According to a report by Vanguard on Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025, former senator and human rights activist, Shehu Sani, has weighed in on the newly announced travel restrictions imposed by the United States on Nigerians, describing the policy as a strong indication that migrants from poorer nations are increasingly unwelcome in Western countries.
Sani reacted to the development via a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, shortly after the administration of US President Donald Trump announced a fresh round of visa restrictions targeting Nigeria. The policy significantly limits the ability of Nigerians to enter the United States under several immigration and non-immigration categories.
Under the new measures, Nigerian nationals are prohibited from travelling to the US as immigrants and are also barred from accessing a number of commonly used non-immigrant visas. These include B-1 visas for business travel, B-2 visas for tourism, combined B-1/B-2 visas, as well as F visas for academic studies, M visas for vocational training, and J visas for exchange programmes.
In a proclamation published on the White House website, US authorities said the decision was based on national security considerations, challenges associated with properly screening visa applicants, and what it described as a high rate of visa overstays by Nigerian travellers. The statement formally announced the suspension of entry for Nigerians under the affected visa categories.
The US government further pointed to Nigeria’s ongoing security challenges, including the activities of extremist groups, as factors complicating effective background checks. According to the proclamation, these conditions make it difficult to fully assess the risks associated with admitting certain travellers into the country.
Reacting to the announcement, Sani said many Nigerians had initially misunderstood earlier visa-related actions taken by the United States. He noted that when the first set of restrictions was announced, some people believed it applied only to individuals accused of religious persecution, particularly government officials, leading to misplaced celebrations on social media.
He explained that the newly introduced measures are far more expansive and directly affect ordinary Nigerians, cutting across students, tourists, professionals, and others seeking legitimate opportunities in the US. According to Sani, Nigeria’s inclusion among 23 affected countries shows that the policy is not limited to political elites.
Sani also observed that most of the countries listed under the restrictions are from Africa and the Caribbean, with predominantly Black populations, while Arab nations were notably absent. While acknowledging that security concerns were cited as justification, he argued that the pattern of affected countries conveys a deeper and more troubling message.
In his view, the decision reflects a broader global attitude toward migrants from developing nations. “The message is clear,” Sani wrote, adding that people from Third World countries are increasingly being shut out.
He urged Nigerians to draw lessons from the development by focusing less on migration and more on fixing the country’s internal challenges. According to him, sustainable progress can only come from deliberate efforts to improve governance, security, and economic opportunities at home.
“Stay back and build your country or confront your problems,” Sani advised, calling on Nigerians to channel their energy into national development rather than relying on the hope of opportunities abroad.
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