The United States has announced that it will discontinue routine visa processing at its embassy in Abuja and 24 other diplomatic missions across Africa from August 1, 2026, as part of a major overhaul of its global consular operations. The US Department of State said the policy is designed to centralise routine visa processing in regional hubs to strengthen national security, improve the consistency of visa screening and adjudication, and reduce operational costs. “The Department of State is constantly evaluating its overseas operations in order to advance America’s priorities as efficiently and effectively as possible. The affected diplomatic missions include the US Embassy in Abuja and embassies and consulates in Asmara, Bamako, Banjul, Brazzaville, Bujumbura, Conakry, Cotonou, Durban, Freetown, Gaborone, Harare, Juba, Libreville, Lilongwe, Lusaka, Maputo, Maseru, Mbabane, N’Djamena, Niamey, Nouakchott, Ouagadougou and Windhoek. The State Department clarified that the decision applies only to routine visa processing and does not affect the overall operations of the affected embassies and consulates.