The United States has issued a travel warning for Nigeria after suspending visa operations at its embassy in Abuja on 9 April 2026. The move comes as the embassy cites worsening security conditions and says all visa appointments in Abuja are cancelled until further notice. The US has also told American citizens planning trips to Nigeria to reconsider travel because of crime, terrorism, unrest, kidnapping, and inconsistent health care availability.
Abuja visa services halted amid security concerns
The embassy’s decision affects visa processing in Nigeria’s capital and has already triggered concern among Abuja residents. The US said non-emergency employees and their families were authorized to leave the embassy in Abuja earlier, in a step tied to the security situation. In the same update, the embassy said the security situation in the country is getting worse.
The travel warning also expanded sharply for several parts of Nigeria. The embassy labeled 23 of the country’s 36 states as “do not travel, ” citing terrorism, kidnapping, violent crime, and civil unrest. It said Americans should be especially cautious because violent crime is common across Nigeria, including armed robbery, assault, carjacking, hostage-taking, roadside banditry, and rape.
Travel Warning expands as states face stricter alerts
In the middle of the advisory, the embassy said kidnapping for ransom happens often and primarily targets dual national citizens visiting Nigeria. It added that kidnapping gangs have stopped drivers on interstate roads to rob and abduct victims. The travel warning also said gangs often target Americans because they are perceived as people with money.
The embassy said terrorism remains another major concern. It pointed to an attack last month in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State in Nigeria’s northeast, where suicide bombers struck in the heart of the city and killed more than 20 people. That attack has been used to underscore the broader security risks now highlighted in the travel warning.
Nigeria pushes back on the US decision
Nigeria’s government has publicly criticized the US decision, saying the travel advisory is unbalanced and could cause people to lose confidence. Nigerian authorities said security alerts of this kind from foreign governments can create more problems even when the goal is to improve security in the area.
The timing matters because the US Department of State issued the directive on Wednesday, 8 April 2026, and the embassy then followed with the updated security and travel advisory on 9 April 2026. The sequence shows how quickly the consular restrictions escalated into a broader travel warning for Nigeria.
What happens next
For now, all visa appointments in Abuja remain cancelled until further notice, and the embassy has not given a reopening date. That leaves travelers, residents, and families in a holding pattern while the US keeps its travel warning in place and Nigeria responds to the security concerns raised in the advisory. The next developments will likely depend on whether conditions improve enough for the embassy to reverse the current restrictions tied to the travel warning.
