Tinubu Responds to US, UAE Visa Crackdown with Real-Time Identity Verification Order
🗓️ 16 July 2025
🖋️ Byline: IDNN Foreign Affairs Desk
Abuja, Nigeria – In the wake of mounting visa restrictions by both the United States and the United Arab Emirates, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed all federal ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) to establish a real-time identity verification system for Nigerians seeking consular services abroad.
The directive, issued Tuesday, comes amid a surge of diplomatic tension triggered by new visa policies aimed at Nigerian travelers.
“All relevant MDAs are to ensure full compliance with international obligations and strengthen inter-agency cooperation in authenticating the identities of Nigerians abroad,” the presidency said in a statement signed by Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
The president’s order follows the United States government’s abrupt downgrade of most non-immigrant visas issued to Nigerians — now limited to single-entry, three-month visas due to “high overstay rates” and “limited access to applicant records.”
Barely 48 hours later, the UAE announced even tougher restrictions, suspending all transit visas for Nigerians and banning solo travelers aged 18–45 from entering the country without proof of ₦15 million (approx. $10,000) in bank statements over the past six months.
Although the UAE has yet to issue an official diplomatic note, travel agents confirmed that the new criteria have been implemented “gradually and selectively,” effectively tightening the noose on Nigerian travel to Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Tinubu’s Identity Verification Initiative: What It Means
The president has now mandated the following ministries and agencies to work together immediately:
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Ministry of Foreign Affairs
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Ministry of Interior
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Ministry of Communications
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Nigeria Immigration Service
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NIMC (National Identity Management Commission)
These MDAs are expected to create a unified digital portal that foreign embassies can tap into to verify Nigerian passports, biometrics, criminal records, and immigration histories in real time.
“The Tinubu administration is committed to ensuring Nigerians can travel, work, and live with dignity and respect abroad,” the statement added.
It also reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to the 4-D Foreign Policy Agenda — particularly the diaspora plank, which aims to promote international mobility and safeguard the rights of Nigerian citizens.
A Reputational Risk for Nigeria?
The US embassy stated that its decision was part of a broader visa reciprocity review, and not targeted exclusively at Nigeria. However, Nigerian officials are viewing the move as a wake-up call to address flaws in identity infrastructure and passport security.
A top diplomatic source told IDNN:
“These new visa rules reflect not just the actions of individual Nigerians, but the perception of our entire system as unreliable or opaque. We must fix this.”
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The directive marks the first major technology-driven immigration response from the Tinubu presidency — a move analysts say could ease diplomatic tensions and improve Nigeria’s image globally.
Meanwhile, Tinubu has also urged all Nigerian citizens to adhere strictly to immigration rules of their host countries and avoid actions that may lead to deportation or visa sanctions.
his is IDNN. Independent. Digital. Uncompromising.