Operations have fully restarted at the United States Embassy in Abuja and the Consulate General in Lagos following the end of the 43-day partial government shutdown that halted several federal activities in the US.
The diplomatic missions confirmed the development on Friday, announcing that American citizen services and visa processing have returned to normal schedules after weeks of disruptions caused by the funding deadlock in Washington.
According to a notice shared on the Embassy’s official X handle, the missions stated that full services had resumed, adding that “American citizen services and visa services are proceeding as scheduled.”
The resumption comes as US federal agencies reopened nationwide, marking the conclusion of the longest government shutdown in the country’s history. The shutdown, which began on October 1, 2025, followed a prolonged budget standoff in Congress that left hundreds of thousands of federal workers on furlough or working without pay.
Earlier updates on October 1 had warned that the Embassy’s social media platforms would not receive regular updates until appropriations were restored. At the time, the mission noted that only urgent safety and security information would be shared during the funding lapse.
President Donald Trump eventually signed a bipartisan agreement late Wednesday, providing temporary funding through January 30, 2026. The bill also included full-year appropriations for some key sectors, helping to stabilise federal operations.
The legislation passed the Republican-led House by 222 to 209, with six Democrats voting in favour, before sailing through the Senate earlier in the week in a 60–40 vote. One independent senator and seven Democrats joined Republicans to approve the budget package.
With the shutdown now over, applicants in Nigeria can expect a return to regular consular schedules. During the funding interruption, several services including passport renewals, notarial appointments and non-immigrant visa interviews were delayed, resulting in backlogs.
Meanwhile, the shutdown itself was triggered by Congress’ inability to agree on a unified spending plan. Although the House had cleared a temporary funding bill, it initially failed to scale the Senate, where Democrats opposed provisions tied to expiring health insurance tax credits.
Republicans, despite controlling both chambers at the time, fell short of the 60 votes required to advance the bill in the Senate. The disagreement ultimately forced the federal government into its first shutdown in nearly seven years.
