Nigeria’s government has said it will introduce a new requirement for U.S. citizens seeking visas, demanding they disclose their social media handles, in direct response to Washington’s tightening of visa vetting rules for Nigerians.
The move follows an announcement by the U.S. Mission in Nigeria on August 18 that all Nigerian applicants must list every social media username or handle they have used in the past five years when completing the DS-160 visa application form. The U.S. said the measure, which applies to both immigrant and non-immigrant visa seekers, is part of enhanced national security screening.
“Visa applicants are required to list all social media usernames or handles of every platform they have used from the last 5 years,” the U.S. Mission said in its statement. It added that failure to comply could result in denial, processing delays, or even ineligibility for future visas. Applicants are, however, not required to provide passwords.
The requirement stems from stricter vetting procedures first introduced under the Trump administration. U.S. officials argue that reviewing an applicant’s online presence helps consular officers make better-informed background checks. Platforms covered under the rule include Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
Reacting to the policy, Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Abuja would mirror the measure. Ministry spokesman Kimiebi Ebienfa confirmed that American applicants would be asked to disclose their own social media histories before being granted Nigerian visas.
“On things of this nature, the best we can do is to carry out reciprocal action,” Ebienfa said. “Some people from the U.S. might want to apply for a visa, and we will adopt the same measures. Anything visa is reciprocal.”
He added that an inter-agency meeting will soon be convened to determine how the policy should be implemented.
The reciprocal stance underscores the increasingly transactional nature of international visa regimes, where countries often match each other’s entry requirements. For Nigeria, the decision also reflects sensitivity to policies seen as unduly targeting its citizens.
