The United States government is set to significantly reduce the number of its embassies and consulates across Africa authorised to process visa applications, a move that could have major implications for prospective travellers from several African countries, including Nigeria.

According to an internal memorandum cited by the Associated Press, the number of visa-processing diplomatic missions on the continent will be reduced from nearly 50 to just 20 designated regional hubs.

Under the restructuring plan, Lagos will remain one of the approved visa-processing centres, while the U.S. Embassy in Abuja will reportedly no longer process routine visa applications.

The decision means that Nigerians seeking U.S. visas may be required to travel to Lagos for visa interviews and related consular services once the new policy takes effect.

The designated visa-processing hubs include Lagos, Accra, Abidjan, Addis Ababa, Cape Town, Dakar, Dar es Salaam, Djibouti, Johannesburg, Kampala, Kigali, Kinshasa, Lomé, Luanda, Malabo, Monrovia, Nairobi, Port Louis, Praia and Yaoundé.

According to U.S. officials familiar with the plan, implementation is expected to begin in June as part of a broader effort by the administration of President Donald Trump to tighten immigration controls and streamline consular operations.

The policy is also linked to ongoing efforts to reduce government spending and reallocate diplomatic resources more efficiently.

While embassies and consulates in non-hub countries will remain operational, their functions will be limited primarily to services for American citizens, emergency consular assistance, diplomatic visas and special national-interest cases.

The development comes amid a series of stricter U.S. immigration measures, including enhanced visa screening procedures, additional travel restrictions affecting some countries, and tighter oversight of temporary visa holders.

For many African applicants, the restructuring is expected to increase travel costs, processing challenges and logistical burdens, especially for citizens of countries that will no longer host full visa-processing services.

The U.S. State Department has not publicly confirmed the specific list of affected missions but stated that it routinely evaluates overseas operations to ensure resources are aligned with America’s national interests while maintaining robust security screening standards.

If implemented as outlined, the changes will mark one of the most significant reorganisations of U.S. visa services in Africa in recent years.