Temitayo Olumofe
For many Nigerians, the quest to live, work, or study in the United States is more than just a desire—it’s a dream of opportunity and a better life. But in 2025, this dream came with a heavy price. Recently, the United States government unveiled a new visa requirement that shocked many applicants: Nigerians seeking U.S. visas must now disclose all their social media usernames, handles, and related information used over the past five years. This demand feels invasive and humiliating to many, sparking a heated debate on whether this is a legitimate security measure or a digital barrier that unfairly penalizes Africans and other migrants.
Critics argue that this social media surveillance criminalizes free expression and privacy, while supporters emphasize the necessity of safeguarding national security. This policy has triggered pushback from Nigeria’s government and citizens alike, who see it as a harsh condition that complicates the American dream rather than facilitating it.
On Monday, August 18, 2025, the United States Mission in Nigeria announced a new visa rule requiring applicants to list every social media handle or username they have used in the last five years on the DS-160 visa application form. This means applicants must disclose accounts on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Reddit, Tumblr, and YouTube, among others. Email addresses, phone numbers linked to these accounts, and other digital identifiers are also part of the disclosure requirement.
The U.S. Mission clarified that failure to provide this information could lead to visa denial and could make applicants ineligible for future U.S. visas. Visa applicants are also required to certify the truthfulness of the information they provide before submitting their application.
From the U.S. perspective, this policy is part of expanded screening and vetting processes aimed at enhancing national security and combating extremism. The policy supports a broader Trump administration initiative to closely monitor visa applicants’ online presence to better understand their backgrounds and intentions.
However, the demand for such detailed digital footprints has raised significant privacy and human rights concerns. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and other advocacy groups have condemned the policy as a dangerous expansion of government surveillance that forces applicants to make private social media profiles public and exposes them to potential violations of privacy.
The Nigerian government responded swiftly to the new U.S. visa policy announcement. On August 19, 2025, the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced plans to impose reciprocal visa demands on U.S. travelers applying for Nigerian visas. According to spokesperson Kimiebi Ebienfa, the move is a response reflecting the principles of reciprocity in visa policies—what one country requires of foreign nationals, the other may demand in return.
The Nigerian government convened inter-agency discussions involving the ministries of foreign affairs, interior, and the National Intelligence Agency to figure out the best approach to implement this reciprocity. Officials emphasized that Nigerians view the U.S. policy as humiliating and invasive, thereby increasing tensions between the two countries over visa facilitation.
Many Nigerians expressed frustration on social media and in public forums, viewing the demand as unfair targeting of African migrants. They argue that requiring five years of social media history is excessive and unnecessarily criminalizes ordinary social media activity. For many, especially younger Nigerians who use social media to express their views or engage in activism, this feels like a form of digital discrimination and surveillance that chills free speech.
The controversy around social media disclosures fits into a wider narrative about increased surveillance at U.S. borders and among migrants. Over recent years, the U.S. government has expanded its border security measures to include extensive digital surveillance. The Trump administration inaugurated policies that scrutinize travelers’ social media content, digital devices, and online behavior more closely. The goal, officials say, is to enhance national security and prevent extremism.
However, critics argue that these methods are invasive and dehumanizing, turning visa applicants into sources of digital data rather than individuals seeking legitimate entry. Border surveillance often disproportionately targets people from weaker or less politically influential countries, especially in Africa and the Middle East.
Moreover, there are concerns about potential abuses of such surveillance powers. There have been reports of people being detained or denied entry over social media content that merely expresses dissenting political opinions or critiques of U.S. policies.
The requirement to disclose usernames forces visa applicants to either expose private social media accounts or face visa denial. It also creates a risk that friends, family, or associates found in their online networks may become targets of scrutiny by association, raising wide-ranging human rights concerns.
The introduction of these social media disclosure requirements on August 18, 2025, marks a significant inflection point for aspiring Nigerian travelers. Many view it as a humiliating obstacle to achieving the American dream rather than a simple security measure. The demand intrudes on their privacy, chills their willingness to speak freely online, and places Nigerians under a microscope that is not applied as rigorously to citizens from many other parts of the world.
While the U.S. government insists this policy is essential for national security, Nigerians pushing back highlight the balance that must be struck between protecting borders and respecting human dignity and freedom of expression. The forthcoming reciprocal measures Nigeria plans to impose on U.S. travelers also reflect an escalating tit-for-tat dynamic that complicates diplomatic relations and visa facilitation between the two nations. For ordinary Nigerians hoping for opportunities abroad, the “visa trap” feels like an increasingly tight noose, a high price paid for a chance at a better life.
This policy also forces visa applicants to expose a wealth of personal and sensitive information, including political views, religious beliefs, and associations, to not only the U.S. government but also to the entire internet, increasing their vulnerability to identity theft and other harms. Advocates argue this surveillance undermines freedom of expression and chills online speech by penalizing individuals for their digital footprints.
Furthermore, personal information gained through social media monitoring can be retained in government databases for decades and may lead to targeted scrutiny of applicants’ friends and family by association. While officials maintain that a U.S. visa remains a privilege and that these measures are necessary for national security, critics see this as an overreach that compels foreign nationals to sacrifice fundamental rights in exchange for entry. Nigerians pushing back highlight how the policy damages trust and complicates diplomatic ties, with reciprocal restrictions on American travelers likely to follow. For many Nigerians, the “visa trap” is more than a policy; it feels like an ongoing assault on their dignity and the fair chance to pursue opportunity abroad.