US to reduce embassies, visa processing centres in Nigeria, other African countries

●Full list published

Editor

The US government is planning to drastically slash the number of American embassies and consulates in Africa that process visas for travellers from over 50 to 20.

This implies that the US government will suspend visa processing at dozens of diplomatic missions across Africa, requiring applicants to seek visas at fewer embassies and consulates.

The Associated Press reports that, under the directive of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the US State Department will reduce consular operations at all but 20 “hubs” in Africa in the coming weeks.

This also affects Nigeria. Under this policy, the US would cease visa-processing operations in Abuja and restrict visa services to the Lagos consulate.

The State Department claimed this decision was based on the need to deploy more resources to US policy priorities, according to AP.

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.”

Although a date for the change has not been set, the policy is expected to take effect this month. US envoys in Africa were instructed last week to begin scaling back visa services on the continent.

The 20 hubs to remain open include: Lagos, Nigeria; Abidjan, Ivory Coast; Accra, Ghana; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Cape Town, South Africa; Dakar, Senegal; Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; Djibouti, Djibouti; Johannesburg, South Africa; Kampala, Uganda; Kigali, Rwanda.

Others are: Kinshasa, Congo; Lome, Togo; Luanda, Angola; Malabo, Equatorial Guinea; Monrovia, Liberia; Nairobi, Kenya; Port Louis, Mauritius; Praia, Cape Verde; and Yaoundé, Cameroon.

This policy is the latest in US President Donald Trump’s broader crackdown on immigrants following his sweeping ban on several visa categories from numerous African countries, including Nigeria.

The decision marks one of the most significant reductions in U.S. consular access in Africa in recent years, and is expected to reshape how visa applications are processed across the continent.

FULL LIST: 20 U.S. Visa Processing Hubs in Africa

Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire

Accra, Ghana

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Cape Town, South Africa

Dakar, Senegal

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Djibouti, Djibouti

Johannesburg, South Africa

Kampala, Uganda

Kigali, Rwanda

Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Lagos, Nigeria

Lomé, Togo

Luanda, Angola

Malabo, Equatorial Guinea

Monrovia, Liberia

Nairobi, Kenya

Port Louis, Mauritius

Praia, Cape Verde

Yaoundé, Cameroon