Amanze Chinonye
President Trump has expanded U.S. travel and visa restrictions to 39 countries, a move set to take effect January 1, 2026, further limiting entry for foreign nationals, including Nigeria, one of the largest sources of international students in the United States, Prime Business Africa reports.
In a presidential proclamation issued Tuesday, Trump fully banned individuals from seven additional countries including Burkina Faso, Laos, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, and Syria as well as holders of travel documents issued by the Palestinian Authority.
The proclamation also imposes partial entry restrictions on 15 additional countries, including Nigeria, Angola, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, Senegal, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe expanded measures follow an earlier June 2025 proclamation, which restricted entry from 19 countries and sparked multiple legal challenges. The latest action more than doubles the number of affected countries, prompting concern among higher education and immigration advocates.
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Both full and partial restrictions block F and J visas, the primary visa categories used by international students and short-term researchers. Nigerian students, in particular, will be unable to obtain new student visas after January 1, 2026. Currently, Nigeria ranks ninth globally for sending students to the U.S., with nearly 22,850 students enrolled in 2024-25, up 9% from the previous year.
Higher education organizations, including NAFSA: Association of International Educators, have strongly criticized the expansion. In an official statement, the group called the move “disappointing and misguided,” warning it will undermine the U.S.’s international student pipeline and weaken its global competitiveness.
Miriam Feldblum, president and CEO of the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, called the travel ban “a self-inflicted wound” that “signals to the world that the U.S. is no longer a welcoming destination for talent.”
The Trump administration cites high visa-overstay rates and security concerns as justification for the expanded restrictions. In Nigeria’s case, the administration claimed that more than 10% of Nigerian students on F, J, or M visas overstay, referencing a U.S. Customs and Border Protection report.
However, NAFSA and other analysts have challenged these figures as flawed and selective, noting that they overstate overstays by including individuals who have left the U.S. or changed status while in the country.
The proclamation exempts lawful permanent residents, current visa holders, diplomats, and certain categories of athletes. Students already in the U.S. will generally remain exempt, but leaving the country could result in loss of eligibility under the new restrictions.
Education experts and refugee advocates have condemned the expansion. Laurie Ball Cooper, vice president of U.S. Legal Programs at the International Refugee Assistance Project, described it as “another shameful attempt to demonize people simply for where they are from.”
NAFSA emphasized that blanket travel bans do not make the U.S. safer, warning that the policy could weaken U.S. research, innovation, and global engagement.
“Countries including China, Canada, Germany, and Japan are actively courting talented students, scholars, and researchers,” the group noted. “This travel ban sends the message that the U.S. is better off without their contributions.”
Countries Fully Banned:
- Afghanistan
- Burma
- Chad
- Republic of the Congo
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Haiti
- Iran
- Libya
- Somalia
- Sudan
- Yemen
- Burkina Faso
- Laos
- Mali
- Niger
- Sierra Leone
- South Sudan
- Syria, and holders of Palestinian Authority.
Countries Partially Restricted:
- Angola
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Benin
- Côte d’Ivoire
- Dominica
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Malawi
- Mauritania
- Nigeria
- Senegal
- Tanzania
- Tonga
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
- Burundi
- Cuba
- Togo
- Venezuela
Amanze Chinonye is a Staff Correspondent at Prime Business Africa, a rising star in the literary world, weaving captivating stories that transport readers to the vibrant landscapes of Nigeria and the rest of Africa. With a unique voice that blends with the newspaper's tradition and style, Chinonye's writing is a masterful exploration of the human condition, delving into themes of identity, culture, and social justice. Through her words, Chinonye paints vivid portraits of everyday African life, from the bustling markets of Nigeria's Lagos to the quiet villages of South Africa's countryside . With a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of the complexities of Nigerian society, Chinonye's writing is both a testament to the country's rich cultural heritage and a powerful call to action for a brighter future. As a writer, Chinonye is a true storyteller, using her dexterity to educate, inspire, and uplift readers around the world.
