By Francis Ajuonuma
Nigerians seeking to travel to the United States will now face stricter digital scrutiny as the US government has introduced a new requirement compelling visa applicants to submit all social media usernames and handles they have used in the last five years.
The policy, which applies to all platforms, was confirmed by the US Mission in Nigeria in a statement released on Monday.
It mandates applicants to provide their social media history on the DS-160 visa application form, warning that failure to disclose such information could result in outright visa denial and render applicants ineligible for future visas.
While the US government argues the measure is part of enhanced security checks, critics have raised concerns that the policy intrudes into personal privacy and could be used to unfairly profile Nigerians based on political views, religious beliefs, or online activism.
This move places Nigeria, one of the highest sources of US visa applications in Africa, under the microscope at a time when many Nigerians already complain of systemic hurdles in securing American visas.
It also underscores Washington’s growing reliance on digital footprints as a tool for immigration vetting, a practice human rights advocates warn could lead to discrimination and censorship by deterring free expression online.
The demand for social media handles is not new; the US began rolling out similar measures under the Trump administration in 2019 as part of counter-terrorism and national security vetting.
However, its full enforcement in Nigeria now reflects a tightening of migration controls amid rising global anxieties over terrorism, cybercrime, and misinformation campaigns.
Observers argue that while governments have a responsibility to protect their borders, such blanket requirements may stigmatise Nigerians as high-risk travellers, further fuelling resentment over what many see as double standards in global mobility.
