Nigerian student interest in the US falls by 50%

Search interest in America among Nigerians dropped immediately following the announcement of the US travel ban in December 2025, with levels more than half of what they were during a high point in August last year, according to Keystone Education Group data. 

“We continue to see audiences responding very quickly to actions and announcements from the US government and Nigeria is no exception,” said Mark Bennett, Keystone’s VP of research & insight. 

“These announcements don’t discourage Nigerians from studying abroad, but they will prompt them to look for opportunities elsewhere. Crucially, that doesn’t have to mean elsewhere in the big four,” added Bennett. 

European destinations have absorbed the most Nigerian student interest pivoting away from the US, with France and Italy seeing search growth of 40% and 33% respectively during the same period.  

China has also seen a 17% boost in interest from Nigerian students, while interest in Australia grew by 21%. 

Previously, the challenge was navigating long wait times and backlogs. Now, there is no pathway at all

Bimpe Femi-Oyewo

On December 16, 2025, the administration announced the expansion of the US travel ban to cover nearly 40 nations, including Nigeria, America’s eighth largest sender of international students.  

The African nation is now subject to partial travel restrictions, which includes barring Nigerian citizens from obtaining study visas for the US. 

Speaking to The PIE News shortly after the announcement, founder of a Nigerian education consultancy Bimpe Femi-Oyewo said the level of uncertainty caused by the ban was “incredibly destabilising” for students and the institutions that admitted them. 

“Previously, the challenge was navigating long wait times and backlogs. Now, there is no pathway at all,” she said – adding that she was encouraging students to consider alternative pathways in Europe and Canada.  

What’s more, the ripple effects of the travel ban and other restrictive US policies are being felt beyond the directly impacted nations, with America’s reputation as an unwelcoming study destination growing globally. 

This is evident in Keystone’s survey data, which found the proportion of students expressing low confidence in the ease of US visa and entry requirements increasing from 14% to 21% following the expanded travel ban. 

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