Overview
- The State Department, which updated its advisory Wednesday, authorized non‑emergency staff and families to voluntarily leave the U.S. Embassy in Abuja due to a deteriorating security situation.
- The advisory keeps Nigeria at Level 3, which means reconsider travel, and adds Plateau, Jigawa, Kwara, Niger, and Taraba to the Level 4 do not travel list alongside other high‑risk states.
- The embassy says it remains open with limited ability to assist U.S. citizens in emergencies, and it cancelled all visa appointments in Abuja as visa services continue at the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos.
- The guidance cites frequent violent crime, widespread kidnapping for ransom, and a risk of terrorist attacks on crowded public places, and it warns that medical care and medicines can be scarce or substandard with counterfeit drugs a concern.
- After Thursday’s notices drew global attention, Nigeria’s government said the assessment did not reflect conditions nationwide and urged partners to consult local authorities, a dispute that could shape travel plans, consular access, and investment decisions.