Nigerians Spend N50 Billion on US Visas as Approvals Drop and Policies Tighten
Nigeria’s enduring appetite for international travel has come into sharp focus following revelations that citizens of Africa’s most populous nation spent more than N50 billion on United States visa applications between 2023 and 2024. The figures, drawn from an Intelpoint report based on US Department of State data, paint a striking picture of a market still hungry for global mobility, even as Washington tightens its immigration framework and approval rates continue to slide.
According to the analysis, 201,200 non-immigrant visas were issued to Nigerians during the two-year window. With each application carrying a standard fee of 185 US dollars, total spending reached roughly 37.2 million US dollars, equivalent to about N50.7 billion at an average exchange rate of N1,360 to the dollar [[2]](https://economicconfidential.com/nigerians-us-visa-applications/). The data also revealed a sharp 23 per cent fall in issuances, dropping from 113,900 in 2023 to 87,300 in 2024, a decline of 26,600 visas in just twelve months. Comparable figures for 2025 were not yet available at the time of reporting.
Business and tourism travel dominated the approvals, with B1/B2 visas accounting for 83 per cent of all visas issued in 2024. Student visas (F1) made up around seven per cent, while exchange visitor visas (J1) and other temporary categories took up the remainder. Despite the downturn, Nigeria remained a key contributor to global visa flows, supplying about 0.8 per cent of all US non-immigrant visa issuances in 2024.
Industry voices in Lagos and Abuja suggest the underlying motivation goes far beyond economics. Susan Akporiaye, former President of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies, argued that travel demand among Nigerians is driven primarily by cultural disposition. Describing her compatriots as natural migrants and comparing them to “the Chinese of Africa,” she noted that travel cuts across all social classes, from high-net-worth individuals to ordinary families attending birthdays, weddings, and other ceremonies abroad. She also pushed back against widespread perceptions that most Nigerians who travel never return, insisting that fewer than 10 per cent of travellers stay back permanently.
However, the operating environment has grown markedly tougher. The decline in approvals has coincided with policy shifts introduced after President Donald Trump’s return to the White House in January 2025. By July 2025, the US Department of State announced that most non-immigrant and non-diplomatic visas issued to Nigerians would be limited to single-entry permits valid for three months. A month later, applicants were required to disclose all social media usernames used within the previous five years on the DS-160 form, with officials warning that inaccurate disclosures could trigger denials or future ineligibility.
The pressure intensified further. Effective 1 January 2026, the US Mission in Nigeria confirmed a partial suspension of visa issuance affecting nationals of 19 countries, including Nigeria, Angola, Senegal, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, covering B1/B2 visitor visas, F, M and J student and exchange categories, and most immigrant visas, with only limited exceptions [[4]](https://ng.usembassy.gov/mission-nigeria-update-on-visa-issuance/).
For travel professionals, the practical implications are immediate. Maureen Chimaobi, an executive at Travel and Tours Limited, observed that securing a US visa has become particularly difficult for first-time applicants, describing the situation as “almost a no-go area.” Applicants continue to pay fees and attend interviews, yet outcomes have grown unpredictable. Operational changes at the US Embassy in Abuja, including the consolidation of services in Lagos, have added further hurdles.
Many Nigerian travellers are now redirecting their ambitions toward alternative destinations. While the United Kingdom remains comparatively accessible, British authorities have themselves tightened criteria, and UK work visa applications from Nigerians fell by nearly 68 per cent in 2024, dropping from 93,000 in 2023 to 29,800 [[5]](https://www.opinionnigeria.com/nigerian-uk-work-visa-applications-drop-68-in-one-year-as-policy-tightens/). France and other Schengen states, once viewed as easier options, have similarly toughened their assessments, particularly for first-time applicants.
For Africa’s travel trade, the lesson is profound. As traditional Western destinations grow more restrictive, agencies that pivot toward emerging markets such as the UAE, Türkiye, China, and intra-African destinations stand to capture growing demand. The Nigerian outbound traveller is not disappearing, simply changing direction, and forward-thinking professionals will read this moment as an invitation to redesign products, deepen partnerships, and prepare for a more diversified global travel map.
Originally Published at travelnews.africa
