Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar has attributed the US President Donald Trump administration’s tariff hike threat to Nigeria’s refusal to accept Venezuelan deportees into the country.
According to Tuggar, Nigeria will not cave in to pressure from the Trump administration to accept Venezuelan deportees from the United States.
Tuggar stated this while speaking during Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Thursday.
He said Nigeria, with a population of approximately 230 million citizens, had enough challenges of its own and would not be a dumping ground for Venezuelan prisoners deported from the US amid Trump’s crackdown on undocumented migrants.
RELATED: Revised US Visa Policy On Nigerian Travellers Uncalled For, Says Federal Gov’t
Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu joined other world leaders to attend the BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from July 6 to 7, 2025.
On the final day of the summit held by the 11-member economic and political force, with Chinese influence, US President Donald Trump announced his decision to impose an extra 10 per cent trade tariff on “anti-American” BRICS nations, including China, India, and Nigeria.
However, Nigeria’s foreign affairs minister said the tariff hike threat might not be related to Nigeria’s participation in the BRICS summit.
“The issue of tariffs may not necessarily relate to our participation in the BRICS meeting. You also have to bear in mind that the US is mounting considerable pressure on African countries to accept Venezuelans to be deported from the US, some straight out of prisons,” Tuggar said.
“It would be difficult for countries like Nigeria to accept Venezuelan prisoners into Nigeria. We have enough problems of our own; we cannot accept Venezuelan deportees to Nigeria. We already have 230 million people.”
Nigeria, US in talks over visa restrictions
The minister further stated that the Tinubu administration had started talks with the US over the fresh visa restrictions imposed on Nigerian nationals.
He, however, described the fresh visa restrictions imposed on Nigerian travellers by the United Arab Emirates as regrettable.
In January 2025, Nigeria accepted an invitation to join BRICS as a partner country.
BRICS, an acronym for Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, was created in 2006 as a bloc that brings together the world’s top developing economies to challenge the political and economic power of the wealthier nations of North America and Western Europe.
The bloc, now known as BRICS+, later admitted new members including Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates.
BRICS+ accounts for about 37 per cent of the world’s GDP. The bloc’s members account for about half the world’s population and 40 per cent of global economic output.
The recent issuance of a revised reciprocal visa policy for Nigerian travellers by the US Government has continued to generate more reactions from the Nigerian government, which was obviously irked by the decision.
The United States Department of State on Tuesday announced updates to its reciprocal non-immigrant visa policy, impacting several countries, including Nigeria.
The US Embassy in Abuja issued a statement on Tuesday stating that, effective immediately, most non-immigrant and non-diplomatic visas issued to Nigerian citizens will be single-entry visas with a three-month validity period.
According to the statement, those U.S. non-immigrant visas issued before July 8, 2025, will retain their status and validity.
“We wish to underscore that, as is standard globally, visa reciprocity is a continuous process and is subject to review and change at any time, such as increasing or decreasing permitted entries and duration of validity,” the Embassy statement said.
The controversial reciprocal attitude of the US government was perceived as retaliatory action against Nigerian citizens. The federal government had reportedly imposed 90-day visa restrictions that were said to have hurt the interests of US citizens.
According to information available in Nigeria’s official sources, the country typically issues short-stay visas to US citizens valid for 90 days (three months).
These visas are often single-entry, covering purposes like tourism, business meetings, academic visits, or temporary work. They have a 90-day validity period beginning from the date of issuance, and depending on the visa type, travellers are allowed to stay in Nigeria for up to 30 days per visit.
This short-term visa policy has been in place for several years and is part of Nigeria’s broader immigration framework for non-ECOWAS nationals. While Nigeria also offers multiple-entry visas valid for longer durations (up to 5 years), these are typically reserved for business travellers or those with strong ties to Nigeria.
Consequently, the U.S. reciprocity action (effective July 8, 2025) has irked many Nigerians, including the Presidency.
Following the new rule, most Nigerian applicants will now receive single-entry U.S. visas valid for three months. Affected visa types include B1/B2 (business/tourism), F (student), and J (exchange visitor) categories.
The U.S. cited reciprocity – to match Nigeria’s treatment of American travellers. However, there is the grandfather clause, which entails that visas issued before July 8, 2025, retain their original validity (often 2–5 years).
In its reaction on Wednesday, the Nigerian government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, called the decision disproportionate and urged the US government to reconsider the new restrictions, as they do not align with the spirit of partnership and mutual respect.
Diplomatic engagements are ongoing, and both sides have expressed interest in resolving the issue.
A mix of reciprocity concerns, security benchmarks, and immigration system integrity drove the current US visa policy for Nigerians in July 2025.
The US cited the need to uphold global technical and security benchmarks, including securing travel documents with verified identities, managing visa overstays to reduce unauthorised stays, and sharing information on criminal and security risks.
No change in visa policy with the US – Presidency
In a related development, the Nigerian Presidency has denied reports circulating on social media that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the suspension of the issuance of five-year multiple-entry visas to United States citizens.
In a statement released on Thursday, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy Bayo Onanuga described the claim as false and misleading, reaffirming that Nigeria has not altered its visa policy toward American citizens.
“President Tinubu has never stopped issuing five-year multiple-entry visas to US citizens,” Onanuga stated.
“Nigeria continues to honour existing bilateral agreements and remains committed to the principle of reciprocity in diplomatic relations.”
He added that shortly after assuming office, President Tinubu directed government agencies to implement all subsisting bilateral agreements with foreign nations, including the United States, and to ensure that foreign nationals are treated fairly in line with diplomatic protocols.
The clarification comes in the wake of reports that the United States government had reduced visa validity for Nigerian applicants, citing a lack of reciprocity as the reason. However, the Nigerian government disagrees with this assertion.
“The US government’s claim of reciprocity does not reflect the actual situation,” the statement noted. “Nigeria has continued to issue 5-year multiple-entry visas to American citizens.”
Onanuga explained that Nigeria recently introduced a new short-term visa category—known as the e-visa – to simplify the entry process for tourists and business travellers. The e-visa offers a 90-day single-entry validity and is processed entirely online within 48 hours, eliminating the need for applicants to visit the embassy.
He explained that the e-visa does not replace the standard five-year visa and only applies to those seeking a quicker, short-term alternative.
“It replaces the inefficient visa-on-arrival system, which was often exploited for extortion,” he said.
According to the Presidency, the e-visa policy aligns with President Tinubu’s broader agenda to boost investment, trade, and tourism by making it easier for non-nationals to do business in Nigeria.
The statement further noted that while Nigeria had opened the e-visa platform to US citizens and several other nationalities, the United States had yet to reciprocate by offering similar ease of access to Nigerian travellers.
Despite the disparity, the Presidency assured that the Nigerian government would continue holding constructive dialogue with the United States to address any concerns and strengthen bilateral cooperation.
“In the spirit of partnership and mutual respect, President Tinubu’s administration will continue to engage with US authorities to ensure that visa policies reflect the long-standing friendship between both countries,” Onanuga said.
Reactions to the US Visa policy
Meanwhile, reactions have trailed the alleged tit-for-tat approach by both countries. Public intellectual Dr. Katch Ononuju told LEADERSHIP on Thursday that the US action may have been motivated by US President Donald Trump’s knee-jerk efforts to undermine countries he felt had reportedly joined BRICS.
Nigeria was formally admitted into BRICS in January 2025 as the ninth partner country of BRICS, joining Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Thailand, Uganda, and Uzbekistan.
Ononuju said, “There is a price you pay for every decision you make, but I believe this policy should make Nigerians more resilient and think of building a better Nigeria. It is good to think ahead, as this will wake us from slumber.”
…Africans should boycott US – Wechie
For his part, international constitutional law expert Livingstone Wechie called on Nigerians and Africans to boycott the US and create real economic value that would make them independent and stop their citizens from desperately seeking a US Visa.
“The Nigerian government should make Nigeria work. It is an indication of a loss of value and relevance in the global space if our citizens, because of the dwindling fortunes of the Nigerian economy, are moving away from the country, as the development index has been dropping on a daily basis.
“The Nigerian government must revive the country’s economy, and this entire fad to travel to the US or Europe will decline,” he said.
Stakeholders knock new immigration policy
Some major industry players have criticised Nigeria’s new immigration policy, stating that it could deter foreign investors and ultimately lead to higher costs for Nigerians in the Diaspora, especially given the policy of reciprocity now being implemented by other countries.
The Ministry of Interior recently introduced sweeping reforms relating to indigenisation, expatriate quotas, and visa regulations. These changes, which have already taken effect, include a significant increase in various permit fees and a reduction in visa durations for certain countries.
Among the most controversial reforms is the downgrade of visa duration for U.S. citizens from five years to just three months. In response, the United States has reciprocated by limiting Nigerian non-immigrant visas to a single-entry, three-month validity.
Additionally, the new policy has seen a dramatic upward review of fees for business permits and expatriate services. For instance, business permit fees for companies limited by shares or limited liability partnerships have increased from ₦350,000 to ₦1,500,000.
Business names and limited partnerships now pay ₦750,000, up from ₦200,000, while religious organisations registered as organisations limited by guarantee or incorporated trustees now pay ₦500,000, up from ₦140,000.
Also, companies limited by guarantee or incorporated trustees (non-religious) will now pay ₦750,000, compared to the previous ₦200,000. Amendment of business permits has risen from ₦200,000 to ₦500,000.
Expatriate quota renewal now costs ₦500,000, up from ₦150,000, while additional expatriate quota fees rose from ₦200,000 to ₦500,000. Upgrading to a PUR expatriate quota now costs ₦20 million, up from ₦7.1 million.
In the same vein, revalidation of the PUR quota now costs $10,000 (after 10 years), up from ₦ $5.6 million, and expatriate quota appeal fees have been increased from ₦ $150,000 to ₦ $400,000.
Our correspondent exclusively gathered from top sources at the Nigeria Immigration Service that companies are unofficially charged ₦21,000 per expatriate quota slot as a service fee, though this fee is not documented in official guidelines.
Some affected firms also confirmed paying it nonetheless.
Our investigation further revealed that, beyond permits and quotas, the reforms affect immigration and residency. Foreign residents applying for Nigerian citizenship by naturalisation or registration will now pay ₦15 million, up from ₦1.4 million.
The fee for special immigrant status, as contained in a document exclusively obtained by LEADERSHIP, has increased from ₦950,000 to ₦10 million.
In the same vein, a three-year temporary residence permit will now cost ₦5 million, up from ₦700,000.
Stakeholders who spoke with our correspondent faulted the government for implementing the policy without adequate consultation with industry players. Many see the policy as being mainly driven by a revenue-generation agenda, which they say could be counterproductive.
A retired senior immigration officer, who pleaded not to be named, said, “Should revenue generation be the major driver of a government policy? How come we seem unperturbed by the fact that Nigerians, especially those who travel out of the country, will bear the brunt?
The stakeholders also expressed concern that the policy could further discourage foreign direct investment, noting that imposing stringent requirements on expatriates contradicts the government’s goal of attracting investors.
Speaking on the visa downgrade for Americans, a travel agent, Grace Loma, observed that despite the unchanged visa application fee of $160, applicants would now need to re-apply more frequently due to the shorter duration, enabling the Nigerian government to generate more revenue.
“As expected, the American government has reciprocated, and Nigerians can now only get three-month U.S. visas, down from the two-year and five-year options many had come to rely on,” she stated.
Loma expressed the concern that the massive fee hikes would place a financial burden on Nigerians, especially frequent travellers, due to the combined impact of higher costs and shorter visa durations.
