Nigeria fails to make the list of countries that benefit from the US Visa Waiver Program

NIGERIA has missed out on being included in the recently-published US list of eligible countries that qualify for its 2025 Visa Waiver Program (VWP) that enables citizens of those nations to travel to America without having to obtain visas.

According to the US Bureau of Consular Affairs, the VWP allows most citizens of eligible countries to travel to the US for tourism or business for up to 90 days without requiring a visa. Every year, the list is updated but it never includes African countries such as Nigeria, Ghana, or South Africa.

In the latest list, the United Kingdom has been removed from the programme but remains eligible under specific conditions. By and large, the VWP list remains mostly unchanged, though Romania has been added in a significant update.

A Bureau of Consular Affairs spokesman said: “Travellers must have a valid Electronic System for Travel Authorization approval prior to travel and meet all requirements. If you prefer to have a visa in your passport, you may still apply for a visitor visa.”

Meanwhile, the 2025 VWP has also introduced policy updates on permit eligibility, revisions to the list of participating countries and new travel policies. Historically, African nations have never been admitted to the programme amid fears that they will abuse it with hundreds of thousands of their citizens emigrating.