The United States government, under President Donald Trump, is reportedly preparing to impose a new wave of travel restrictions targeting Nigeria and 35 other countries, significantly broadening the scope of its earlier travel ban announced earlier this month.
According to The Washington Post, the proposed expansion was detailed in a State Department memo, which outlines visa bans or related restrictions affecting 25 African nations among the listed countries.
The memo—signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio—directs that the affected governments have a 60-day window to meet new security and documentation benchmarks set by the State Department. An initial compliance action plan is expected by 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday.
The document cites a range of concerns, including the absence of competent central government authorities to issue verifiable identity or civil documents, systemic fraud, and a high incidence of visa overstays by nationals from some countries.
Countries flagged in the memo include:
Africa: Nigeria, Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Sao Tome and Principe
Caribbean: Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia
Asia & Middle East: Bhutan, Cambodia, Syria, Kyrgyzstan
Pacific Islands: Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu
The administration’s move reflects heightened scrutiny over global immigration practices, with the potential for wide-ranging diplomatic and economic implications should the restrictions be implemented.
