….*THE SLOW EROSION OF NIGERIA’S GLOBAL STANDING*
The recent inclusion of Nigeria on the United States’ expanded travel restriction list is yet another troubling signal of the steady decline in governance, leadership credibility, and national standing under the current APC-led administration.
On December 16, President Donald Trump signed a proclamation expanding US travel restrictions on countries deemed to pose security and public safety concerns due to persistent deficiencies in screening, vetting, and information sharing. Nigeria was listed among 15 additional countries placed under partial entry restrictions, according to a fact sheet released by the White House.
While the US government framed the move as a “common-sense, data-driven” national security decision, the development raises serious questions about Nigeria’s internal governance, institutional capacity, and global perception.
This latest setback reflects a deeper problem at home: a leadership that has consistently failed to prioritize competent governance, national security, and institutional development. In a country where public hospitals remain in deplorable condition, top government officials routinely seek medical care abroad, an indictment of years of neglect and misplaced priorities.
At the same time, Nigerians are burdened with aggressive and often unjustified taxation, despite the absence of corresponding improvements in infrastructure, healthcare, security, or social welfare. Insecurity, hunger, and widespread poverty have become the daily reality for millions, while governance increasingly appears disconnected from the people’s suffering.
Ironically, Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) clearly states that “the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.” This constitutional mandate has been largely ignored, as lives and property remain unsafe across vast parts of the country, further eroding citizens’ confidence and international trust.
Compounding these failures is the growing normalization of corruption and impunity. Public office increasingly appears to serve private interests rather than the collective good, with accountability becoming the exception rather than the rule. While a few public officers continue to demonstrate integrity and commitment to public service, they remain in the minority.
Once proudly known as the Giant of Africa, Nigeria has taken several steps backward in less than three years of this administration alone, losing diplomatic leverage, global respect, and economic stability. The country now risks deeper classification among underperforming states, not due to a lack of human or natural resources, but as a result of persistent governance failures.
The US proclamation maintains full travel restrictions on nationals from 12 countries, including Afghanistan, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen, while adding five more countries to the full-ban list. Nigeria joins countries such as Angola, Senegal, and Zambia under partial restrictions. Although exemptions exist for permanent residents, diplomats, and certain visa holders, the symbolism of Nigeria’s inclusion is deeply damaging.
Beyond reputational harm, Nigeria’s worsening security situation and harsh fiscal policies continue to discourage foreign direct investment. No serious investor will comfortably commit resources in an environment plagued by insecurity, policy inconsistency, excessive taxation, and weak institutional safeguards.
This reality raises fundamental questions about the sustainability of the government’s much-publicized economic reforms. Without confronting corruption head-on, enforcing accountability, and restoring institutional integrity, no reform agenda economic or otherwise can deliver meaningful or lasting progress.
Ultimately, this development should serve as a wake-up call. A nation’s global standing is a direct reflection of its internal order. Until Nigeria embraces purposeful leadership, strengthens its institutions, guarantees the security of lives and property, and governs with competence rather than frivolity, such international embarrassments may continue to recur.
*Oluchi Oparah*
*Fmr National Treasurer*
*Labour Party*
