The United States Department of State has urged its citizens to reconsider travel to Nigeria and authorized the departure of non-emergency U.S. government and their families from the embassy in Abuja, citing worsening security conditions in Africa’s most populous nation.
The U.S. embassy also announced the suspension of visa appointments, though emergency American citizen services remain available by appointment. No specific reason was given for the closure or how long it would last.
The decision to allow staff departures signals heightened concern in Washington as kidnappings, banditry, and attacks on security forces continue, particularly in northern Nigeria.
In an updated advisory issued late Wednesday, the State Department maintained Nigeria at Level 3: Reconsider Travel, but added Plateau State, Jigawa State, Kwara State, Niger State, and Taraba State to the list of areas Americans are advised not to visit. This brings 23 out of Nigeria’s 36 states into the “Do Not Travel” category.
U.S. officials highlighted threats from Islamist insurgents in the northeast, criminal gangs in the northwest, and persistent violence in parts of southern and southeastern regions, including oil-producing areas.
Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation responded that the advisory reflects U.S. internal protocols and does not represent the overall security situation nationwide. It stressed that while some areas face security challenges, most parts of the country remain stable.
Last month, Washington warned of a potential terrorist threat targeting U.S. facilities and affiliated schools in Nigeria. The U.S. has kept Nigeria at Level 3 or Level 4 travel advisory for much of the past decade due to ongoing insecurity.
The U.S. military currently operates MQ-9 drones in Nigeria and maintains about 200 troops providing training and intelligence support to Nigerian forces battling Islamist militants in the north.
