Concerns over future access to United States student visas following travel restrictions imposed on Nigerians by President Donald Trump have begun to affect university admissions, with some institutions suspending or deferring offers made to Nigerian applicants.
The development was highlighted by Dr Oludayo Sokunbi, a Canada-based Nigerian education consultant and founder of Japa Consults, who disclosed on his X handle that a Nigerian student offered a fully funded master’s scholarship in the US had been asked to defer his admission to 2027.
Sokunbi shared an email reportedly sent to the student, referencing an updated White House proclamation issued on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, which introduced new entry restrictions on several countries, including Nigeria, effective from January 1, 2026.
The email, said to be from Arizona State University, assured the student of the institution’s continued support but explained that he was no longer eligible to commence in-person studies in Fall 2026 due to the travel ban. The university offered to reconsider his application for Fall 2027, expressing hope that the restrictions would be lifted by then.
Another social media user, identified as @SamzyVG, also shared a similar experience involving a different US university that reportedly withdrew an admission offer to a Nigerian student. Several other users subsequently narrated comparable cases, suggesting a growing pattern.
Reacting to the situation, the Chief Executive Officer of Cardinal E-School and Edu Services, Sulaimon Okewole, described the visa restrictions as an “unfortunate development” with wide-ranging implications.
According to Okewole, the policy goes beyond security concerns and risks disrupting academic aspirations, severing professional ties and sending a message of rejection to an entire country.
He warned that the decision could fracture families, stifle opportunities and undermine long-standing diplomatic and educational relationships between Nigeria and the United States.
“The United States, a nation of immigrants, is building a needless wall—not of brick, but of bureaucratic spite—and this diminishes us all,” Okewole said, expressing hope that the policy would be reversed quickly.
He advised affected Nigerians to consider alternative destinations such as Canada and the United Kingdom, which he said remain more welcoming to international students and professionals.
A Nigerian student preparing to resume studies in the US in 2026, who identified himself simply as Olayomi, said the ban had come at a particularly painful time for many applicants.
He noted that several Nigerian students had already secured admission, paid non-refundable deposits and application fees, and participated in preparatory meetings for the upcoming academic year.
“I have paid deposits and joined several meetings in preparation for the 2026 academic year,” he said.
“What should those of us who have paid deposits and are awaiting visa interviews do? Schools are not refunding these fees.”
Describing the situation as disheartening, Olayomi appealed for a reconsideration of the policy, saying it could abruptly truncate the dreams of many young Nigerians.
From a diplomatic perspective, a former Nigerian Ambassador to the Philippines, Yemi Farounbi, said the visa policy appeared designed to pressure the Nigerian government rather than address genuine security issues.
Farounbi noted that while the policy was initially framed as targeting specific security concerns, its extension to students and ordinary travellers suggested it had become unfocused and counterproductive.
“When this is extended to everyone, including young people who only want to advance their education, then it is no longer targeted,” he said.
A retired ambassador, Mabdul Mohammed, said visa issuance is based on trust that visitors will comply with the laws of host countries, adding that Nigeria’s security challenges continue to shape Washington’s decisions.
According to him, Nigeria’s designation as a Country of Particular Concern remains a key factor, and only sustained efforts to curb terrorism, banditry and violent crime would convince the US to lift the restrictions.
Also commenting, foreign affairs analyst Charles Onunaiju said Nigerians should prepare for tougher engagements with the United States under the Trump administration.
He urged Nigeria to broaden its diplomatic focus beyond the US, stressing the need to diversify international partnerships in an increasingly challenging global environment.
