Yussuf Tuggar, who chairs ECOWAS’s council of foreign ministers, told regional leaders on Wednesday that US entry bans are emerging as a major obstacle to deals that could benefit both sides.
‘This would be most unfortunate if it comes to pass, because we are a region of opportunities ready to do deals,’ Tuggar said, as reported by Reuters.
President Donald Trump recently reinstated travel bans on citizens from 12 countries. A planned expansion to include 36 more—many in West Africa—would further strain relations, just as countries in the region are offering rare earth minerals and energy resources to Washington.
Minerals and energy offer leverage
Tuggar said West Africa possesses the critical raw materials the US needs, including samarium, a rare earth mineral essential for defence technologies and nuclear control systems.
‘We possess critical minerals and even rare earths,’ he noted. ‘We would like to do deals with the US, but visa restrictions are non-tariff barriers to deals.’
He added that West Africa’s oil and gas reserves also make it a viable alternative to more distant, politically tense suppliers.
‘We are also a strategic alternative to more distant and politically divergent energy producers. So, we will do deals for our prosperity. The only question is with whom.’
Trump doubles down on immigration
Since returning to the White House, Trump has intensified efforts to reshape US immigration and trade policy. His administration says visa restrictions are necessary due to poor documentation practices, corruption, and visa overstays in some countries.
The US recently struck a deal with China involving rare earths in exchange for continued student access to American universities—raising concerns in West Africa that their own offers may be overlooked due to diplomatic friction.
Tuggar’s remarks reflect growing unease that, without a shift in Washington’s visa stance, strategic trade partnerships with West Africa may stall.
