Tinubu says his govt never stopped five-year visa for U.S. citizens

President Bola Tinubu has described as fake news, the reports circulating online that he stopped the issuance of five-year multiple-entry visas for United States citizens.

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Tinubu made this known in a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Thursday, July 10, 2025.

This was in reaction to the U.S. government’s directive, which now limits Nigerian non-immigrant visas to single-entry, three-month validity.

The U.S. Embassy in Nigeria had, in a statement on Tuesday, said all U.S. non-immigrant visas issued prior to July 8 will retain their original status and validity.

The U.S. government noted that visa reciprocity was a global standard that undergoes regular review and can be adjusted at any time, including changes in permitted entries and duration of validity.

Speaking on the development, Onanuga said the U.S. government’s claim of reciprocity as the reason for its current visa policy towards Nigeria does not accurately reflect the actual situation.

He stated that Tinubu’s administration, immediately after assuming office, issued a service-wide directive that Nigeria implement all bilateral agreements with other nations and adhere to the principle of reciprocity in diplomatic relations.

The presidential spokesman noted that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has clearly stated the position of the Federal Government of Nigeria on the recent adjustment made by the United States’ non-immigrant visa policy for Nigerians.

Onanuga added that the ministry and other senior government officials will continue to engage with the United States to address the unfavourable restrictions in a just and fair manner.

Onanuga said: “The Nigerian government has not deviated from granting US citizens a 5-year multiple-entry non-immigrant visa, just as the US has continued to grant the same to Nigerians.

“The 90-day single-entry Visa validity period only applies to the newly introduced e-Visas, a short-term visa category for tourists and business people who may not wish to undergo the standard visa application process and wait.

“The e-visa policy aligns with President Tinubu’s efforts to boost investment, trade, and tourism in the country, as well as promote the ease of doing business for non-nationals. Moreover, e-visas are a widely adopted global policy in dozens of countries.

“Although Nigeria has an e-visa policy for citizens of the US and several other countries, the US has not reciprocated this gesture for Nigerians.

“In the spirit of cooperation, mutual understanding, and partnership that have characterised the relationship between Nigeria and the United States over the decades, the Tinubu-led administration will continue to dialogue and engage with US authorities to resolve any issues that have led to the recent developments.”