Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister and ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council Chair, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, has warned that proposed U.S. visa restrictions targeting West African nations could severely undermine regional development and diplomatic relations.
Speaking at the 54th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council in Abuja, Tuggar criticised the potential travel bans—which may affect all ECOWAS member states—as a barrier to trade, investment, and international cooperation.
“If enacted, it would be deeply regrettable,” Tuggar said. “ECOWAS is a region full of opportunities, open to partnerships, including with the United States. But visa restrictions act as non-tariff barriers to progress.”
He highlighted the region’s vast economic potential, citing critical minerals and rare earths such as Samarium, found in his home state of Bauchi, as strategic assets for global markets.
“West Africa offers alternatives to distant and politically divergent energy suppliers,” he added. “We want to do deals, but with partners who allow free movement for our officials, businesspeople, and technocrats.”
Tuggar urged the U.S. to reconsider its approach and engage ECOWAS on mutually beneficial terms.
Reports suggest Washington may soon impose visa bans on countries including Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, and Liberia. A State Department memo cites inadequate civil documentation, poor cooperation, and identity verification issues as justification for the restrictions.
