RismadarVoice Reporters, July 29, 2026
The United States has announced that routine visa processing at its embassy in Abuja and 24 other diplomatic missions across Africa will end from August 1, 2026, as part of a broader restructuring of its overseas consular operations.
The US Department of State said the move is aimed at centralising routine visa services in regional hubs to enhance national security, reduce government spending, and ensure greater consistency in visa screening, vetting and adjudication.
In a statement on the US Department of State website sighted on Wednesday, the department said the reorganisation aligns with President Donald Trump’s administration’s priority of placing America’s interests and security first.
“The Department of State is constantly evaluating its overseas operations to advance America’s priorities as efficiently and effectively as possible. This includes a visa process that maintains rigorous standards of security screening and vetting and aligns resources and operational capacity with America’s national interests.
The Trump administration has no higher priority than the safety and security of Americans, and the State Department will continue to provide Americans with appropriate consular services and assistance at diplomatic posts around the world,” the statement read.
Besides Abuja, the affected diplomatic posts are located in Asmara, Bamako, Banjul, Brazzaville, Bujumbura, Conakry, Cotonou, Durban, Freetown, Gaborone, Harare, Juba, Libreville, Lilongwe, Lusaka, Maputo, Maseru, Mbabane, N’Djamena, Niamey, Nouakchott, Ouagadougou and Windhoek.
The State Department, however, clarified that the change affects only routine visa processing and does not alter the operational status of the embassies and consulates involved.
