Nigeria suspends third-party services for visa applicants in the US

Residents of the US seeking Nigerian visas will now have to submit their applications directly to the Embassy of Nigeria in Washington, DC, or the Consulates in New York and Atlanta, following the suspension of Online Integrated Solutions (OIS Services) services.

The OIS, which operates Nigeria’s Visa Application Centres, has been suspended from offering the service.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the National Immigration Service (NIS) announced that the suspension of the OIS is effective from July 2026.

“Effective from July, 2026, the service of Online Integrated Solution (O15 SERVICES), the operator of Nigeria’s Visa Application Centres in the United States of America, has been suspended until further notice,” the statement reads.

The NIS did not state the reason for the suspension of OIS Services or indicate when the arrangement would be reviewed.

However, the new policy was introduced several months after the US imposed partial visa ban on Nigeria and many other African countries. PREMIUM TIMES reported that the ban on Nigeria covered a wide range of visa categories, including B‑1, B‑2, B‑1/B‑2, F, M, and J visas.

The US also imposed bond requirements on African countries, requiring applicants to post a bond of up to $15,000 before applying for other categories of visas.

In its statement, the NIS also clarified that the suspension affects only visa application submissions handled by OIS Services and does not impact Nigeria’s electronic visa (e-Visa) system.

It explained that travellers seeking e-Visas are still expected to submit their applications through the official e-Visa portal.

The agency also noted that it has put measures in place to ensure the seamless submission, processing and issuance of visas despite the suspension of the visa application centre operator.

“The Service further clarifies that this notice applies only to Visa application submissions at the Embassy and does not affect the e-Visa System. Applicants can continue to apply via

“The public should note that adequate measures have been put in place to ensure seamless submission, processing, and issuance of visas.

“In this regard, applicants are advised to monitor the official communication channels of the Nigeria Immigration Service and the Nigerian Mission in the United States for updates on visa application procedures,” the statement further noted.

The NIS also advised applicants to monitor official communication channels of the Nigeria Immigration Service and Nigeria’s diplomatic missions in the US.

It reiterated that it remained “committed to providing efficient Service Delivery.”

By Beloved John, Premium Times

Video - Severe flooding in West Africa sparks food shortages and rising prices in Lagos

Severe flooding continues to wreak havoc across West Africa, damaging homes, businesses and farmland. In Nigeria's commercial capital, Lagos, disrupted food supplies are driving up market prices, forcing many families to tighten their budgets as recovery efforts continue.

CGTN Africa

Nigeria orders probe into fake agency that nearly got $944,000 in state funds

Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu has ordered an investigation into how a fake government agency operated openly in the heart of his administration and was almost handed nearly a million dollars in public funds.

The agency, called the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, doesn't exist under Nigerian law. Yet it was set to receive about 1.3 billion naira ($944,300) in this year's national budget.

Its offices were reportedly located inside the federal secretariat in Abuja, the same complex that houses genuine government ministries.

Anti-corruption agency given 30 days

Tinubu's office announced on Tuesday night that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has been ordered to investigate. It has 30 days to report back.

Investigators will look into claims of forged appointment letters, and allegations that the agency used a fake presidential appointment to gain official recognition, including help securing visas.

"Con artist," says presidential spokesman

Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga described Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, the man who claimed to run the agency, as a "con artist" with a track record of misrepresentation.

Onanuga said no public money had actually been paid out. But critics are asking a harder question: how did a nonexistent agency make it into the national budget in the first place?

Pressure builds on Tinubu

The scandal adds to political pressure on Tinubu ahead of the presidential election, putting Nigeria's long-running corruption problem back in the headlines.

Local media reported that Adeyemi claimed he'd been given an appointment letter by Tinubu's chief of staff, Femi Gbajabiamila. Gbajabiamila denies ever meeting or knowing him.

Analysts say the government still needs to explain how the fake agency slipped into official spending plans.

Court date set

Adeyemi is due in court on July 27. He faces charges of forging official documents, falsely seeking recognition for a fake government agency, and opening multiple bank accounts in its name.

AFP

New lithium plant in Nigeria marks major shift to value-added critical minerals

As African countries focus on growing their critical mineral value chains and shifting from raw material exporters to true value creators, as previously reported, those ambitions are now beginning to take shape. Nigeria recently commissioned its, and one of Africa’s, largest lithium processing plants in Nasarawa State.

The Diamond New Energy lithium plant has a processing capacity of 6,000 tonnes of lithium per day, with an estimated 3 million tonnes annually.

During construction, the project generated over 1,000 direct jobs and over 2,000 indirect employment opportunities for the community, making it a significant contributor to Nigeria’s industrialisation and growth agenda.

Speaking on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the commissioning, Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima stressed the importance of metals and minerals in the modern, tech-driven era, saying Nigeria is set to enter a new phase of growth in the metals sector.

In his statement, Senator Shettima notes that Nigeria “must either maximise its industrial advantage and turn its endowments into engines of prosperity, or spend years manufacturing excuses for the nation’s lack of innovation”.

“The commissioning of Diamond New Energy Projects here in Nasarawa State represents confidence in Nigeria, in Nasarawa State, and in the revolutionary reforms set in place by this administration,” says Senator Shettima.

“It represents confidence that Nigeria is ready to participate in the global minerals economy on terms that create jobs, build skills, strengthen local enterprises, and expand our productive base.”

Senator Shettima notes that Nigeria, like many other countries across Africa, has often focused on “what lies beneath our soil” rather than what can be done to add value to these metals and minerals.

“What changes a nation is the deliberate movement from extraction to processing, from potential to production, from raw materials to value-added goods, and from isolated investments to integrated industrial ecosystems.”

Nigeria’s commissioning of the Diamond New Energy lithium plant marks a clear pivot in Africa’s push to to build local mineral value chains and capture more value from its resources.

As more nations move to secure downstream capacity, the continent’s critical minerals narrative is rapidly evolving from potential to production, with Nigeria now positioning itself as a serious participant in the global lithium supply chain.

By Amy Rotman, mining.com.au

Related story: Lithium, copper reserves key to clean energy transition in Nigeria

Dangote lowers petrol price in Nigeria even as Trump resumes fighting in Iran

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery lowered its wholesale petrol price on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, despite the resumption of the conflict in the Middle East, which, for the last few months, has brought on a surge in energy prices across Africa.

This price reduction has instigated minor price competition among local fuel suppliers in Nigeria, offering consumers some relief even as domestic diesel costs escalate and global oil markets experience sudden fluctuations.

The massive refinery trimmed its ex-depot petrol price by ₦1, bringing it down to ₦1,075 per litre from the old price of ₦1,076 per litre.

Local market response and diesel hikes

Dangote’s price change has forced other major oil marketers in Lagos to lower their prices slightly to stay competitive.

MRS Oil Nigeria led the way by cutting its depot price by ₦2 to ₦1,074 per litre from the old price of ₦1,076 per litre, making it one of the cheapest options in the city.

While a few suppliers in Lagos and Warri dropped their rates by ₦1 or ₦2, other major companies like NIPCO, Sahara Energy, and Aiteo kept their prices steady.

Right now, most petrol prices at Lagos depots are stable, staying between ₦1,074 and ₦1,075 per litre.

This adjustment in fuel pricing occurs despite the resurgence of hostilities in the Middle East, a conflict anticipated to influence global energy markets.

Trump ends Iran ceasefire, spiking global oil prices

Per recent reports, International oil prices jumped by over 7% in a single day after U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, that America's temporary ceasefire with Iran is officially "over."

According to global trading platforms like Oilprice.com, this caused immediate worries that global oil supplies might run low, pushing the price of international unrefined petroleum on the global commodities exchange up sharply from its previous $72 to nearly $80 a barrel.

Experts warn that if these global tensions keep driving unrefined petroleum prices upward, the cost of raw oil input will become much higher.

This could eventually force fuel prices back up across Nigeria, potentially ending the local price cuts.

Business Insider Africa