Trump Administration Proposes Travel Ban on Nigeria and 35 Other Countries Over Security Concerns

The United States government, under President Donald Trump, is reportedly preparing to impose a travel ban on Nigeria and 35 other countries, citing concerns over national security and inadequate identity documentation.

According to a report by The Washington Post, an internal memo signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio outlines a proposal to enforce the travel restrictions unless the targeted nations meet new documentation and security requirements set by the U.S. State Department within 60 days.

The memo highlights that many of the countries on the list either lack a competent and cooperative central government capable of producing reliable civil and identity documents, or are plagued by widespread governmental fraud.

President Trump is said to be focusing particularly on African nations, raising alarm over what he perceives as significant gaps in identity verification systems that could pose threats to U.S. homeland security.

Each of the countries identified is expected to submit a formal plan of action to the State Department by Wednesday, addressing how they will improve document security and meet compliance standards.

This is not the first time the Trump administration has explored such measures. In March, the government considered a similar travel restriction plan targeting 43 countries. At the time, Nigeria was not included. That earlier proposal categorized countries into three tiers: red (total travel ban), orange (visa restrictions), and yellow (60-day warning). The newly proposed list expands the scope and includes nations from Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, and the Pacific.

Countries listed for possible travel ban include:

Africa: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Egypt, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Caribbean: Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia.

Asia: Bhutan, Cambodia, Kyrgyzstan, Syria.

Pacific: Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu.