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Claim
@Akparawsunny on the X platform who’s an ally to the incarcerated Biafran leader, Simon Ekpa, claimed that the recent exclusion of Nigeria from the visa-free entry list to the US for 2025 was after the group lobbied the US government
Verdict
The claim is FALSE.
Findings showed that there was never a time that Nigeria has been included on the list of countries eligible for the Visa Wavier Program(VWP) since its introduction in 1986. Also, aside from the addition of Romania and the exclusion of the United Kingdom (UK), the list remained the same since 2024.
Full Text
As the reaction continues to trail the exclusion of Nigeria and other African countries from the Visa Wavier Program (VWP) to the United States for 2025, @Akparawasunny on the X platform, who’s an ally to the detained Simon Ekpa, has claimed that the BRGIE headed by Ekpa caused Nigeria and other African countries exclusion from the list.
The claim reads in part, “BRGIE LOBBYING IS PAYING OFF 
Congratulations to all Biafrans under BRGIE.
“The United States government has officially released its 2025 Visa Waiver Programme (VWP) list, with Nigeria and other African nations completely excluded, continuing the Donald Trump administration’s hardline immigration stance.
While 40 countries—including European, Asian, and select Middle Eastern nations—secured visa-free entry into the US, no African nation cut.
The claim that Nigeria and African countries were excluded from the list after the Biafran group lobbied the US government has been greeted with heaps of praise by fellow members on the X platform.
The post garnered over 6.7k views and more than 260 reposts on X.
Mr Ekpa, a Nigerian who is based in Finland, heads Autopilot, Biafran Republic Government In Exile (BRGIE), a faction of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
The Biafra agitator also founded the Biafra Defence Forces and Biafra Liberation Army, which are armed militant wings of the Autopilot IPOB.
He has been linked to some deadly attacks in the region.
Background
The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) is a program of the United States government that allows nationals of specific countries to travel to the United States for tourism, business, or while in transit for up to 90 days without having to obtain a visa.
Congress passed legislation in 1986 to create the Visa Waiver Program to facilitate allow and short-term business visits to the United States and allow the United States Department of State to focus consular resources on addressing higher risks.
Verification
Thorough Findings by FACTWATCH Nigeria has indicated that there has never been a time that Nigeria has been included on the list of countries eligible for the Visa Wavier Program(VWP) since its introduction in 1986.
According to a 2015 memo by the US Department of State Travels, it listed that a person must be a citizen or national of the following countries to be eligible to travel to the United States under the VWP.
- The 2015 list:
- Andorra
- Australia
- Austria
- Belgium
- Brunei
- Chile
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Japan
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Monaco
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Qatar
- Romania
- San Marino
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- South Korea
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Taiwan
- United Kingdom
It also showed since 2/15, no African nation has been included on the list.
In the updated list of countries eligible for VWP, aside from the addition of Romania and the exclusion of the United Kingdom (UK), the list remained the same since 2024.
According to the US Bureau of Consular Affairs, the VWP allows citizens or nationals from participating countries to travel to the United States for tourism, business, or transit for up to 90 days without obtaining a visa.
Conclusion
Nigeria has not been added to the VWP list since 1986; therefore, the claim that it was, as a result of the Biafra group’s lobbying of the US government is FALSE.
Credit: FactWatch Nigeria
