The United States Embassy in Abuja has suspended all scheduled visa appointments following rising security concerns in the Federal Capital Territory.
According to the embassy, affected applicants are advised to monitor their emails for rescheduled appointment dates, while visa processing will continue only in limited emergency cases.
However, services for American citizens remain available, though restricted to essential appointments and urgent situations.
The embassy also confirmed that operations continue at the United States Consulate General in Lagos.
This development follows an earlier decision by the U.S. Department of State authorising the departure of nonessential personnel and their families from Abuja, citing what it described as a deteriorating security environment.
An updated travel advisory has also urged U.S. citizens to reconsider travel to Nigeria due to concerns over crime, terrorism, kidnapping, civil unrest, and inconsistent healthcare access.
Nigeria currently remains under a Level 3 travel advisory, while several states — including Borno State, Yobe, Taraba, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, and Zamfara — are classified under Level 4 (“Do Not Travel”) due to heightened insecurity.
The advisory has sparked fresh discussions online, especially among visa applicants and frequent travellers, as uncertainty grows over diplomatic operations and broader security conditions in the country.
For many Nigerians, the decision is being viewed as another signal of how international partners are reassessing safety conditions in the country, even as government efforts to address insecurity continue.
