By Charles Pemu 
ABUJA– Last week witnessed a significant diplomatic development as stringent visa policies were rolled out by both the United States and the United Arab Emirates, intensifying concerns within Nigeria about its global standing. The measures have ignited fears among government officials and citizens alike that Africa’s economic powerhouse is steadily being marginalized on the international stage. Travel experts are now cautioning that these restrictions could prefigure broader diplomatic friction, urging Nigeria to consider a firm, reciprocal response.
Last Tuesday, the United States Department of State unveiled an updated non-immigrant visa policy for Nigerian citizens. This new directive, which took effect on July 8, 2025, mandates that most non-immigrant and non-diplomatic visas issued to Nigerians will now be single-entry, valid for just three months. The U.S. Embassy in Abuja explained this policy shift as part of an ongoing global visa reciprocity process, designed to bolster the integrity of its immigration systems against international technical and security benchmarks.
Concurrently, last Tuesday saw the United Arab Emirates implement its own tightened visa regulations targeting Nigerian travelers. Under these new rules, Nigerians aged 18 to 45 are largely ineligible for tourist visas unless sponsored or meeting specific new conditions. Critically, all transit visa applications for Nigerian nationals have been suspended entirely, effectively barring stopovers in the UAE. Furthermore, applicants over 45 must now furnish a six-month bank statement demonstrating a minimum monthly balance of $10,000, alongside proof of hotel reservations and sufficient funds for their stay. This new round of restrictions follows less than a year after the UAE had lifted a two-year visa ban on Nigerians, signaling a potential reassessment of Nigeria’s status as a key tourism market.
In a related context, Canada, as part of a general review, also adjusted its Express Entry system last week. Effective July 7, 2025, foreign nationals aspiring to migrate must now show a higher minimum amount of settlement funds, impacting numerous Nigerian prospective migrants.
Reacting to these developments, a retired Deputy Comptroller of Immigration expressed profound disappointment in the U.S. action, though he conceded it aligned with the principle of reciprocity, given Nigeria’s own policy of issuing three-month, single-entry visas to U.S. citizens. An internal U.S. Embassy source reportedly corroborated this, confirming the policy’s reciprocal nature. The retired official termed the situation a “smokescreen to partial ban” and potentially “the worst period” in Nigeria-U.S. bilateral relations, advocating for vigorous diplomatic engagement to renegotiate more favorable terms. The collective impact of these tightened visa regimes is expected to significantly curtail international travel for many Nigerians.