REVEALED: Trump Punished Nigeria Over Refusal to Host US Asylum Seekers

The recent visa restrictions imposed on Nigeria by the administration of former US President Donald Trump were partly a retaliatory move following Nigeria’s refusal to accept asylum seekers deported from the United States, TheCable has exclusively gathered.

Multiple diplomatic sources revealed that the Trump administration had, as early as 2019, attempted to pressure Nigeria into accepting non-Nigerian asylum seekers as part of a broader global strategy to reduce the migrant burden on the US and Europe. The proposal, which included Nigeria acting as a temporary host for deported individuals awaiting asylum decisions, a process that could last up to seven years was flatly rejected by Nigerian officials.

“This wasn’t just about visa reciprocity,” a source close to the talks disclosed. “Nigeria’s refusal to be a regional dumping ground for asylum seekers is what triggered the clampdown.”

In January 2020, Trump signed a proclamation restricting Nigerians from applying for immigrant visas. At the time, the US cited Nigeria’s alleged failure to meet information-sharing and security compliance standards. However, insiders say the visa penalty was in line with Trump’s negotiation playbook, apply intense pressure until leverage is gained.

“The US wanted the same kind of deal it had tried with Central American countries like El Salvador and Guatemala,” the source explained. “Nigeria saw through the plan and rejected it. The next thing that followed was the visa restriction.”

Behind the Scenes of the Failed Deal

Trump’s aggressive immigration policy aimed to deport millions of undocumented migrants and asylum seekers, sometimes even to third-party countries unrelated to their origin. According to sources, Nigeria was among the African nations approached to serve as deportation destinations. Others included Libya, Rwanda, Djibouti, and South Sudan.

But unlike Rwanda, which accepted a controversial asylum deal with the UK in 2022 though it largely stalled due to political and legal pushback, Nigeria was unwilling to accept non-citizens, especially those with pending asylum applications or criminal histories.

“The idea of receiving convicted prisoners who weren’t even Nigerian citizens was a red line,” one diplomat told TheCable. “It was simply not negotiable.”

On June 9, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court gave legal backing to deport migrants to third countries under such deals, but Nigeria remained firm in its rejection.

Visa Fallout and Diplomatic Frictions

In response, the Trump administration announced significant changes to US visa policy for Nigerians. Non-immigrant visas were limited to single-entry with a maximum validity of three months. The move shocked many Nigerians and fueled rumors, later debunked, that it was a reaction to Nigeria denying five-year visas to Americans.

However, TheCable confirmed that Nigeria still issues visas ranging from three months to five years to U.S. citizens, depending on the category and method of application. Nigeria even introduced an e-visa option in 2023 to streamline the process. Meanwhile, the U.S. has not offered a comparable visa structure to Nigerians, despite long-standing complaints over unequal treatment.

U.S. embassy officials said Nigeria must meet specific conditions to improve “visa reciprocity,” including stronger border control, better identity verification, and more robust information sharing, particularly criminal records.

“They want full access to Nigeria’s criminal database to track Nigerians living in the U.S. with past offenses,” a government official told TheCable. “That request raised serious sovereignty and data privacy concerns.”

The Trump Doctrine in Play

Since returning to power, Trump has leaned heavily on the strategy outlined in his 1987 book The Art of the Deal, using threats and penalties as leverage. The visa restriction on Nigeria fits this mould, mirroring how he previously imposed harsh tariffs on allies like China and Canada to force better trade deals.

Nigeria’s growing alignment with BRICS, the global economic bloc Trump strongly criticizes — has further strained U.S.-Nigeria ties. Notably, Nigeria was excluded from Trump’s recent White House meeting with African leaders, focused on improving bilateral economic cooperation.

In its response to the visa clampdown, Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the move as “misaligned with the principles of mutual respect and reciprocity that should govern bilateral relations.”

The ministry urged the U.S. to reconsider, adding, “We remain open to fair and transparent engagement that respects national sovereignty and shared global responsibilities.”