The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced its intention to implement a reciprocal visa policy requiring U.S. citizens applying for Nigerian visas to disclose their social media handles used over the past five years. This decision comes in response to the recent directive by the United States Mission in Nigeria mandating Nigerian visa applicants to provide similar information as part of their DS-160 visa application process.
The U.S. policy, which took effect on August 18, 2025, requires applicants to list usernames or handles from platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Failure to comply may result in visa denial or future ineligibility.
In a statement issued today, Kimiebi Ebienfa, spokesperson for Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, confirmed that the Nigerian government views visa policies as inherently reciprocal. “What you are mandating our nationals to do, we will also mandate your citizens applying for our visa to do,” Ebienfa stated.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior and the National Intelligence Agency, will convene an inter-agency meeting to finalize the implementation framework. The proposed Nigerian policy will mirror the U.S. requirements, ensuring that American applicants provide a comprehensive list of social media handles used within the last five years.