The United States Government has announced the temporary closure of its diplomatic missions in Nigeria, as the U.S. Embassy in Abuja and the Consulate General in Lagos suspend operations for three days in observance of the Christmas holidays.
In a statement released on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, the U.S. Mission in Nigeria disclosed that both diplomatic offices will be closed from Wednesday, December 24, through Friday, December 26, 2025.
Resumption of Services
According to the official announcement, normal consular and administrative services will resume on Monday, December 29, 2025.
“The U.S. Embassy in Abuja and Consulate General in Lagos will be closed on Wednesday, December 24 through Friday, December 26, 2025. We will resume normal work operations on Monday, December 29, 2025,” the statement confirmed.
Impact on Consular Operations
The temporary closure will affect all routine services, including:
- Visa Processing: No interviews or document collections will take place during this period.
- Routine Citizen Services: Standard administrative tasks for U.S. citizens living in Nigeria will be on pause.
- Non-Emergency Inquiries: Response times for general queries will be delayed until the offices reopen.
Emergency Assistance: The U.S. Mission is expected to maintain emergency assistance for U.S. citizens in line with standard diplomatic protocols during public holidays. Citizens in need of urgent help are typically advised to contact the duty officer via established emergency lines.
Planning and Advice
The Christmas holiday observance aligns with global U.S. diplomatic practices, where missions worldwide shut down to mark major national and religious holidays. Members of the public with urgent travel plans or pending documentation have been advised to plan ahead and await the resumption of services next week.
Source: Africa Publicity
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