The United States Mission in Nigeria has announced the temporary closure of its embassy in Abuja, citing potential protests in the capital
In a notice shared on its official X account on Thursday, the Mission said the embassy will remain closed for routine business until Monday, March 9, 2026.
“Due to the potential for protests in Abuja, the U.S. Embassy will be closed for routine business until Monday, March 9, 2026. Visa appointments originally scheduled for March 4 and 5, as well as American Citizen Services (ACS) appointments scheduled for March 5, have been rescheduled to next week,” the statement read.
The Mission advised visa applicants to check their email or AVITs accounts for updated appointment dates, while ACS applicants should check their emails. Those who do not receive a new appointment were asked to use the Visa Navigator platform for assistance. The public was also urged to monitor the embassy’s official website and social media for further updates.
The closure comes after it was reported on Wednesday that visa appointments for March 4 had already been canceled due to security concerns over planned demonstrations in Abuja related to the ongoing conflict with Iran.
Security agencies were heavily deployed across the capital on Wednesday over a possible protest by members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), following similar demonstrations in Niger, Sokoto, Kaduna, Yobe, Bauchi, Gombe, and Lagos states.
The IMN reportedly described the planned protests as a peaceful show of solidarity with Iran after reports of the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in airstrikes allegedly carried out by the U.S. and Israel.
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