U.S. suspends visa processing for Nigeria, 74 others

The United States of America has announced an indefinite suspension of visa processing for Nigeria and 74 other countries with effect from Jan. 21, 2026.A State Department memo directed consular officers to refuse visas under existing law, while screening and vetting procedures are reassessed.

According to the memo, the pause begins on Jan. 21 and will continue indefinitely until the Department of State completes its reassessment of visa processing.

The State Department spokesperson, Tommy Piggott, said that “Immigration from these 75 countries will be paused while procedures are reassessed to prevent entry of foreign nationals who would take welfare and public benefits.”

The United States and Nigeria operate visa reciprocity policies, which means that countries set visa rules based on how their citizens are treated abroad.

If U.S. citizens face limits or high fees, Nigeria may impose similar restrictions through reciprocity schedules.

The key aspects include fees, validity periods and permitted numbers of entries.

The affected countries include Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia, Brazil and Burma.

Others listed are Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea and Ethiopia.

The other countries include Fiji, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan and Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco and Nepal.

The list also includes Nicaragua, Pakistan, Republic of the Congo, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia and Uganda Uruguay, Uzbekistan and Yemen.

APA News

Morocco beats Nigeria on penalties to reach AFCON final against Senegal

Yassine Bounou delivered another heroic performance, saving two penalties, before Youssef En-Nesyri calmly converted the decisive spot kick to lift hosts Morocco to a 4–2 penalty shootout victory over Nigeria after a tense 0–0 draw in their Africa Cup of Nations semifinal in Rabat on Wednesday. Chasing their first continental crown in 50 years, Morocco will face Senegal, the 2021 champions, in Sunday’s final in Rabat. Nigeria, meanwhile, will meet Egypt in the third-place playoff a day earlier.

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Nigeria boosts school security amid rising kidnapping threats

As students return for a new term, Nigeria is enhancing security at schools nationwide due to increasing threats of armed attacks and kidnappings for ransom, particularly in the north, where abductions and government-led rescues have become more frequent.

CGTN Africa

Nigeria pitches $600m lithium and gold projects to Saudi investors

Nigeria is positioning itself as Africa’s next major minerals hub after rolling out a $600 million lithium processing plant and multiple gold refineries, part of a strategy to make the country a key global supplier of materials needed for the green-energy transition.

The PUNCH reports that Nigeria's minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, disclosed the developments during a meeting with Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, Ibrahim Al-Khorayef, ahead of the Future Minerals Forum in Riyadh.

The projects, he said, represent the most concrete outcome yet of Nigeria’s policy to end the export of raw minerals and build domestic processing capacity.

“Nigeria’s value-addition policy is already yielding tangible results, with a gold refining plant of very high purity now operational in Lagos, three additional gold refineries at various stages of development, and a $600 million lithium processing plant in Nasarawa State ready for commissioning,” Alake said

Why Nigeria’s mining pivot matters for Africa

This new phase follows years of government efforts to dismantle illicit mining networks, particularly in gold-rich states such as Zamfara and Niger, where terrorist groups and criminal syndicates had turned illegal mining into a major funding source.

Nigeria is estimated to hold about 757,000 ounces of gold, potentially worth up to $1.4 billion, with at least 17 states hosting notable deposits.

The government has deployed security forces, tightened licensing, and strengthened oversight of mineral exports, gradually bringing more of the sector under formal control to attract international investment.

Nigeria’s mining push mirrors a broader African trend as countries race to tap demand for gold, lithium and other critical minerals driven by the global energy transition.

While illegal mining persists in parts of Nigeria’s northwest and central regions, Abuja’s strategy which involves combining security enforcement, value addition and foreign partnerships, offers a potential model for resource-rich African economies seeking to move beyond raw exports.

By Solomon Ekanem, Business Insider Africa

Related story: Nigeria attracts $1.3bn Chinese lithium investment amid push for clean energy value chains

Nigeria, UAE strike trade pact to scrap tariffs on over 7,000 products

Nigeria has signed a far-reaching trade agreement with the United Arab Emirates that will eliminate tariffs on thousands of products and deepen economic ties between Africa’s largest economy and one of the world’s most dynamic trading hubs.

The Nigeria–UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement was signed on the sidelines of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, with President Bola Tinubu and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in attendance.

The deal is designed to expand market access for Nigerian exporters, encourage new investment flows, and strengthen Nigeria’s role as a gateway for trade into Africa.

President Tinubu described the agreement as a practical step with direct economic impact. He said it would grant duty-free access for thousands of Nigerian products into the UAE, expand opportunities for exporters and manufacturers, and provide greater certainty for UAE investors looking to back Nigeria’s productive sectors. According to him, the pact supports Nigeria’s industrialisation and diversification agenda while reinforcing its long-term national interest.

The agreement is the outcome of negotiations led by Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, and her UAE counterpart, Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi. Tinubu commended both teams for bringing the talks to a conclusion and expressed optimism that the renewed partnership would deliver lasting benefits for both countries.

For Nigerian exporters, the deal represents a significant opening. Oduwole said the UAE will eliminate tariffs on more than 7,000 Nigerian products, including agricultural and industrial goods such as fish and seafood, oil seeds, cereals, cotton, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals. Over the next three to five years, tariffs will also be removed on machinery, vehicles, electrical equipment, apparel, and furniture.

She noted that Nigerian industrial exports now have a clearer and more competitive pathway into the UAE market. Beyond goods, the agreement allows Nigerian businesses to establish operations in the UAE through new corporate entities, branches, and subsidiaries.

Business visitors from Nigeria will be able to enter the UAE for up to 90 days within a year to explore trade and investment opportunities, while managers, executives, and specialists can relocate under renewable three-year arrangements.

On investment, the minister said the agreement removes long-standing constraints that have discouraged foreign direct investment. She added that UAE investors now have clearer rules and protections to invest in Nigeria’s productive sectors, supporting industrial growth, improved logistics, and job creation for Nigeria’s youthful population.

Nigeria has also made commitments under the deal. Oduwole said the country will eliminate tariffs on around 6,000 products, with about 60 percent removed immediately and the remainder phased out over five years. These imports are largely industrial inputs, capital goods, and machinery intended to boost domestic productive capacity, while Nigeria’s import prohibition list will remain in force.

In services, Nigeria’s commitments cover 99 specific services across 10 sectors, including business, communications, transportation, financial services, construction, health, and tourism.

The government has pledged swift implementation, with the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment working alongside agencies such as the Nigeria Customs Service, the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission, and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria to ensure businesses can fully benefit from the agreement.

Oduwole said the deal was negotiated with the Nigerian private sector in mind, urging businesses to seize the new market access and expand confidently into the UAE and beyond.

By Segun Adeyemi, Business Insider Africa