U.S. President Donald Trump is reportedly thinking about introducing a travel ban that would impact 43 countries. However, Nigeria, which is Africa’s biggest economy, is not on the list.
According to a report by Reuters, which referenced an internal memo, the proposed restrictions group countries into three categories: red, orange, and yellow.
The red list includes 11 countries—Afghanistan, Iran, Sudan, Syria, Libya, Cuba, Bhutan, Venezuela, North Korea, Yemen, and Somalia. People from these countries would be completely banned from entering the U.S.
The orange list has 10 countries, including Russia, Belarus, Myanmar, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, and Pakistan. Visa access for nationals of these countries would be heavily limited.
The yellow list includes 22 countries, such as Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, the Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Zimbabwe. These nations have 60 days to address U.S. concerns before possibly facing restrictions.
While many African countries are on the list, major economies like Nigeria, South Africa, Algeria, and Egypt are not included. However, three Caribbean nations—Dominica, St. Kitts and Nevis, and St. Lucia—are on the yellow list. These countries are known for offering citizenship in exchange for investments, a practice that has raised security concerns in the European Union (EU).
In 2023, the EU expressed concerns about these “golden passport” programs after finding that Caribbean nations had granted citizenship to 88,000 people from countries like Iran, Nigeria, Russia, and China. For example, Dominica, with a population of 70,000, had issued 34,500 passports, while St. Kitts and Nevis, with 48,000 residents, had given out 36,700.
A U.S. official mentioned that the travel ban proposal is still being reviewed and could be adjusted. This move is part of President Trump’s broader efforts to tighten immigration policies, which began at the start of his second term in January.
