According to Bashir Ahmad, a former presidential assistant, Washington’s discomfort with Nigeria’s changing international allegiances is reflected in the recent change to the US visa policy for Nigerians, which is not merely based on the reciprocity principle.
In response to rumors that the United States has lowered the duration of visas for Nigerian applicants from five years multiple entrance to three months single entry, Ahmad made this clear in a post on X on Tuesday.
“Reciprocity is not the only reason for the recent review of U.S. visa policy on Nigeria, which reduced the 5-year multiple entry visa to just 3 months single entry,” he said.
Nigeria’s growing relations with BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s aggressive outreach to new international blocs, he said, could be factors in the decision.
“The warm reception we are receiving from the BRICS, in particular, seems to reflect growing U.S. discomfort with Nigeria’s increasing global realignment,” he continued.
Ahmad underlined that by establishing strategic alliances that serve the interests of the nation, Nigeria is taking charge of its future.
He continued by saying that Nigeria’s strength and confidence on the international scene were demonstrated by President Tinubu’s significant involvement in the BRICS Summit in Brazil, which delivered a strong and unambiguous message.
He was hopeful that the nation will stay on course and overcome all obstacles.
The majority of Nigerians who seek for non-immigrant visas will henceforth only be granted single-entry, three-month visas, the US government stated on Tuesday.
According to the U.S. Mission in Nigeria, the modification was made in response to Nigeria’s own visa regulations for U.S. nationals.
According to the embassy, most non-immigrant and non-official visas granted to Nigerians will only permit one entrance and have a three-month validity period as of right now.
About The Author
