Nigeria had the biggest drop in visitors to the US last year due to Trump visa policies

The travel measures taken against Nigeria by the United States last year are starting to have a clear and, potentially, long-term effect.

Data from the US travel and tourism office shows Nigeria recorded the largest global drop-off in visitors to the US. As of October 2019, 34,000 fewer Nigerians traveled to the US compared to the previous year—a 21% drop. After a sustained period of growth between 2011 and 2015, the number of Nigerian visitors to the US started to plateau in 2016 until the big drop-off last year.

The second largest drop was for visitors from Venezuela (17.7%). The South American country is in the midst of an economic and political crisis which has seen more than four million people flee the country and the US is restricting entry to Venezuelan migrants.

The dip in Nigerian visitors to the US followed a string of visa clampdown measures by the Trump administration targeting Africa’s largest economy.

After indefinitely suspending its visa interview waiver for Nigerian applicants (the waiver allowed frequent travelers renew their visa without going through in-person interviews each time), the Trump administration also raised visa application fees for Nigerians by including additional “reciprocity fees” ranging from $80 to $303 depending on the class of visa. And even though the Nigerian government immediately slashed visa application fees for American applicants in a bid to get the US to reverse its price increase, the reciprocity fees remain in place.

The measures followed reports that the Trump administration was looking to impose visa restrictions on countries whose citizens have a track record of overstaying beyond the validity of their short-term US visas. As it turns out, Nigerians were the highest ranked African country for US visa overstays in 2018.

Even though official data confirms the effects of the measures, there were already warning signs the administration’s policies were having an adverse impact on potential travelers. The policies also spawned fear-fueled rumors among locals as well: mid-last year, the United States embassy in Nigeria was forced to deny a widespread rumor that it had placed a ban on issuing student visas to Nigerians.

The tougher overall visa stance by the Trump administration comes at an inopportune time for middle class Nigerians who are increasingly emigrating amid fears of economic uncertainty back home. Nigeria’s once promising economy remains mired in sluggish growth since a 2016 recession while unemployment continues to climb. With many middle class professionals searching for alternatives, the number of Nigerians seeking legal immigration pathways to the US, UK and, increasingly, Canada, has risen sharply over the past half-decade.

But despite the Trump administration’s policies, the US remains a popular destination for Nigerian students seeking foreign degrees as the economic impact of spending by Nigerian students studying in the United States reached $514 million over the past academic year.

Quartz

Video - Social media users in Nigeria up in arms over parliament's regulation

For nearly two decades, social media has become increasingly famous among Nigerians. It has served as a platform for interactions for both the Government and citizens. The country's parliament recently moved to regulate social media. The move has not gone down well with the masses. Nigeria's over 30 million users are now up in arms as CGTN's Kelechi Emekalam reports.

Islamic State in Nigeria 'beheads Christian hostages'

The Islamic State group has released a video claiming to show the killing of 11 Christians in Nigeria.

IS said it was part of its recently declared campaign to "avenge" the October deaths of its leader and spokesman in Syria.

No details were given about the victims, who were all male, but IS says they were "captured in the past weeks" in Nigeria's north-eastern Borno State.

The 56-second video was produced by IS's "news agency" Amaq.

It was released on 26 December and analysts say it was clearly timed to coincide with Christmas celebrations.

The footage was filmed in an unidentified outdoor area.

One captive in the middle is shot dead while the other 10 are pushed to the ground and beheaded.

IS's late leader and spokesman Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and Abul-Hasan Al-Muhajir were killed in Syria in late October. Nearly two months later, on 22 December, IS declared a new militant campaign to "avenge" their deaths and has since claimed a flurry of attacks in various countries under the banner of that campaign.

One faction of Nigerian Islamist group Boko Haram now fights under the banner of "Islamic State West Africa Province" (Iswap).

Last year, Iswap killed two midwives it had previously taken hostage.

BBC

Kanu to build cardiovascular hospital in Nigeria

Super Eagles’ former captain, Kanu Nwankwo has revealed that his foundation would soon build a cardiovascular hospital in Nigeria to offer adequate medical attention and treatment to heart patients.

The former Arsenal star, who is the founder of Kanu Heart Foundation, made the disclosure when he led officials of the Foundation to celebrate Christmas with heart patients at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owerri, yesterday.

He also disclosed that the foundation has saved 565 indigent children following successful open heart surgeries in the last 20 years, adding that about 200 children with cardiovascular ailments were currently on the waiting list of the foundation for surgeries in order to save their lives.

“The Kanu Heart Foundation was established in 2000 and we have done 565 open heart surgeries since the foundation came on board. These are mainly the less privileged children.

“What this means is that Kanu Heart Foundation has saved the lives of 565 less privileged children. And we have 200 patients on the waiting list.

“Since three years, we have been going to hospitals to celebrate Christmas with patients across the country. We decided to do this year’s own in the South East with Abia and Imo the main targets.

“We want to let the patients know that it is not only the healthy that celebrate Christmas. Our major target is to give them hope while promising them what we can do for them in the future by helping them out from their current situation,” he said.

Kanu lamented that heart problems were on the increase in the country because most sufferers know little or nothing about the symptoms, as well as lack of affordable health care services in the country.

“From our findings, the case of heart diseases has been on the rising stage. Unfortunately, most people don’t even know the symptoms of heart problems. Whenever they have such cases, they go for malaria and typhoid treatment. That’s what is fuelling heart problems and sudden deaths.

“But now, I think the awareness is coming slowly and the number of patients is increasing. That’s why we have about 200 persons on the waiting list. As I’m talking to you, we get about 40 calls talking about heart problems”, he said.

On the cost implication of the foundation’s humanitarian activities, the ex-Eagles captain said, “If we look at the cost we have to bear, I think it may be difficult for us to achieve what we have achieved so far. The fare for taking a patient out of the country for surgery is about $15,000. This is not including accommodation, food and the cost of the surgery itself, as well as the drugs that will go with it.

“That’s why we’re working hard to build a hospital here in Nigeria. With a heart hospital here, more patients will be attended to. And the cost of taking care of one case in Europe will take care of four persons here”.

He continued, “The foundation has no foreign partners. However, we have a hospital in India and one in Sudan that receive some patients and cut operational cost for us.

“In Nigerian hospitals, we have to pay for everything. Some of them even send us some patients to take of.”

The Guardian

Video - Young Nigerian mechanic gives vintage cars a new look

Speaking of cars, if you're a fan of old, old vehicles, this story is one you'll take to heart. A young Nigerian mechanic is making waves in the country's commercial capital of Lagos, by giving vintage cars a complete make over.