FG Condems US Travel Warning Says Nigeria Being Undermined

The Federal Government has condemned a recent travel advisory from the United States warning its citizens against visiting Nigeria due to rising insecurity.

Officials described the move as unfair and accused the US of undermining Nigeria’s image on the global stage.

Speaking at the annual retreat of the Nigeria Reputation Management Group in Abuja on Tuesday, Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar, represented by his media aide Alkazeem Abdulkadir, questioned the basis of the advisory. He said no country, including the US, is completely safe and highlighted America’s own gun violence crisis.

According to Tuggar, nearly 47,000 people died from gun-related incidents in the US in 2024, with projections showing about 45,000 more deaths in 2025. “Yet, we don’t see Nigeria issuing frequent travel advisories against the US,” he said.

The US travel advisory had warned against travelling to over a dozen Nigerian states due to threats such as terrorism, kidnapping, armed gangs, and poor healthcare. It also said US citizens, especially those with dual nationality or perceived wealth, are frequently targeted.

Tuggar noted that Nigeria had previously issued its own advisories in response to similar warnings from countries like the UK and Australia. He criticised what he described as a lack of Nigerian pushback and urged for a more assertive national response in defending the country’s image.

Public Relations expert Modupe Adetokunbo, who also spoke at the event, said Nigeria’s reputation suffers largely due to internal economic hardship and public pessimism. He pointed to rising poverty, desperation, and even public begging as visible symptoms. He cited a viral video showing foreigners handing out cash to Nigerian police officers as evidence of how deeply the problem has spread.

President of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Dr Ike Neliaku, called on Nigerians to reclaim the country’s image. He argued that while international reports often paint Nigeria in a bad light, the real issue is Nigerians failing to share their own stories. According to him, the country is full of positive examples—from sports achievements to academic excellence—but these are rarely amplified.

“We ‘undertell’ our stories and leave others to shape the narrative,” Neliaku said. “It’s time we took control of how Nigeria is seen in the world.”

The Federal Government’s reaction comes amid growing concern over how foreign advisories affect Nigeria’s global perception, tourism, and foreign investment.