Travel ban looms as US puts 26 African nations on crosshairs

• Nigeria, Ethiopia, Uganda, Ghana, Tanzania, Egypt, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and 20 others across Africa under close check by Trump for possible visa ban.
• Globally, a total of 36 nations have 60 days to address the issues raised, or risk being added to an already divisive list of restricted countries.
• “Africa is being told that it doesn’t measure up to American security expectations, even when many of the concerns stem from systemic issues beyond a single country’s control,” says political analyst Andrew Mwenda.

A more wide-reaching wave of travel ban looms across Africa. At the moment, U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration is preparing to expand its controversial travel ban to include 36 additional countries—many of them in Africa. According to an internal State Department cable obtained by Reuters and first reported by The Washington Post, the sweeping proposal cites national security concerns, unreliable identity documentation, and failure to cooperate on deportations as grounds for potential bans.

Among the countries now under heightened scrutiny are Nigeria, Ethiopia, Uganda, Ghana, Tanzania, Egypt, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and 20 others across the African continent. If implemented, the proposed restrictions would severely impact trade, education, and diplomatic ties between the United States and a significant portion of Africa.

Globally, 36 Countries in the Crosshairs—26 in Africa

The draft cable, signed by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and circulated to U.S. embassies globally, outlines the conditions under which countries could face either full or partial suspension of entry into the United States. The 36 flagged nations have 60 days to address the issues raised, or risk being added to an already divisive list of restricted countries.

The African countries in the potential ban include: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

This list would significantly expand the scope of the ban Trump signed earlier this month, which already restricts entry from 12 countries, including Somalia, Sudan, Eritrea, and Libya.

Security and Passports: The Official Justifications

The State Department cable raises multiple concerns for the proposed action, including the “questionable security” of passports, a lack of reliable civil documentation, and insufficient cooperation with U.S. authorities in deporting individuals who have overstayed visas or committed crimes.

“Some of these countries are either unable or unwilling to verify the identities of their citizens or are not helping to remove their nationals ordered deported from the U.S.,” the cable notes.

A senior State Department official, when asked to comment, stated: “We are constantly reevaluating policies to ensure the safety of Americans and that foreign nationals follow our laws,” adding that the visa process must uphold “the highest standards of national security and public safety.”

While these reasons sound procedural, many African observers see the move as a thinly veiled continuation of Trump’s long-standing hardline stance on immigration, particularly from developing and Muslim-majority countries.

Ripple Effects in Africa

The looming restrictions have sent ripples across Africa. In countries like Nigeria—Africa’s most populous nation and one of its largest economies—the potential ban could affect thousands of students, businesspeople, and families who rely on access to the U.S. for education, trade, and migration.

“Every year, we send hundreds of our best students to study in American universities. If these policies are enacted, it would not only limit opportunity but also damage the long-standing cultural and educational ties between our nations,” said a university administrator in Lagos who asked not to be named.

Ghana, another U.S. ally and stable democracy in West Africa, was flagged for non-cooperation in deportation cases as early as 2019, leading to temporary visa restrictions on Ghanaian consular staff. If new travel barriers are imposed, sectors like tourism and diaspora remittances may take a direct hit.

Political analyst Andrew Mwenda said, “This is more than just a visa issue—it’s a statement of intent from Washington. Africa is being told that it doesn’t measure up to American security expectations, even when many of the concerns stem from systemic issues beyond a single country’s control.”

Diplomatic Dilemma for African Leaders

For African governments, the cable puts them in a diplomatic bind. Appeasing Washington could require fast-tracking reforms on documentation, security checks, and deportation logistics—some of which demand resources and systems they currently lack. On the other hand, failure to comply could see their citizens locked out of one of the most influential countries on the global stage.

In Ethiopia, still recovering from a protracted civil conflict, the government is unlikely to prioritize overhauling passport systems just to avoid a potential ban. Similarly, fragile states like South Sudan and the DRC are struggling with internal instability and may not even have the institutional bandwidth to respond meaningfully within the 60-day deadline.

Travel ban: Trump’s immigration legacy?

The new threat of visa bans builds upon a legacy of immigration crackdowns by the Trump administration. In his first term, he enacted the controversial “Muslim ban,” targeting seven Muslim-majority countries—a policy upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018 after multiple revisions. Trump’s second term, it appears, is doubling down.

This time, however, the net is wider, and the stakes for Africa are higher. By casting such a wide net over Africa, critics say the administration is sending a message of distrust toward a continent that is home to some of the fastest-growing economies and the youngest population globally. As the 60-day clock ticks down, African nations find themselves at a crossroads—one that could either trigger significant policy shifts or deepen the diplomatic rift with Washington.

Read also: Travel apartheid? Seven African countries face US travel blockade