The United States Mission in Nigeria has suspended visa appointments at its Embassy in Abuja.
This was announced in a post shared on its official X handle on Thursday.
“U.S. Embassy Abuja is closed for visa appointments. Applicants should check their email for details on rescheduled appointments,” it said.
The mission, however, clarified that visa operations at the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos remain ongoing.
“Visa operations at U.S. Consulate General Lagos continue,” it added.
It also added that American citizen services are still available in cases of emergency and by appointment.
“American citizen services are available in emergencies and by appointment,” the statement read.
The development comes following a broader security advisory issued by the United States, which authorised the departure of non-emergency staff from its Abuja embassy and expanded its Nigeria travel blacklist to 23 states.
The State Department issued the authorised departure order on Tuesday, alongside an updated travel advisory that added Plateau, Jigawa, Kwara, Niger and Taraba to its highest warning category, “Do Not Travel.”
While the overall advisory rating for Nigeria remains at Level 3, “Reconsider Travel,” the department warned that some areas face increased risks due to crime, terrorism, unrest, kidnapping and limited healthcare availability.
According to the advisory, Americans are often targeted for kidnapping and robbery, while terrorist attacks continue to pose a threat across multiple locations, including markets, religious centres, hotels and public gatherings.
It also raised concerns about the state of emergency healthcare in the country, noting that hospitals often require immediate cash payments, ambulance services are unreliable and poorly equipped, and blood supply systems are inconsistent.