Nigeria's aviation industry faces mounting challenges as new US travel restrictions take effect, compounding existing visa processing hurdles and threatening to reverse post-pandemic recovery efforts. The measures, part of broader US immigration policy reforms, now affect 26 African nations with Nigeria bearing significant economic consequences.
Travel consultant Temitope Adetunji describes growing frustration among applicants:
"People don't want to waste money applying when approvals feel random. Even qualified candidates face unexplained rejections."
Current flight data reveals the stakes: United Airlines and Delta Air Lines transported over 207,000 passengers on 17 weekly routes in 2024. Aviation Safety Roundtable Initiative secretary Olumide Ohunayo warns of impending service cuts without diplomatic intervention, urging Nigeria to
"explore all economic and cultural channels to ease restrictions."
The White House maintains the policies strengthen national security, but industry analysts predict cascading effects across West Africa's travel networks. With visa approval rates declining and flight demand weakening, stakeholders fear prolonged damage to US-Nigeria economic ties.
