US Visa Crisis Hits 20,000 Nigerian Students With Brutal Suspension

By Sharon Zachariah

Editor

Sharon Zachariah

Posted: May 27, 2025 at 10:45 pm, Updated: May 27, 2025 at 10:45 pm

US Visa Crisis Hits 20,000 Nigerian Students With Brutal Suspension

US visa restrictions have suddenly shattered the dreams of over 20,000 Nigerian students who had hoped to study in American universities. The United States government has suspended new interviews for student and exchange visas, following a controversial plan to expand its social media vetting process.

This unexpected move, confirmed through a diplomatic cable from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, instructs all US consular sections to immediately stop scheduling new appointments for F, M, and J visas. These categories cover academic students, vocational students, and exchange visitors.

For many Nigerian students, this decision is more than a policy change—it is a door slammed shut on years of effort, planning, and hope.

“I sold my family land to process my admission. Now I’m stuck. I don’t know what else to do,” said Esther Obinna, a 22-year-old who was set to begin a master’s program in Massachusetts this fall.

While students who already have scheduled appointments will not be affected, thousands still waiting for interviews are left in a painful limbo. For them, time is running out as most US universities begin their academic sessions between August and September.

The directive, dated Tuesday, May 27, reads:
“Effective immediately, in preparation for an expansion of required social media screening and vetting, consular sections should not add any additional student or exchange visitor (F, M, and J) visa appointment capacity until further guidance is issued.”

The US hasn’t officially stated how long the halt will last, leaving many to wonder if it’s just a delay—or a denial in disguise.

Nigeria ranks as Africa’s number one source of international students in the US and 7th globally. The latest 2024 Open Doors Report shows that Nigerian student enrollment in American institutions rose to 20,029 during the 2023/2024 academic year, a 13.5 percent increase from the previous session.

That number now hangs in the balance.

“I’ve passed every hurdle—admission, transcripts, TOEFL—but I couldn’t get a visa date. Now they’ve frozen it,” said Ayodeji Adewale, a scholarship awardee admitted into a doctoral program in Michigan.

While officials cite security as the reason for the increased vetting, some observers point to political motivations. Secretary Rubio has recently been vocal about his concerns over international students allegedly abusing their academic platforms.

In March 2025, Rubio made headlines when he criticized some foreign students for using American campuses for activism instead of learning. He referenced the case of Rümeysa Öztürk, a Tufts University PhD student who faced legal trouble after writing an op-ed in solidarity with Gaza during the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Though Öztürk was later granted bail, her arrest stirred global debates around free speech and immigration rights. Rubio’s comments at the time signaled a shift in how international student conduct could affect US policy.

In a related and equally stunning move, the US government recently stripped Harvard University of its right to enroll international students.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), under Secretary Kristi Noem, accused Harvard of obstructing investigations into nonimmigrant students. The DHS claimed the university withheld critical records, including footage of campus protests and disciplinary files dating back five years.

“Harvard has created an unsafe campus environment that’s hostile to Jewish students, sympathetic to Hamas, and fueled by dangerous diversity and equity agendas,” Noem declared.
She concluded, “They have lost the privilege of hosting international students.”

Though unrelated directly to the visa freeze, the Harvard action and Rubio’s visa directive appear connected by a broader crackdown on academic environments that US officials now view as politicized or unsafe.

For Nigerian students caught in the storm, these policy shifts feel deeply personal.

“America has always been the dream,” said 19-year-old Fatima Yusuf, who hoped to begin her computer science degree in California this September. “Now they’re treating us like suspects because of what we post online.”

Fatima’s sentiment is echoed across student forums and social media, where frustration and anxiety are mounting.

Parents, too, are distraught. Many have made significant financial sacrifices, some even taking out loans or selling assets to give their children access to an American education.

“This was supposed to be our family’s breakthrough,” said Mr. Adebanjo, whose son recently gained admission to Georgia Tech. “Now we don’t even know if he’ll get an interview.”

The American embassy in Nigeria has yet to issue a public statement on how the policy will specifically affect Nigerian applicants. For now, students and parents must rely on updates from third-party sources, embassy contacts, and consular insiders.

Immigration lawyers warn that the delay could last months unless there’s pressure on the US government to provide clarity or revise the vetting policy. They encourage students to begin exploring alternatives like Canada, the UK, or Australia.

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But for many, America remains the first choice—not only because of the reputation of its institutions but also because of existing family ties and scholarship agreements.

“It’s not just about school. It’s about our future,” said Ayodeji. “And it feels like they just snatched it from us.”

The US Visa freeze has now sparked international conversations about the ethics of social media surveillance and how national security interests may affect student mobility. As Nigerian students wait for the policy to change, the emotional and financial toll keeps growing.

Whether this is a temporary setback or the beginning of a broader wall remains to be seen. But for now, tens of thousands of Nigerian dreams remain suspended.