WASHINGTON — In a major shift in diplomatic operations, the U.S. State Department has announced plans to consolidate visa-processing services across Africa. Under the directive of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the number of U.S. embassies and consulates authorized to process visas on the continent will be reduced from nearly 50 to just 20 designated regional hubs.

Impact on Nigeria and Regional Operations

This policy change significantly alters the landscape for visa applicants in Nigeria. According to the directive, visa-processing operations will cease in Abuja, with all such services being restricted exclusively to the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos.

Travelers from countries not designated as regional hubs will now be required to travel to one of the 20 approved centers to complete their visa application process, including interviews and biometric requirements.

Designated Regional Hubs

The 20 diplomatic missions selected to serve as regional hubs include:

      •  Nigeria: Lagos

      •  West & Central Africa: Abidjan (Ivory Coast), Accra (Ghana), Dakar (Senegal), Kinshasa (Congo), Lome (Togo), Monrovia (Liberia), Yaounde (Cameroon)

      •  East & Southern Africa: Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), Cape Town & Johannesburg (South Africa), Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), Djibouti (Djibouti), Kampala (Uganda), Kigali (Rwanda), Luanda (Angola), Nairobi (Kenya), Port Louis (Mauritius), Praia (Cape Verde)

Rationale and Administrative Context

The State Department stated that this consolidation is intended to better align operational capacity with U.S. national interests and to maintain rigorous security and vetting standards.

While non-hub missions will remain open, their services will be limited strictly to:

      •  Assistance for U.S. citizens (e.g., passport renewals).

      •  Processing of diplomatic visas.

      •  Handling of special national interest cases.

This policy is the latest development in the current administration’s broader immigration strategy, which has previously included the introduction of bond requirements for certain visa applicants and new regulations regarding status adjustments for foreign nationals. While an exact implementation date has not been finalized, officials indicated the transition is expected to occur in the coming weeks.