The United States government has issued a new travel advisory cautioning its citizens against travel to Nigeria, citing rising insecurity, healthcare concerns, and violent crime as key reasons.
According to the advisory, published by the U.S. State Department and shared via the U.S. Mission in Nigeria, the country is now listed under a Level 3: Reconsider Travel classification, with 18 states flagged as Level 4: Do Not Travel due to heightened threats of terrorism, kidnapping, armed gangs, and civil unrest.
“Reconsider travel to Nigeria due to crime, terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping, armed gangs, and inconsistent availability of healthcare services,” the advisory reads.
The U.S. identified the following states as extremely high-risk zones:
- Due to Terrorism and Kidnapping: Borno, Yobe, Kogi, northern Adamawa Due to Kidnapping: Bauchi, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Zamfara
- Due to Armed Gangs and Crime: Abia, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Imo, Rivers (excluding Port Harcourt)
The advisory emphasized that all regions in Nigeria carry significant security risks, even if not explicitly flagged under Level 4.
It then listed a series of ongoing threats that American citizens should be aware of, including:
- Widespread violent crime: armed robbery, assault, carjacking, rape, and kidnapping for ransom.
- Frequent terror attacks, often carried out in collaboration with local gangs.
- Unpredictable civil unrest in southern Nigeria, particularly in the Niger Delta and Southeast Community violence in rural areas, including farmer-herder conflicts
Healthcare and Travel Warnings
The advisory also warned about the poor state of healthcare infrastructure in Nigeria stating that, many hospitals lack modern equipment and essential medications, including insulin and asthma drugs.
Similarly, counterfeit pharmaceuticals are a common problem, ambulance services are unreliable and poorly equipped, upfront cash payments are often required, and U.S. insurance is not accepted.
“Travelers should bring sufficient prescription medicines, take malaria prophylaxis, and update all vaccines including yellow fever, typhoid, hepatitis, and polio,” the U.S. government advised.
Citizens were also urged to purchase traveller’s insurance with medical evacuation coverage before entering Nigeria.
In addition to Nigeria, the U.S. flagged 11 other African nations as high-risk travel zones, including: Somalia, Libya, Burkina Faso, South Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Burundi, Mauritania, Guinea-Bissau, Niger and Chad.
