Akande Raises Concerns Over U.S. Visa Policy Shift, Calls for Clarity from Foreign Affairs Ministry
Former presidential aide Laolu Akande has raised concerns over the recent reduction in U.S. visa validity for Nigerians, describing the development as troubling and demanding urgent clarification from the Federal Government.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, Akande said the U.S. government’s decision to shorten visa validity to three months for Nigerian applicants appears to be a reciprocal move, reportedly in response to earlier visa restrictions imposed by Nigeria.
“You reviewed it and increased it to five years, if you’ve been to the U.S. before. And now they say, you know what, we’re visiting this issue of reciprocity. You give us how many months? So we give you three months—that’s what our citizens get,” he said.
He noted that while the U.S. authorities claim the move is a reaction to Nigeria’s prior actions, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not confirmed this version of events. “The Americans are claiming that they have done this in response to what the Nigerian government did. But the statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs didn’t quite own up to that claim. So we’re still trying to get clarity on exactly what happened,” Akande said.
He urged the Nigerian government to provide a clear explanation of the situation, especially given its implications for Nigerians who regularly travel to the U.S. for business, education, and family purposes. “It’s not serving the Nigerian people well. Many are used to double-entry visas or longer validity periods. To suddenly be limited to three months is not helpful,” he said.
Akande also pointed out that there are fewer Americans traveling to Nigeria compared to Nigerians visiting the U.S., stressing the need for the Nigerian government to take a serious look at the issue. “It’s something the government should sit up to take a good look at. I think it’s good that the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs quickly issued a statement that they are reviewing the situation,” he added.
He concluded by questioning the claim of reciprocity from the American side and called for transparency from the Nigerian authorities. “We want to know—is it true the claim that the Americans are making, that this is just a reciprocal action from them? That’s a big question,” Akande said.
