Trump will lift Nigeria’s visa ban, here’s why

Announced last Friday, the restriction bars Nigerians from receiving immigrant visas to live permanently in the United States.

The Trump administration says the restrictions became necessary because Nigeria has not been adequately sharing information about its citizens.

Nigeria is among six countries affected by the new restrictions. Others are Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Eritrea, Sudan and Tanzania.

Acting secretary of homeland security, Chad Wolf, said these countries fell short in new vetting criteria for “terrorists and criminals attempting to enter the United States.”

The ban on Nigerian immigrants takes effect on February 22, 2020.

Onyeama makes a case for Nigeria in the U.S

Non-immigrant visas covering tourism, education, healthcare and business are however exempt from the policy.

Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama, told journalists at the U.S State Department that the Nigerian government is already working to address security concerns that Trump administration officials said had prompted the ban.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama (left), with the U.S. Secretary of State, Mr Mike Pompeo, at the press briefing on Tuesday. Photo: AP Pulse Nigeria

“We were somewhat blindsided with the announcement of the visa restrictions by the U.S.,” Onyeama said, after a meeting with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. “We know — and the U.S. officials have also confirmed — that we have been able to tick most of those boxes.”

Onyeama detailed that Nigeria is also working at directly sharing personal data — including immigrants’ criminal histories, stolen passport information and suspected links to terrorism — with the United States and Interpol member countries.

“Hopefully, once that has been achieved, we look forward to being taken off this visa restriction list,” Onyeama said with barely concealed optimism.

Pompeo who was standing beside Onyeama said that “Nigeria has room to grow in sharing important national security information. I am optimistic that’s going to happen.”

Onyeama said he learned about the immigration ban as he prepared to visit Washington for an annual meeting between the U.S. and Nigeria this week.

The meeting is touted by the State Department as capable of “expanding cooperation and advancing shared goals.”

The announcement of the ban shocked the Nigerian government, Onyeama added. He said the announcement initially confused the Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government, but added that “it was very gratifying to come here, speaking to U.S. officials, and to understand more clearly the reasoning behind this.”

Nigeria is America's friend

In further remarks, Pompeo said the Trump administration considers Nigeria a “strategic partner” against terrorism.

Kenneth T. Cuccinelli II, the acting deputy secretary of homeland security, said Nigeria is a friend of the U.S. while defending the policy. “This very narrow approach, where we try to do as little harm to our friends like Nigeria as we possibly can while still keeping America safe, does seem to be garnering the reaction we hoped for,” he said in a separate interview on Tuesday.

Pompeo referred to Nigeria as the United States’ second-largest trading partner in Africa. He noted that Nigeria recently bought 12 combat propeller planes from the United States, worth $500 million.

According to the Center for Global Development, Nigeria’s inclusion on the list will affect nearly a quarter of the 1.2 billion people in Africa.

Experts have also warned Trump and his administration that including Nigeria on its visa restrictions list could harm the U.S economy and create a vacuum that China, Russia and Turkey could exploit.

"Five of the (banned countries), including Nigeria, which has Africa’s largest economy, are being avidly courted by China as part of its “Belt and Road Initiative,” and could well conclude that China is a more trustworthy and predictable partner than the United States," the New York Times wrote in an editorial on the policy.