US Embassy In Abuja Closes Temporarily Over Potential Protests
The United States Mission in Nigeria has announced a temporary closure of its embassy in Abuja due to potential protests in the capital.
In a notice posted on its official X account on Thursday, the Mission stated that routine embassy services will be suspended 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 embassy advised visa applicants to check their email or AVITs accounts for new appointment dates, while ACS applicants should check their emails. Applicants who do not receive updated appointments are encouraged to use the Visa Navigator platform for assistance. The Mission also asked the public to follow its website and social media for further updates.
The closure follows earlier cancellations of visa appointments on March 4 due to security concerns over planned demonstrations in Abuja linked to the ongoing tension with Iran.
Authorities had deployed security personnel across Abuja amid fears of protests by the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), after similar demonstrations were reported in Niger, Sokoto, Kaduna, Yobe, Bauchi, Gombe, and Lagos states.
The IMN said the planned protests are intended as a peaceful show of solidarity with Iran, following reports of the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in airstrikes allegedly carried out by the U.S. and Israel.
