The Nigerian government is set to engage the United States over the recent suspension of the visa dropbox renewal process, a development linked to the Trump administration’s intensified immigration crackdown.
Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs, Hon. Oluwole Oke, made this disclosure during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Tuesday.
“I will take this matter up. After finishing my meeting in New York, I will be in Washington as well. We have a chargé d’affaires there, and I will engage with him to explore solutions and navigate this issue,” Oke stated.
The visa dropbox system previously allowed eligible Nigerians, particularly those with a recent travel history to the US, to renew their visas without undergoing interviews. However, over the weekend, reports emerged that the US had halted this service, now mandating all visitor visa applicants to attend in-person interviews.
The decision comes in the wake of President Donald Trump’s renewed hardline stance on immigration following his re-election and subsequent inauguration on January 20, 2025. His administration has already ramped up mass deportations, targeting undocumented migrants in a move that has drawn mixed reactions globally.
Despite concerns over the policy shift, Oke played down the suspension, emphasizing that Nigeria does not extend a similar dropbox privilege to US citizens.
“I don’t think this is a major issue. The United States has the prerogative to revoke the dropbox procedure for Nigerian applicants. Diplomatic engagements are often guided by the principle of reciprocity,” he explained.
Oke further revealed that he had spoken with Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, who confirmed that the country had not received any formal communication from Washington regarding the suspension.
Providing context on diplomatic reciprocity, Oke recalled that, until President Bola Ahmed Tinubu assumed office, the US had been issuing Nigerian citizens two-year visas, while Nigeria only granted one-year visas to Americans.
“Eventually, the US moved to issuing five-year visas, yet Nigeria was still issuing one-year visas. It wasn’t until President Tinubu took office and directed the Minister of Interior to reciprocate that the policy was aligned,” Oke noted.
Expressing optimism, Oke suggested that the Trump administration may reconsider some of its immigration measures, emphasizing Nigeria’s significance on the global stage.
“Nigeria is too important to be ignored. We are a strategic asset that the world recognizes. I strongly believe that, moving forward, we will benefit from our diplomatic engagements, even under President Trump,” he asserted.
The United States remains a prime destination for Nigerian migrants, with approximately 376,000 Nigerians residing there as of 2015. According to the World Bank’s 2023 report, the Nigerian diaspora contributes over $20 billion annually to the nation’s economy—highlighting the far-reaching implications of US immigration policies on Nigeria’s socioeconomic landscape.
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