Nigeria spent approximately $37.2 million (about 50.7 billion naira) on U.S. visa applications between 2023 and 2024, according to an Intelpoint report based on data from the U.S. State Department. During the two-year period, a total of 201,200 non-immigrant visas were issued to Nigerian applicants. However, despite the significant spending, the number of visas granted fell by 23 percent, declining from 113,900 in 2023 to 87,300 in 2024.
Tourist and business visas (B1/B2) accounted for 83 percent of all visas issued to Nigerians in 2024, while student visas (F1) represented seven percent. The decline in approvals comes amid tighter U.S. immigration measures affecting Nigerian applicants, including restrictions introduced in 2025 that limit most non-immigrant visas to a single entry valid for three months and stricter screening requirements, particularly regarding social media activity. Despite these changes, Nigeria remains a significant market for the United States, accounting for nearly 0.8 percent of all non-immigrant visas issued globally in 2024.
