By Sandra Ugwu | AnchorNews 

Heightened anxiety over new United States visa restrictions has forced many Nigerians at home and in the diaspora to cancel or postpone travel plans traditionally associated with the festive “Detty December” season.

Findings reveal that fears of visa cancellation, detention at ports of entry, or denial of re-entry into the US have discouraged Nigerians ranging from students and professionals to green card holders from travelling to Nigeria for Christmas and New Year celebrations. The concerns follow a fresh proclamation by US President Donald Trump imposing tighter travel restrictions on Nigeria and 16 other African countries.

“Detty December,” a popular Nigerian phrase describing a period of concerts, parties, homecomings, and family reunions, is typically marked by heavy inbound travel. However, the latest US immigration measures have dampened the festive mood for many.

According to the White House, holders of B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M and J visas will be barred from entering the United States from January 1, 2026. The categories cover tourists, business travellers, students, and exchange visitors. The US government cited border security concerns and high rates of visa overstays by Nigerian nationals as part of its justification.

Diaspora Nigerians Put Travel on Hold

Several Nigerians resident in the US told correspondents that they opted against travelling home to avoid jeopardising their legal status. A Nigerian politician seeking election in Prince George’s County, Maryland, Dr Juliet Agocha, said travelling at this time could threaten her political ambitions.

Similarly, Nigerian students across US universities reported widespread panic. Many said they had abandoned holiday travel plans despite completing academic documentation months earlier. Some students expressed fear that leaving the US could result in being blocked from returning under the new policy regime.

Others with valid visas in Nigeria also shelved plans to travel to the US, citing uncertainty and the risk of detention or deportation. One businessman with a valid US visa said he cancelled a February 2026 trip after a family member - allegedly a green card holder, was detained on arrival in Houston.

The uncertainty has begun to affect academic admissions. Some US universities have reportedly deferred or withdrawn admission offers to Nigerian students. A Nigerian education consultant disclosed that a student with a fully funded US scholarship was asked to defer admission until 2027 due to the travel restrictions. Similar experiences were shared online by other affected applicants.

Education stakeholders described the development as damaging, warning that it could disrupt academic dreams, fracture families, and weaken long-standing US-Nigeria relations. Some advisers encouraged affected Nigerians to consider alternative destinations such as Canada and the United Kingdom.

Former Nigerian diplomats and foreign affairs analysts criticised the broad scope of the restrictions, arguing that they unfairly target students and legitimate travellers rather than addressing specific security concerns. They urged the Nigerian government to intensify diplomatic engagement and improve internal security to ease international concerns.

Efforts to obtain official reactions from Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Information were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.

As uncertainty persists, many Nigerians say they will continue to delay travel, hoping for a reversal or relaxation of the policy in the coming months.