Aborisade Links Nigeria’s Inclusion in Trump’s Visa Ban to Corruption, Poor Governance
Barrister Chief Niyi Aborisade, a 2027 gubernatorial aspirant, educationist and philanthropist, has attributed Nigeria’s inclusion in the latest United States visa restrictions announced by President Donald Trump to years of corruption, weak governance and a battered international image.
Trump on Tuesday announced expanded entry restrictions on foreign nationals from 24 countries, citing “demonstrated, persistent and severe deficiencies in screening, vetting and information-sharing” that threaten U.S. national security and public safety.
Nigeria was listed alongside 16 other African countries, including Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Angola, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Senegal, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Other affected countries are Laos, Syria and Turkmenistan in Asia; Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica and Tonga in the Caribbean and Oceania; as well as holders of Palestinian Authority-issued travel documents.
A White House fact sheet stated that the proclamation imposed full suspension on eight countries and partial restrictions on 16 others, affecting immigrants and non-immigrants applying for B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M and J visas.
Aborisade said the policy aligns with Trump’s “Make America Great Again” agenda, which prioritises reducing immigration and admitting only individuals considered beneficial to the United States.
He dismissed claims of religious bias, noting that the majority of the affected countries are African, with no Arab nations on the list, stressing that poverty, governance failure and weak institutions are the real factors behind the restrictions.
According to him, Nigeria’s inclusion reflects years of self-inflicted economic decline and unchecked corruption, with foreign governments fully aware of the scale of looting by Nigerian politicians and senior civil servants, as well as the freezing and repatriation of stolen public funds abroad.
He noted that despite numerous anti-corruption laws, very few high-profile offenders have been convicted, a failure he said has damaged Nigeria’s credibility and led to repeated visa denials for top government officials, military officers and traditional rulers.
Aborisade urged Nigeria to view the visa restrictions as a wake-up call, stressing that good governance, institutional reform and a change in national mindset are necessary for the country to regain global respect.