US EMBASSY, CONSULATE IN NIGERIA RESUME FULL OPERATIONS AFTER 43-DAY US GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
The United States Embassy in Abuja and the US Consulate General in Lagos have fully resumed operations, including American citizen services and visa processing, following the end of the 43-day partial government shutdown in the United States the longest in the country’s history.
The announcement was made in a post on the Embassy’s official X handle on Friday, confirming that all consular services are now running on schedule after weeks of disruption caused by the federal funding deadlock in Washington.
“End of Lapse of Appropriations. US Embassy and Consulate in Nigeria have resumed full operations. American citizen services and visa services are proceeding as scheduled,” the post read.
The shutdown, which began on October 1, 2025, stemmed from a congressional standoff over federal appropriations, forcing many non-essential government operations to cease. Hundreds of thousands of federal workers were either furloughed or required to work without pay during the impasse.
During the funding lapse, the Embassy had warned that its social media platforms would not be updated consistently, though passport and visa services continued “as the situation permits.”
The shutdown ended after Congress passed a temporary funding package, clearing both chambers following days of negotiation. The Senate approved the bill by a 60–40 vote, with seven Democrats and one independent joining Republicans. The House had earlier passed a similar measure, though the initial version failed to clear the Senate due to Democratic opposition.
Republicans, despite controlling both chambers, fell seven votes short in the Senate during the first attempt to pass the spending bill. Their major demand was the inclusion of extended tax credits that lower health insurance costs for millions of Americans.
For US citizens and visa applicants in Nigeria, the reopening signals a return to normalcy. During the shutdown, services such as passport renewals, notarial functions, and non-immigrant visa interviews faced delays, resulting in significant backlogs.
With government agencies across the US now reopened, the Embassy assures that all operations including consular services in Nigeria are fully restored.
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