Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo, a 2023 presidential aspirant and former Ogun State gubernatorial candidate, has accused the United States Embassy in Nigeria of subjecting visa applicants, describing the process as “exploitative and non-transparent.”
Ajadi denied a visa at the U.S. Embassy in Abuja on Monday and told journalists that the current application system unjustly collects full visa fees from Nigerians without offering applicants a fair process or explanation for denials.
He said, “The American Embassy collects full visa application fees from Nigerians without providing any opportunity for appeal. The embassy merely issues a piece of paper to denied applicants — a document many people do not understand. We are not lawyers, so a refusal letter filled with legal jargon is insufficient to explain the reason for the denial. The specific reason for the refusal should be clearly stated, rather than a generic document issued to all rejected applicants. There should also be an avenue for immediate appeal, as America and Nigeria are democratic nations, not dictatorships.”
Ajadi noted that many applicants receive denial letters filled with vague legal jargon, calling for greater transparency in how visa decisions are communicated.
“My name is unique, like every applicant’s is. Each person deserves a letter with specific reasons for denial. This is not transparency. It’s institutional deception. Nigerians deserve better.
“I am asking the consular officer to provide evidence that I do not meet the requirements stated under Section 214(b),” Ajadi challenged. “The questions I was asked during the interview did not even align with the law they claim to apply.”
Ajadi emphasised that his visa application was for legitimate business purposes, including scheduled meetings. “I did not apply for a visa as a joke. I have business commitments and legitimate reasons for travel,” he said.
He further expressed frustration with the opaque nature of the process, saying many Nigerians spend the equivalent of hundreds of U.S. dollars per person, only to be denied without specific justification.
“When the United Kingdom denies you a visa, it gives you a clear reason. But the American Embassy gives a generic letter and keeps your money,” he said.
Ajadi also criticised the lack of direct access to appointment booking, which he said forces many Nigerians to go through third-party agents who charge excessive fees.
“Ordinary Nigerians can’t book appointments directly anymore. They have to pay agents who charge extra. It’s become a gambling game. The system is broken.”
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