The United States Department of State has announced that all Nigerian visa applicants must now provide a five-year history of their social media activity to be considered eligible for entry into the country.
In an update shared on Monday, the U.S. Mission in Nigeria warned that applicants who fail to disclose their social media usernames or handles across all platforms used in the last five years risk outright visa denial and possible ineligibility for future applications.
“Applicants certify that the information in their visa application is true and correct before they sign and submit. Omitting social media information could lead to visa denial and future ineligibility,” the statement read.
The new requirement, which applies to all categories of visas, expands on last month’s policy when the Mission began screening social media accounts of Nigerian applicants for F, M, and J non-immigrant visas.
This measure comes as part of a raft of stricter immigration and deportation policies introduced by U.S. President Donald Trump since assuming office for a second term in January.
In July, the U.S. Mission also reduced the validity of non-immigrant and non-diplomatic visas for Nigerians to a single entry with a three-month lifespan, citing reciprocity under Trump’s immigration policy.
Visas issued before July 8, 2025, however, remain valid.
President Trump has consistently emphasized tough immigration enforcement, pledging mass deportations of undocumented immigrants.
Recent raids across homes, schools, and workplaces in the U.S. have led to the deportation of thousands, with Nigerians now under tighter scrutiny.
Nigeria remains the largest source of African migration to the United States, with an estimated 376,000 Nigerians living there as of 2015.
According to the World Bank, Nigerians in the diaspora remit over $20 billion annually, making the U.S. a key destination for young professionals and the middle class seeking better opportunities.
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