The United States will slash the number of visa processing centres across Africa from nearly 50 to just 20 designated hubs under a major consular overhaul, with Nigeria’s commercial capital Lagos among those retained.
The restructuring, expected to take effect in June, centralises both immigrant and non-immigrant visa services in selected cities as part of broader efforts to improve efficiency and tighten security screening.
In a statement explaining its approach, the department noted that it is “constantly evaluating its overseas operations” to ensure resources are deployed effectively in support of U.S. interests.
While full visa processing will be concentrated in the 20 hubs, embassies in non-designated countries will continue to operate limited services, including assistance for American citizens, emergency support, and select diplomatic visa cases.
The reform is expected to place additional logistical pressure on applicants from countries without designated hubs, as they may be required to travel across borders for interviews and processing, increasing both cost and travel time.
The move is also part of a wider tightening of U.S. immigration policy, which has included stricter visa scrutiny measures, proposed financial bonds for certain applicants, and evolving travel restrictions linked to security and public health concerns.
The 20 African visa processing hubs are: Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire), Accra (Ghana), Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), Cape Town and Johannesburg (South Africa), Dakar (Senegal), Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), Djibouti, Kampala (Uganda), Kigali (Rwanda), Kinshasa (DR Congo), Lagos (Nigeria), Lomé (Togo), Luanda (Angola), Malabo (Equatorial Guinea), Monrovia (Liberia), Nairobi (Kenya), Port Louis (Mauritius), Praia (Cape Verde), and Yaoundé (Cameroon).
Analysts say the reform reflects the current US administration’s focus on stricter immigration controls while streamlining consular operations.
